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How to Clean Carpet Stains

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Category: Home ImprovementStains Be Gone

Carpet stains are a fact of life, no matter how careful you are with muddy shoes, wine glasses or rambunctious kids. Eric Stromer shows you his trade secrets for getting out common stains from carpets, including liquids, semi-solids (like peanut butter), dirt, mud and coffee. There's one mantra that applies to all of them: don't rub!

If no amount of stain removal is going to save your carpet, take a look at Carter Oosterhouse's trade secrets on choosing the best carpet for your home.

Step 1: Blot the Blot
If you have a liquid spill never rub it in, just gently blot the spill with a towel.

Step 2: Spooning
For semi-solid stains like peanut butter use a spoon and gently scoop up the spill; when you have most of the spill up, gently blot with water and towel.

Step 3: Scrape
For solids like mud and dirt scrape the carpet with a dull knife breaking up the stain then vacuum. In you don’t have a wet/dry vacuum get one. Any remaining stains blot with towel and water and vacuum immediately.

Step 4: Gasp!!!Coffee!!!
For tougher stains like coffee first try the blotting technique if that fails you will have to use a carpet cleaning product. Be sure and test the product on a less visible area first, then apply the cleaner following the directions, then vacuum.

Step 5: Outside In
For all these techniques it is important to remember always work from the outside in stain; this prevents the stain from spreading.

Items You'll Need for this GMC Trade Secret

  • Towels
  • Wet/Dry Vacuum
  • Spoon
  • Dull Knife
  • Carpet Cleaner

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nora

How do you clean carpet in an automobile?

September 08 2012 at 1:21 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Carolyn

How do you remove purex stains?

February 19 2012 at 12:52 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
montanameredith

Wonderful ideas that I'm going to try. Thank you!

November 28 2011 at 1:13 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
margie

please make list of all cleaning products and also a print out for future use by the consumer.

November 25 2011 at 7:23 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
blessingnbaskets

I would like to know what would best remove red fruit punch or kool aid from carpet. Can you help? Thanks Theresa

October 03 2011 at 8:59 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to blessingnbaskets's comment
paula rae

I once rented a home with bad kool aid stains on the dining room carpet...Stanley Steamer came 3 times and told me to work on the stain a little at a time with an iron, a good spot remover/carpet cleaner and a white towel...soak stain with cleaner, put white damp towel over it and iron with med iron. Amazing, the towel was receiving the color off the carpet as I ironed over it. I changed towels as I went as to keep removing kool aid....it took a week but the stain was old and i worked on it as i thought about it each day and finally it was gone. Hope this helps! Nana

October 03 2011 at 12:44 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
plarry6

How to remove grease stains from carpeting.

October 03 2011 at 8:33 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
mclc1220

Hi, the stains removed from the carpets on your show are recent ones, but can you show how to remove old stains that have been inbeded into the carpet over a period of time.......thank you ....L C

October 03 2011 at 7:28 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
nnavarro13

thanx for the tips, u da best :)!!!

October 03 2011 at 6:53 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Grace

MY SON CAT PEES IN CORNER OF MY BASEMENT BY THE DRYER THE IS BAD I CLEAN IT SPRAY PET REMOVER FROM THE PET STORE STILL PEES AND STINKS PLEASE HELP

October 03 2011 at 12:00 AM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
sheila

does it work on old stains

October 02 2011 at 7:52 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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