Build The Ultimate Stain Removal Kit | Best Carpet Spot Removers, Clarkston, MI

Common spots and spills can easily be treated with basic household ingredients and this is great news for every homeowner in Clarkston, MI.  The great majority of stains can be removed with one cleaning agent or another if treated immediately, but good results may still be had if only a day or two has passed.  Bear in mind, the longer a stain sits, the better chance it has to chemically 'bind' to the carpet and the harder it will be to remove it on your own (at which point it would be best to consult a cleaning professional).  

 

The most effective approach to treating and removing a spot or stain is starting with the mildest available solutions first.  It helps greatly to know what created the unfortunate mark in your carpet in the first place and how long it's been in there.  Most organic stains can be treated just by dampening a spot with gentle dish soap, plain water, and careful blotting with a white towel.  Chemical-based stains, and stubborn occurrences like stuck-on gum, melted candle wax, or worse(!), require a different approach altogether.  Severe spills will need plently of blotting to avoid 'wicking'.  When wicking happens the stain may reappear even after you've cleaned it because excess liquid makes its way back up the carpet fiber to the surface.

 

You can stay on top of unexpected accidents and spills that occur in your Clarkston, MI household by putting this Ultimate Stain Removal Kit together.  You may already have many of the items needed for this kit in your home already and their stain removal applications go beyond their use on carpet and rugs.  You can effectively use these items (mixed in the appropriate ratios and formulations) on clothing, furniture, and other miscellaneous household stains.  In fact, we will cover how to treat a multitude of stains with the components in this kit in an ongoing stain removal series of articles to follow.  Be sure to keep your Ultimate Stain Removal Kit at the ready for when you need it and our stain-fighting team here at Carpet Cleaning Excellence will be sure to keep you informed on how to keep your carpet, rugs, and more, looking their best every step of the way! 

 

 

 

Plastic cleaning caddy tray with or a plastic bucket

Rubber dishwashing gloves or disposable blue nitrile or latex gloves

Clean cloths (recycle cut up or old white washcloths, cotton t-shirts, cloth diapers, or dish towels...white is best to avoid color/dye transfers)

Clean sponges (not the cheap $1 store colored type...to avoid color/dye transfers)

Cotton swabs (Q-Tips)

Toothbrush

Medicine dropper (for when detail application is needed)

Narrow plastic putty spatula (about 1"-1-1/2" wide)

Tamping brush (or any brush with a medium to large flat head and medium handle...even a meat tenderizer will work in a pinch)

3-6 small plastic 2-4 oz. flip-top travel-size bottles to build a small compact kit (get more bottles to create multiple small kits to keep in different areas, or levels, of your home)

Small empty spray bottle (for mixing of different, fresh solutions)

Plastic, re-purposed parmesean cheese dispensers (to prevent spillage of powders such as baking soda and easier sprinkling)

1-2 old thick towels and heavy books or weights (kept accessible somewhere close by to soak up any deep moisture to avoid wicking)

Small fan (kept accessible closeby to assist in quick drying and prevent wicking of deeper dye stains up onto the surface)

 

 

Mild dish detergent (think the gentle-on-hands kind like Palmolive, Dawn, Ivory or, for a more natural take on things, try 7th Generation or Bronner's Pure Castile Soap)

White vinegar

1-2 small sealed bottles of club soda

Small spray bottle of plain water

Hydrogen peroxide 3% solution (needs to be kept in its original dark container)

Rubbing alcohol

Cornstarch

Baking soda

Glycerin (also sold as 'vegetable glycerin' at your local crunchy natural food store or on Amazon.com)

Ammonia

Salt

 

 

Gentle, NON-acetone nail polish remover

Krud Krudder (4 oz. bottle or spray bottle...multiple applications...read bottle instructions)

Enzyme laundry detergent (for milk/protein stains...think Tide Original, Pure Essentials or Stain Release lines or Arm and Hammer plus OxiClean or Essentials)

Small trial-size aerosal bottle of hairspray

Shaving foam (non-gel kind...trial-size if it is available, saves on space)

Borax

 

 

 

-Again, move fast when a spot or spill occurs!  Left untreated for too long a spot will turn into a stain and stains are more difficult to treat as they become set in.

-If there are any solids, scrape these up first with the plastic putty scraper tool.  

-Cover the spot with a cloth and use a gentle blot or striking (tamp) method with the tamping brush to soak up any excess stain liquid (rubbing can damage fibers or set in stains).

-Heat from an iron or dry blow dryer heat will set stains (and could melt synthetic carpet and rug fibers), super-hot water should also be avoided.

-Test any spot cleaner you use on a small, inconspicious spot first before treating the whole stain (use your Q-Tips or medicine dropper).

-Treat any stain with the mildest available spot cleaner first.

-If all looks good after testing, apply the spot removal liquid or product of choice/necessity around the perimeter (edge) of the stain and then on completely cover the space on the inside.

-Never pour spot cleaner solutions onto carpet.  Spray it on or dip your clean cloth, sponge, medicine dropper, or Q-Tip into the solution mixture and dampen the area that way.

-Work the stain from the outside of the stain towards the inside (otherwise you could unnecessarily cause it to spread beyond its exisiting perimeter [edge]).

