General Stain Guidelines

1. Immediately blot up as much of the liquid stain as possible using a soft, white, absorbent material like a towel, napkin or white T-shirt. Though most of the carpets produced today are treated with stain-resistant treatments, no carpet can be said to be completely stain-proof. And longer the stain remains in the carpet, more permanently it sets into it.

2. Scrape away the solid or semi-solid stain using a blunt spatula or spoon. Never use a knife as its sharp edges could harm the pile fibers.

3. Never scrub or brush a stain; scrubbing can harm the fibers and have the adverse reaction of making the stain set in to the carpet or rug.

4. Vacuum away as much of the solid stain as possible.

5. Pretest the spot removal agent on an inconspicuous area of the carpet. Follow the instructions carefully. Apply a few drops to each color in the carpet. Press a clean, white towel or napkin lightly over it for approximately 30 seconds. Check both the towel or napkin and the carpet for color transfer, color change or any other damage. Try another spot removal if you notice any change.

6. To clean the spot, apply a small amount of spot removal agent to the soft, white, absorbent material and gently apply to the stain, working from the edges towards the center of the spot to prevent it from spreading. Continue as long as the stain is getting transferred onto the towel. Apply more solution to a fresh area on the towel and repeat the process as long as the stain is being removed. Patience is a virtue as far as this step is concerned!

7. In cases where you need to apply more than one spot removal agent in a sequence, continue applying the first spot removal agent as long as there is any improvement; then move on to the next one.

8. After the spill has been removed completely, skip any remaining spot removal procedures and proceed to rinse out the affected area with water and blot dry to remove the cleaning solution completely as any residue may attract soil and cause damage to the carpet. To effectively blot up the water, you may use clean, dry towels weighed down by flat, heavy objects like a book; keep changing the towel as they become saturated.

9. Do not over wet the area. Over wetting of carpets while cleaning may cause damage to the carpet.

Looking for more information about how to remove a specific stain or spill on carpet or upholstery?

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