We've all been there. Whether it was you, your spouse, your children, or your pet, you watch that bowl of spaghetti, a glass of cool-aid, or a plate of nachos get on your carpet, rug, or upholstered furniture. You wish you could slow down time and turn on your spidy-senses and catch the mess right before it hit the ground, but alas, you are a mere mortal. So you go to the next logical step: panic.
Once you have gained your composure, you'll be happy that you've read this article. We have some simple Rules of Thumb to keep in mind before you potentially make the stain worse.
Don't Freak Out...but Don't Wait!
When you spill something, you'll want to be pretty quick on the uptake to get the stain out. You run the risk of waiting too long and making the spill become more permanent. It could become a problem in a flash.
Don't scrub or rub! BLOT!
When in a state of panic, we think like Cinderella scrubbing the floors so she can make it to the ball. Don't do that! Scrubbing will simply sink the spill deeper and deeper into the fibers of the carpet. Instead, blot it up the best you can with a white towel or paper towel, and see what will come up. When you think of how you should blot, think of this little puppy.
Work from the Outside-In
The center of the spill is where there will be the most amount of liquid, so you don't want to spread it out. Working from the outside will make sure that you can get the spots that are the least saturated, and keep the center of the spill from spreading out further.
Put That Stain Back Where it Came From!
Or so help me! Now is the time to call in the big dogs. If you can get the stain out without using any spot removal solution, that's ideal. But if not, there are some great resources on what you can look for. Try any general purpose stain removal first. This is always a good product to have around the house, but never use bleach! That will make for a very sad tale to tell.
Hopefully now you have a better understanding of what to do if there is a tragic spill on your carpet. If the stain is just too much to handle, and you are in Denver Metro area, go ahead and give us a call and we can come and relieve all your worries!
We'd love to hear back from you on any additional tips you might have when it comes to cleaning up any of your accidental spills. Tell us about your experiences with Kool-Aid, wine, pet urine, etc, and the best ways to handle them! |
Check out the following articles and companies for their additional insights!
1.) Brite, Jennifer. "How to Remove Every Type of Carpet Stain." This Old House. Accessed June 14, 2016. http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,20224251,00.html.
2.) "Cleaning Spots and Spills." The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) -. Accessed June 14, 2016. http://www.carpet-rug.org/Carpet-for-the-Home/Cleaning-and-Maintenance/Cleaning-Essentials/Cleaning-Spots-and-Spills.aspx.
3.)"Spot Removal Guide." Coit.com. Accessed June 13, 2016. http://www.coit.com/residential/spot-removal-guide.
1.) Brite, Jennifer. "How to Remove Every Type of Carpet Stain." This Old House. Accessed June 14, 2016. http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,20224251,00.html.
2.) "Cleaning Spots and Spills." The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) -. Accessed June 14, 2016. http://www.carpet-rug.org/Carpet-for-the-Home/Cleaning-and-Maintenance/Cleaning-Essentials/Cleaning-Spots-and-Spills.aspx.
3.)"Spot Removal Guide." Coit.com. Accessed June 13, 2016. http://www.coit.com/residential/spot-removal-guide.