Carpet Spills - How to Remove Without Staining

I would think that being in the Pittsburgh house cleaning service market and knowing how difficult it can be to clean up spills I would be more careful about knocking over glasses that are full of soda or cups filled with coffee. Not so because I recently spilled a cup of coffee on our carpet then a few days later I knocked over a can of soda that one of my family members had set down for later consumption. Ok, so you just spilled a can of soda on your new carpet. Or perhaps you just dripped a bit of wine on your carpet. All is not lost so no need to worry, but truthfully time is critical in this situation. If you allow the spill to remain on the carpet without taking action quickly you are going to ensure that the stain will embed itself into the carpet fibers. The first thing to do is to grab some clean dry paper towels. If you do not have them and a store is open nearby then there is time to purchase a roll or two as long as you can get back to the spill in a few minutes or so. Just bear in mind that the longer the spill remains the more likely it will stain the carpet.


Don’t Panic, But Do Proceed Quickly Using the Correct Technique

I have often seen, over the years, someone tackle this project without the slightest clue of what to do. The natural inclination is to grab a rag and rub like crazy to clean up the spill. That is the worst technique you can use to clean up spills. Rubbing with a rag will only embed the liquid deeper making the removal of it more difficult if not impossible. Rubbing profusely will help to insure that you will be left with a stain which is exactly what you are trying to avoid. If the carpet is new, then the stress levels are high when this kind of mishap occurs which only creates more problems. The trick here along with speed is to be gentle when cleaning the spill.


Steps to Take When Cleaning the Carpet Spill

Begin by taking two or three paper towels and starting at the outer edges of the spill, work around the spill by dabbing or blot the liquid. Resist the temptation to rub it. If you rub the liquid you actually make the situation worse by embedding the liquid into the carpet fibers. Toss the paper towel when it begins to get wet over more than 50% of its surface. Keep working around the spill working only at the outer edges of it all the while working your way toward the center. After you have completely worked your way to the middle of the spill, look at the carpet. Is there still a stain showing? If so, you can then spray the stain with clean cold water. Some people think that using hot water is better than cold. Again this is a mistake as hot water helps a stain to set. Spray the entire area that is stained with the cold water and begin again to dab from the outer edges working your way toward the middle as before. This process can be repeated several times. You will notice that each time you repeat the process the stain will be lighter and less visible. Eventually the stain will be completely gone. Then to finish up the project, and it can be a project, a hair dryer can be used to dry the carpet. A new toothbrush can be used to gently brush the nap as it is drying from the heat of the hair dryer. After you are done, if you have followed these steps properly, you will not be able to tell you spilled something on the carpet.


Some Final Thoughts in Cleaning Up Carpet Spills

It is beneficial to have everything on hand before the accident happens. I keep a spray bottle with clean water on hand for just such an emergency. Most households have paper towels handy. As an owner of a Pittsburgh house cleaning service, we always have a toothbrush nearby. This article does not explain all the possible techniques for cleaning spills from your carpet. Much will depend on what the spill is. For example, a spillage of glue will not be removed with water in most cases. Instead this article is giving you a workable technique that will work for most common kinds of spills. It is always best to have a book handy that will give you much more detailed information concerning different types of spills to be removed.


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