-Consider purchasing a PROFESSIONAL GRADE, carpet safe spot remover from a carpet cleaning company such as Carpet Cleaning Excellence.

 

 

 

---> Remember, always test any spot remover in a small spot first (some carpets and rugs are sensitive to acid cleaners, others to harsh akali cleaners) and don't rub the fibers!!  These recipes are geared towards more organically-based, non-chemical spots and stains.

 

#1:  Sprinkle baking soda.  Wait 10 mins.  Vacuum.  Mix in an empty spray bottle:  1 tablespoon of dish soap + 1 tablespoon of vinegar + 2 cups of water.  Spray or sponge on carpet to dampen the spot.  Let sit for 5-10 minutes.  Cover with a white towel, blot gently or tamp (as indicated above) until the stain seeps up into the towel and disappear from the carpet.  Reply and try again if needed.  If all looks good, cover with a heavier towel and books/weights for several hours to take care of the extra dampness (or utilize the small fan).  Call Carpet Cleaning Excellence if the stain does not come up.

 

#2:  In a small 4 oz. squeeze bottle mix 1 part baking soda + 1 part dish soap + 2 parts hydrogen peroxide (to make it easy think of the bottle visually divided into 4 parts and fill accordingly or measure the ingredients into a bowl using a 1/4 measuring cup = 1 part).  Shake/mix up and apply to stain (as indicated above).  Let sit for 5-10 minutes.  Cover with a white cloth, blot gently or tamp until the stain disappears.  Repeat if needed.  If all looks good, cover with a heavier towel and books/weights for several hours to take care of extra dampness (or utilize the small fan).  FYI:  Hydrogen peroxide loses its effectiveness when exposed to light, so this is a 1x use only spot mixture.  Call Carpet Cleaning Excellence if the stain does not come up.

 

#3:  1 part glycerin + 1 part dish detergent + 2 parts hydrogen peroxide.  Mix in small spray, squirt bottle, or bowl.  Apply and treat as above.

 

 

 

#1 Club soda, dampen & blot.

#2 1 tablespoon of ammonia + 1/2 cup of lukewarm water, follow proper dampening & blotting instructions.

#3 1/4 cup vinegar + 1/4 cup of water, follow proper dampening & blotting instructions.

 

 

You can stay ahead of stains by making sure to get a professional hot water extraction carpet cleaning AT LEAST once a year (as recommended by the major carpet manufacturers for most types of carpets, especially those under warranty).  It is also an excellent idea to have a quality carpet protection product applied at this time.  If your carpet is a stain resistant brand it will still requires an annual application of carpet protection to maintain its optimum stain resistance properties.  As previously stated, treating stains quickly is always job #1 and that still applies even if you have stain resistant carpet.  Stain resistance does not mean STAIN PROOF, but it does give your carpet an extra fighting chance by not letting those spots and spills set in too quickly.  It also allows you to keep the carpet in your Clarkston, MI home looking great and staying healthy longer.  Particularly when it works in conjunction with consistent and proper weekly maintenance and annual deep cleaning care.  The added benefit of the reapplication of a carpet protection product is that your vacuuming will be made much more effective since you will be able to vacuum up 50-60% more dry particulate soil from your carpet and rugs.  The less dirt and soil particles that can reach deep down into your carpet fibers, the less wear, tear, and grinding your carpet will be subjected to.

 

Did you know that quality, non-builder's grade carpet and padding is expensive and should last, on average, a solid 10-15 years?  Carpet Cleaning Excellence can help you protect the investment made in the soft surface floor coverings you have carefully chosen and installed in your Clarkston, MI home. Call us at 888-688-0603 for a free, no-pressure, no-obligation carpet evaluation when you are ready for a professional deep carpet cleaning.  We also offer an 'Always Clean' frequent cleaner program for homeowners who want the very best looking and healthiest carpet in the neighborhood.  This program allows discerning and health conscious individuals to get every other cleaning at half off (a deep cleaning is done every 6 months).  This is a terrific program to consider if you have expensive carpet that is under warranty, lots of traffic in your home, light-colored carpet, and/or there are family members that are dealing with respiratory health ailments.  Our powerful, state-of-the-art equipment, tools, all-natural cleaning agents, and 25+ year cleaning experience make all the difference in the high-quality results Carpet Cleaning Exellence is famous for.  Even better, every one of our cleanings is backed with a 100% you-love-it-or-it's-free guarantee AND a 30-day unlimited 'No Spot' return visit guarantee*.  We love to provide new and established clients the ultimate peace of mind with every cleaning appointment.  Our goal is to have you try us, love us, and then stick with us forever. 

 

Carpet Cleaning Excellence proudly serves the most quality conscious clients throughout all of Oakland County, Michigan and Metro Detroit.  They count on us for the very best residential and commercial carpet care in Clarkston, Lake Orion, Oxford, Orion Township, Waterford, Springfield and Independence Township.  If there are any stubborn spots or stains you need extra help with, or are looking for a thorough carpet cleaning that goes down to the pad, give us a call at 888-688-0603.  If we can't get your stains out or your carpet to a soft and sparkling state of being, then no one can.  We look forward to meeting you soon!

 

*Non-pet spots or stains.