Spot Removal Procedure

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by: fredwarnell
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Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 Time: 3:01 AM
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Spot removal from carpet can be simple or tedious depending upon the spot and how long it has been on the carpet. At times multiple applications of the spot removal solution, or a second solution is required . Listed below is a general spot removal procedure. If the origin of the spot is unknown , begin with step 1. If the cause of the spot is known begin at the appropriate step. Never use a circular motion to remove a spot as this changes texture. To prevent wick up , the final step should always be to rinse with clear water, blot dry and put a white cotton terry cloth towel over the damp area. Put a book, or other heavy object on the towel to keep the towel in contact with the carpet . This allows any stain wicking up from the backing to go into the towels rather than remain on the carpet surface. Allow to dry, take away the brick and towels and brush up the carpet.

**Be sure to test, on an inconspicuous area of your carpet any solutions you plan to use as it might affect color or texture. Do not continue if color in the test area transfers to a white paper towel .
Some materials to have available to clean spots:

. White paper towels or white terry towels .
. Powdered laundry detergent without bleach
. Sprayer for applying detergents and special solutions such as vinegar or Household ammonia solutions.

. Household ammonia , white vinegar and isopropyl rubbing alcohol .

. Spoon and dull knife .
. Brick or heavy book ( yellow pages) .

General Procedure:

Unknown and greasy spots.

Step 1: Remove as much of the foreign material as you can by blotting with a white paper towel or scraping with a spoon . Apply isopropyl rubbing alcohol or a dry cleaning solvent to a clean paper towel or cotton ball. If the spot extends deep into the pile use a blotting motion until the spot is gone or no color is transferred to the cloth . Do not allow the solvent to penetrate into the backing, as this will ruin the latex bond. If the spot is on the surface only, rub in one direction at a time. Never use a circular motion to clean a spot as this may destroy the pile. Stop if spot is removed. If not, go to step 3.
Water based spots.

Step 2: Blot up as much of the spill as is possible. A wet/dry vacuum is useful if a large amount of liquid was spilled. If spot has dried, saturate the tufts in the affected area with tap water (do not over wet ). Allow to remain for about 1 minute and blot. If the spot is being removed using water, repeat until the spot is completely removed . Blot dry and apply the paper towels and brick . If the stain is not totally gone go to step 3.

Step 3: Remove as much of the foreign material as possible by blotting with a white paper towel or scraping with a dull knife . Apply a small amount a detergent* solution to the spot . Use a blotting action to work the detergent into the carpet . If spot is being removed continue applying detergent and blotting with a white paper towel until the stain is gone . Rinse the area with clear water using a spray bottle, blot to remove excess moisture, spray lightly with plain water , do not blot this time; apply stack of white paper towels and brick and allow to dry. If there is still some stain on the carpet and blotting is not removing it, then moisten the tufts in the stained area with 3% hydrogen peroxide. Let stand for one (1) hour. Blot and repeat until carpet is spot free. Light will cause hydrogen peroxide to change back to water so no rinsing is necessary . Apply pad of paper towels and weight down with a brick .
*To prepare a detergent solution, mix 1/4 teaspoon of Non Bleach Tide (or similar) powdered laundry detergent, with 1 quart of water, or use approved carpet spot removers available.

Many stains require special solutions.

A. Blood, catsup, cheese, chocolate, cough syrup, mixed drinks, soft drinks, soy sauce, starch, toothpaste, watercolor and white glue.

For large spills use a Shop-Vac to remove the bulk of the spill. If just a small amount was spilled blot with a paper towel to soak up as much of the spot as possible then neutralize with a solution of 1 tablespoon of clear Household ammonia to 1/2 cup of water . Saturate spot using spray bottle. Do not saturate the backing . Blot with a white paper towel to absorb excess moisture. Once neutralized, proceed to step 3 of the instructions . All solutions for removing blood should be cool.

B. Beer, coffee, perfume, tea and wine.

For large spills use a WetDry vacuum to suck up the bulk of the spill. If just a small amount was spilled, blot with a white paper towel to absorb as much of the spot as possible, then neutralize with a combination of 1/3 cup of vinegar, 2/3 cup of tap water . Apply to the spot, using a spray bottle and blot to remove excess liquid . After neutralizing , go to step 3 of instructions .

C. Egg, excrement, urine, and vomit.

Remove as much of the stain as you can by using a spoon or dull knife . Soak up as much of the spot as possible, then neutralize by spraying the area with an ammonia solution. Care should be taken to remove all protein matter. Blot to remove excess liquid and go to step 3 of the procedure.

D. Candle wax or other types of wax.

Spread brown paper (such as grocery bag, making sure there is no ink on the area you will be using) over the area and iron with the on the "warm" setting. The wax will be absorbed into the paper or towel. Replace the paper as it absorbs up the wax. Remove any traces with isopropyl alcohol or dry cleaning fluid. DO NOT use an iron on Olefin . Olefin is a fairly raw oil base byproduct and it is easy to melt or distort with heat or friction.

E. Chewing gum .

Use an ice cube to freeze the gum. Shatter the frozen gum with a knife handle and vacuum. Some citrus based products such as De-Solv-It? by Orange-Sol have been shown to break down the stickiness of gum so that it can be removed .

F. Mud.

Allow mud to dry . Break up the dried mud with the handle of a knife or a spoon and vacuum. Go to step 3 of the procedure.

G. Rust.

Apply lemon juice to the area, using a spray bottle, and allow to work for 5 minutes. Go to step 3 of instructions to remove the lemon juice. Most rust removers contain a strong acid and are not suggested for use by homeowners.

H. Nail Polish.

Remove as much of the nail polish as possible using a spoon . Apply a non-oily nail polish remover to a clean white cloth and agitate (in only one direction at a time) or blot the spot. Repeat until nail polish is removed. Do not allow nail polish remover to penetrate the carpet backing. Go to step 3 to remove the remover.

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To learn more about carpet cleaning and stain removal visit Carpet Cleaners Iowa City Iowa