Family
meals and holiday gatherings often include a bottle or two of red wine. And in
the melee of people and gift opening, it is not uncommon for a glass of wine to
spill, leaving you with a daunting stain on your carpet. Here are some tips to
minimize the damage:
- Time
Is A Factor – When
it comes to stains, time is your enemy. While you don’t have to stop and
devote all your energy to clean-up, it is important to get as much wine up
as soon as possible. Use clean, white paper towels to remove all loose liquid. - Blot
Don’t Rub – Technique
is essential. Rubbing the stain will remove the loose liquid, but it also
forces it into the fibers. Blotting (pressure without friction) makes the
paper towel act more as a sponge and less like a piece of sandpaper. - Cold
Water – As the
stain starts to dry, add a small amount of cold water to keep it wet and
fresh. Continue to add water and blot until no more stain comes up. Be
sure to constantly swap out soiled paper towels for clean ones to avoid
transferring the wine back onto the carpet. - Baking
Soda Paste – Lastly
mix up a paste of 3 parts water to 1 part baking soda. Apply liberally to
the stain using a clean paint brush. Once dry, vacuum up the baking soda.
A
word of caution about cleaning colored carpets. Carpets are colored using dyes.
When a harsh cleaner is applied to a colored carpet, even an off-white or
cream, it can result in a loss of color in the spot. Even a gentle cleaner like
baking soda can create a “super-clean” spot that stands out from the surrounding
carpet. It is always a good idea to test any carpet cleaning process/product on
an inconspicuous area to determine its effect on the color and fiber.
If all else fails, the
pros at Braxton
Cleaning Solutions, Northern Kentucky Carpet Cleaning, are ready to clean those
stubborn stains and get your carpet looking its best! Give us a call today to
schedule your next cleaning.