Whether it’s mud from the backyard, a few drops of wine or spaghetti sauce, or a smoothie that exploded out of the blender, if you get to it quick enough, it will be like you never had a spill at all! There are a few dos and don’ts when it comes to cleaning spots.
Spot Cleaning Wine Stains
Wine is tough–especially red wine. While there is no guarantee the wine will come out, you can start the cleaning process with cold water, Dawn dish soap, and a white towel or cloth. Start by mixing 1 part Dawn dish soap to 6 parts cold water. Using the white towel or cloth (with no colored designs), take the suds from the water mixture and place them on the spill. Blot the stain (do not rub!). Rinse the soap by blotting with a white towel using cold water. Let the rug air dry.
Things to Avoid
- Warm water
- Peroxide or bleach
- Rubbing the stain
- Most over the counter rug cleaners (they say they won’t bleach your rug or carpet, but they often take the color out)
Products to Use
- Capture Carpet and Rug Dry Cleaner
- Capture Spot and Stain Remover
Spot Cleaning Pet Stains
Pets have accidents. And it seems like when they have an accident, they mark their territory and always use the same rug or spot over and over again. While there is no guarantee the stain will come out, you can start the cleaning process with cold water, Dawn dish soap, and a white towel or cloth. Start by mixing 1 part Dawn dish soap to 6 parts cold water. Using the white towel or cloth (with no colored designs), take the suds from the water mixture and place them on the spill. Blot the stain (do not rub!). Rinse the soap by blotting with a white towel using cold water. Let the rug air dry.
You can also crush a moth ball into powder and place it under one corner of the rug to deter your pet from going on the rug in the future.
Things to Avoid
- Warm water
- Rubbing the stain
- Peroxide or bleach
- Most over the counter rug cleaners (they say they won’t bleach your rug or carpet, but they often take the color out)
Products to Use
- Capture Carpet and Rug Dry Cleaner
- Capture Pet Stain and Odor Neutralizer
Spot Cleaning Coffee and Tea Stains
Coffee and tea are tough stains. They are often used to dye fringe on rugs, so getting it out can be hard. While there is no guarantee the stain will come out, you can start the cleaning process with cold water, Dawn dish soap, and a white towel or cloth. Start by mixing 1 part Dawn dish soap to 6 parts cold water. Using the white towel or cloth (with no colored designs), take the suds from the water mixture and place them on the spill. Blot the stain (do not rub!). Rinse the soap by blotting with a white towel using cold water. Let the rug air dry.
Things to Avoid
- Warm water
- Rubbing the stain
- Peroxide or bleach
- Most over the counter rug cleaners (they say they won’t bleach your rug or carpet, but they often take the color out)
Products to Use
- Capture Carpet and Rug Dry Cleaner
- Capture Spot and Stain Remover
Spot Cleaning Food Stains
Spills happen in the kitchen, but a rug under your feet can make cooking and eating more comfortable. While there is no guarantee the stain will come out, you can start the cleaning process with cold water, Dawn dish soap, and a white towel or cloth. Start by mixing 1 part Dawn dish soap to 6 parts cold water. Using the white towel or cloth (with no colored designs), take the suds from the water mixture and place them on the spill. Blot the stain (do not rub!). Rinse the soap by blotting with a white towel using cold water. Let the rug air dry.
Things to Avoid
- Warm water
- Rubbing the stain
- Peroxide or bleach
- Most over the counter rug cleaners (they say they won’t bleach your rug or carpet, but they often take the color out)
Products to Use
- Capture Carpet and Rug Dry Cleaner
- Capture Spot and Stain Remove
How Can Shaheens Help with Rug Stains?
At Shaheen Rug Cleaning, we have been cleaning rugs since 1901. We have seen almost every type of stain. We have the knowledge and know-how to clean your rugs and bring them back to life. Even if you do get most of the stain out using the methods noted above, it is important to get your rug professionally cleaned to make sure the stain is not still buried deep in the rug fibers.
How Often Should I Have My Rug Cleaned?
We recommend a professional cleaning every 18 months to two years depending on several factors like where the rug is placed and the traffic it gets, visible spots and stains, etc. While we can’t guarantee we can get all stains out, we will give your rug a spa treatment to clean and sanitize it and try our best to make the spot less visible.