Carpeting and entry mats are often what customers see first when entering a business. Ugly stains are the main culprit in ruining the look. With a little knowledge keeping your carpets in excellent condition is easy to do. This article will explain the different types of stains and how to get them out of your carpet and rugs. By understanding what type of stain you have, you can choose the best treatment method.
Types of Carpet Stains
Knowing the type of stain on your carpet can help you choose the best way to remove it. If a stain is caused by water or food, it’s likely not very deep in the fibers and will respond well to basic carpet cleaning.
Oil-based stains, however, may be deeper in the fiber or threads and tend to be more challenging to remove with standard cleaning methods. Protein-based stains may also be deeper down in your carpet’s fibers but will respond differently than oil or grease stains do because protein is much stickier than oil or grease (think spaghetti sauce).
Protein-based stains respond well to removal if they are fresh enough that they’re still wet. Once a protein-based stain turns hard, it can be tough to remove.
TIP – When dealing with carpet stains, act quickly. Fresh stains are generally easy to remove over a dried or old stain.
Let’s look deeper into how to remove carpet stains and the different types.
Oil-Based Carpet Stains
Oil-based stains are typically caused by oil or grease like motor oil, salad dressings, or ketchup; they’re also called greasy stains because they often leave behind an oily residue even after being cleaned up properly.
Oily stains often get left behind when you spill sauce or gravy on the carpet or after eating a salad with a heavy dressing. But these spots shouldn’t be ignored. Oil-based stains are among the most stubborn types of dirt and grime to remove from your carpet, and they’ll need to be tended to as soon as possible.
TIP – To clean oil-based stains from your carpet:
- Use a solvent-based cleaner to remove the stain at first. Soap-based cleaners will not remove oily residue; instead, use an alcohol or other solvent-based cleaner for immediate results
- Keep blotting with paper towels until there is no more residue left on the carpet fibers themselves – this may take several applications over several days (or even weeks), depending on how long it’s been since you spilled that bottle of salad dressing!
Water-Based Carpet Stains
Water-based stains are typically caused by water or other liquids, such as coffee or other beverage. It’s important to know that not all liquid spills can be removed using the same carpet cleaning product.
For example, if you spill coffee on your carpet and then try to clean it with a shampooer that works on dry stains only, then your efforts will be in vain. However, if your carpet is still wet from the coffee spill, then there’s a good chance that using a solution made specifically for treating wet spots will work well enough to remove most traces of the stain.
TIP – Water-based stains are the easiest to remove. You can use a wet vac or steam cleaner to remove them, or you can try using a carpet shampooer if you don’t have access to one of these devices.
Protein-Based carpet stains
Protein-based stains from animal urine (both human and pet), blood, and other body fluids are the most difficult to remove. These types of carpet stains often require a carpet cleaning professional to apply special products to help lift them out.
Other protein-based stains include those caused by food; these include: eggs, chicken, milk chocolate chips or candy pieces (which can usually be removed with dish soap), and the like.
They can be removed with a carpet cleaner or enzyme cleaner. These types of stains can be hard to spot on your carpet because they can seep deep into the fibers.
TIP – The easiest way to clean up protein-based stains is to spot-clean the carpet with paper towels and let them air dry before vacuuming it again. An enzyme cleaner may do the trick if the stain persists after cleaning it twice.
Getting Stains Out of Carpets
Carpet and rugs are used constantly in your home and business. Cleaning carpets and rugs is important to maintain a pristine image for customers and can benefit your family and customers’ health. Spot cleaning a rug or carpet may be all you need. Water or cleaners can be used to spot clean; follow these steps.
- Remove any large solid matter from the carpet
- Use paper towels or a white cloth and gently blot the spot.
- Dampen the spot with water, use an old toothbrush, and gently brush or blot the area.
- Use an enzyme cleaner for protein-based stains.
Keep Your Place of Business Looking its Best
Entry ways, breakrooms, and waiting areas are places that get a lot of foot traffic. Keeping these areas clean is essential for a positive customer experience. Call Executive Cleaning Services for the best floor and carpet cleaning services near you at 1-800-664-6393, or get in touch with our local commercial floor cleaners for a cleaning quote. We’re available to answer your questions and concerns 24/7/365 – Contact us today!