Remember when you were young and every toy you owned had to be out and ready for play? Then mom would yell, “Dinner is ready, clean up time” and you only had until the count of three to be done, so you had to get moving. Our moms taught us all about the importance of cleaning up our messes, and quickly, but here at Steamwise we advise breaking the rules and taking a slower approach when it comes to dealing with messes (Sorry mom). Here’s why.

When you spill something on your carpet or area-rug, despite the immediate urge to grab a cloth and scrub it away, you need to take a moment to form a plan. What you spilt is going to dictate how you deal with the issue. Overall, it’s best to not let a spill dry, but here are some more planned approaches for dealing with common spills:

Food Stains

1. Pick up larger pieces so they do not continue to saturate the area.
2. Pat the stained area with a clean damp cloth to remove any smaller pieces/crumbs.
3. Use a new clean damp cloth to blot the stain from the outside in.
4. If required, spray a vinegar and water solution (one-part vinegar to one-part water) onto another clean cloth and blot the stained area.
5. If the vinegar smell is too strong, sprinkle some baking soda over the area when it is close to dry and then run the vacuum.

Nail Polish

1. Pour a small amount of cold water onto the nail polish, followed by 15-20 squirts of hairspray and 3 very small splashes of rubbing alcohol.
2. Using a small clean scrub brush, brush the stain in a circular motion for 1 minute, applying small amounts of water as you go.
3. Continue with this process until the stain is no longer visible.

Pet Urine

1. Create a solution of equal parts vinegar and water.
2. Slowly pour or spray the solution onto the stained area.
3. Let the solution soak into the carpet for about 10 minutes and then pat the area dry with paper towel or clean cloth.
4. Leave the area to dry for 2-3 hours and then sprinkle some baking soda to help further absorb the odour.
5. Let the baking soda sit for 15 minutes and then vacuum the area.

Gum

1. Place a handful of ice into a towel or sandwich bag and place it on the gum stain for approximately one minute or until the gum has hardened (larger pieces take longer to freeze).
2. Use a spoon or butter knife to scrape away the hardened gum.
3. Depending on the amount of gum, you may need to repeat this process a few times.

White Candle Wax

1. Use a butter knife to scrap off as much wax as possible.
2. Place a hand-towel on the left-over wax and iron over the top of the towel until all of the wax has been absorbed.

If you want a little bit of extra help keeping your carpets clean, consider having them Scotchgarded. Scotchgard creates an invisible protective barrier on your carpet, giving you more time to clean up spills before they create a stain.

Interested in having your carpets Scotchgarded or professionally cleaned? Contact us today