Expert Carpet Care Advice!

Emergency Carpet Cleaning

Water-based Stains
IncludingAlcohol, Baby Formula, Beer¸ Blood, Candy, Catsup, Chocolate Milk, Clay, Cola, Cologne, Cranberry Juice, Felt Tip Marker, Food Stains (general), Fruit Juice, Fruit Punch, Furniture Polish (water-based), Grape Juice, Graphite, Ice Cream, Jelly, Latex Paint, Liquor, Milk, Soil Spots, Soft Drinks, Syrup, Tomato Juice, Water Colors, Watermelon, Whiskey, Wine, Vomit

Step 1

• Use a spoon or dull knife to remove solid materials.
• For large stains, work from the outside of stain to the center to prevent spreading.
• Blot up liquid spills with a white towel or paper towel.
• Apply Windex directly to a white cloth. Dampen the carpet fibers in the stained area with the cloth. Avoid saturating the carpet.
• Wipe gently. Turn cloth frequently. Never rub, scrub or use a brush. This may damage carpet fibers.
• If necessary, use your fingertips to work the solution to the base of the stain.
• Wet the stained carpet fibers with clear, lukewarm water to rinse.
• Cover the spot with an absorbent white towel or paper towel and apply pressure to blot.
• Repeat the rinsing and blotting procedures until you are sure all traces of the Windex have been removed.
• If the stain is gone, place an absorbent white towel or paper towel over the area cleaned, and weigh towels down with a heavy, color-fast object, such as a weighted plastic wastebasket.
• Change towels or paper towels until carpet dries.
• If stain remains, proceed to Step 2.

Step 2
Do NOT use on coffee, tea or urine stains.

• Mix 2 tablespoons of non-bleaching, non-sudsing household ammonia with 1 cup of lukewarm water.
• Apply ammonia solution, rinse and blot as outlined in Step 1.
• Do not dry with paper towels.
• Proceed to Step 3 to neutralize the ammonia solution.

Step 3

• Mix 1 cup of white vinegar with 2 cups of water.
• Apply vinegar solution, rinse and blot as outlined in Step 1.

Greasy, Oil-based Stains
Including Butter, Chocolate, Cooking Oil, Cosmetics, Crayon, Furniture Dye, Furniture Polish
(oil-based), Glue*, Gravy, Grease (black), Gum*, Hand Cream, Ink, Lipstick, Margarine, Mascara, Mayonnaise, Nail Polish, Oil, Oil Paint, Ointment, Peanut Butter, Rouge, Salad Dressing, Spaghetti, Wax*, Varnish
[*Freeze and remove solid materials before using cleaning fluid.]

Step 1

• Use a spoon or dull knife to remove solid materials.
• For these stains, use a citrus solvent applied directly to a white cloth. Dampen the carpet fibers in the stained area with the cloth. Avoid saturating the carpet.

Step 2
For large stains, work from the outside of stain to the center to prevent spreading.

• Blot up liquid spills with a white towel or paper towel.
• Mix a solution of 1/4 teaspoon of clear hand dishwashing detergent with 1 cup of water. Stir gently.
• Apply detergent solution directly to a white cloth. Dampen the carpet fibers in the stained area with the cloth. Avoid saturating the carpet. Wipe gently. Turn cloth frequently. Never rub, scrub or use a brush. This may damage carpet fibers.
• If necessary, use your fingertips to work the solution to the base of the stain. Wet the stained carpet fibers with clear, lukewarm water to rinse.
• Cover the spot with an absorbent white towel or paper towel and apply pressure to blot.
• Repeat the rinsing and blotting procedures until you are sure all traces of the detergent have been removed.
• If the stain is gone, place an absorbent white towel or paper towel over the area cleaned, and weigh towels down with a heavy, color-fast object, such as a weighted plastic wastebasket. Change towels or paper towels until carpet dries.
• If stain remains, proceed to Step 3.

Step 3
Do NOT use on coffee, tea or urine stains.

• Mix 2 tablespoons of non-bleaching, non-sudsing household ammonia with 1 cup of lukewarm water.
• Apply ammonia solution, rinse and blot as outlined in Step 1. Do not dry with paper towels. Proceed to Step 4 to neutralize the ammonia solution.

Step 4

• Mix 1 cup of white vinegar with 2 cups of water.
• Apply vinegar solution, rinse and blot as outlined in Step 1.

Special Water-based Stains
Including coffee, tea, urine.

Step 1

• For large stains, work from the outside of stain to the center to prevent spreading.
• Blot up liquid spills with a white towel or paper towel.
• Mix a solution of 1/4 teaspoon of clear hand dishwashing detergent with 1 cup of water. Stir gently.
• Apply detergent solution directly to a white cloth. Dampen the carpet fibers in the stained area with the cloth. Avoid saturating the carpet. Wipe gently. Turn cloth frequently. Never rub, scrub or use a brush. This may damage carpet fibers.
• If necessary, use your fingertips to work the solution to the base of the stain. Wet the stained carpet fibers with clear, lukewarm water to rinse.
• Cover the spot with an absorbent white towel or paper towel and apply pressure to blot.
• Repeat the rinsing and blotting procedures until you are sure all traces of the detergent have been removed.
• If the stain is gone, place an absorbent white towel or paper towel over the area cleaned, and weigh towels down with a heavy, color-fast object, such as a weighted plastic wastebasket. Change towels or paper towels until carpet dries.
• If stain remains, proceed to Step 2.

Step 2

• Mix 1 cup of white vinegar with 2 cups of water.
• Apply vinegar solution, rinse and blot as outlined in Step 1.

Carpet Maintenance

Vacuum Regularly
Most dirt, and even dust, takes the form of hard particles. When left in the carpet these gritty, sharp particles abrade the pile of the carpet. Regular vacuuming not only prolongs the life of the carpet, but will enhance its appearance as well. Most soiling in carpet is of the dry, particle type which can be removed with a vacuum cleaner. Vacuum high traffic lanes daily, medium to high traffic areas twice weekly, and the entire house at least once a week. Use a vacuum with a rotating brush or beater bar. Change the bags often and check the beater bars for burs and gouges so as not to damage the surface of the carpet. Some thick loop pile carpets will fuzz if a rotating brush vacuum is used. In this case we recommend a suction vacuum only.

Preventive Maintenance
The use of mats or runners at all home entrances and on uncarpeted areas adjacent to carpet will reduce soil and moisture in traffic areas. Clean mats and any other rugs placed over carpet regularly.

The use of furniture coasters to distribute the weight of heavy items is also recommended, especially for furniture with wheels. Take care when moving furniture with wheels by putting a protective barrier between the wheels and the carpet.

To extend the beauty of your carpeting, close drapes or blinds during hours of direct sunlight.

Exercise extreme caution with all bleaches, tile cleaners, mildew removers, oven cleaners, drain openers and plant food. They are strong chemicals that can permanently discolor or dissolve carpet fibers.

Cleaning Recommendations
Even with regular vacuuming, soil particles and oily dirt will cling to the carpet fibers. With foot traffic these particles and oily dirt are driven deep into the carpet. We recommend professional hot water extraction every 18 to 24 months. Periodic cleaning, using the hot water extraction method performed by a professional cleaner, will refresh carpet appearance.

The most used areas, such as entrances, doorways, traffic lanes, and in front of chairs will collect dirt faster than other areas. Clean these areas as they begin to show soil. This will stop dirt from spreading, and will extend the time between professional cleaning.