Specialized Treatments for Tough Stains

A. For blood, catsup, cheese, chocolate, cola, cough syrup, mixed drinks, soft drinks, soy sauce, starch, toothpaste, watercolor or white glue: Blot with white paper towels to remove as much of the stain as possible. Then, neutralize the spot with an ammonia solution, using a spray bottle to saturate the spot. Do not wet the backing. Blot with a white paper towel to remove excess moisture. After neutralizing, followRemoval Method 3. All solutions for removing blood must be cool.

B. For beer, coffee, perfume, tea or wine: Blot with a white paper towel to remove as much of the stain as possible.Then, neutralize with a white vinegar solution. Saturate the spot using a spray bottle and blot to remove excess moisture. After neutralizing, follow Removal Method 3.

C. For egg, excrement, urine or vomit: Remove as much of the stain as possible by using a spoon or dull knife. Blot up as much of the stain as possible, then neutralize by spraying the affected area with an ammonia solution. Care should be taken to remove all protein matter. Blot to remove excess moisture and follow Removal Method 3.

D. For candle wax or other types of wax: Spread brown paper (such as a grocery bag) or a terry cloth towel over the area and iron with the setting on "warm." The wax will be absorbed into the paper or terry towel. Remove any traces with alcohol or dry cleaning fluid by blotting.

E. For chewing gum: Freeze the gum using an ice cube. Shatter the frozen gum with a knife handle, then vacuum. Some citrus-based products have been demonstrated to break down the stickiness of gum so that it can be removed.

F. For mud: Allow mud to dry completely. Shatter the dried mud with the handle of a knife, then vacuum. Follow with Removal Method 3.

G. For rust: Using a spray bottle, saturate the spot with lemon juice and let stand for 5 minutes. Follow Removal Method 3 to remove the lemon juice. If Removal Method 3 does not work, call a professional. Note: Most rust removers contain a strong acid and are not recommended for household use.

H. For nail polish: Remove as much of the polish as possible using a spoon or dull knife. Apply a non-oily nail polish remover to a clean white cloth and gently rub (one direction at a time) or blot the spot. Continue until the spot is removed. Do not allow nail polish remover to get to the latex backing. Follow Removal Method 3 to remove the nail polish remover.

I. For soot, including graphite and copier material: Vacuum using the crevice tool. If vacuuming does not remove all or most of the soot, call a professional cleaner. If vacuuming has removed all particles, follow Removal Method 1 to remove traces.

Removal Methods

Method 1: Unknown and Greasy Spots

Remove as much foreign material as possible by blotting with a white paper towel or scraping with a dull knife.  Apply isopropyl rubbing alcohol to a clean white cloth, white paper towel or cotton ball.  If the spot extends deep into the pile, blot until it is removed or no color transfers to the cloth.  Do not allow the alcohol to penetrate the backing, as it will destroy the latex bond.  If the spot is on the surface only, rub in one direction at a time.  If rubbing removes the spot, rinse the spot with clean water as the final cleaning step.  Blot dry and stack several white paper towels over the damp area.  Place a brick or similarly weighted object on the towels to keep them in contact with the carpet.  Allow the carpet to dry, remove the brick and towels, and brush up the pile.  If this does not work, go to Removal Method 3.  REMEMBER! Never use circular motion to remove a spot as this may destroy the texture in the spot area.

Method 2: Water-Based Spots

Blot up as much of the spill as possible with a white paper towel.  Use a wet vacuum for a large spill.  If the spot has dried, saturate the tufts in the affected area with tap water (do not overwet).  After about a minute, blot up the water.  If the water proved effective, continue until the spot is completely removed.  Blot dry, and apply the paper towels and brick.  If it is not completely removed, go to Removal Method 3.

Method 3: When Methods 1 or 2 Fail

If Removal Methods 1 or 2 fail, try the following: Apply a small amount of a detergent solution to the spot (1/4 teaspoon detergent per 1 qt. of water).  Blot with a white paper towel to work the detergent into the affected area.  If the spot is being removed, continue applying detergent and blotting until spot is completely removed.  Using a spray bottle, rinse with tap water, and then blot to remove excess moisture.  Next, spray lightly with water, but instead of blotting, apply a pad of paper towels, weight them down with a brick and allow to dry.  If the stain remains, moisten the tufts in the stained area with 3 percent hydrogen peroxide and let stand for 1 hour.  Blot and repeat until carpet is stain free.  Because light will change peroxide back to water, no rinsing is necessary.  Apply a pad of paper towels and weight them down with a brick.  Allow carpet to dry.  Remove brick and towels and brush up the pile.

What to Do if the Spot Returns

A spot will usually return for two reasons:

• Incomplete removal. You removed the material causing the spot by dissolving it with cleaning solution. However, gravity pulled the spill deeper into your carpet. Blotting with absorbent towels removed most of it, but as it dried, the remainder of the spill migrated to the top of your carpet pile and appeared as the last of the moisture evaporated. This is called "wick-up." To remedy, just repeat the spot cleaning process with special emphasis on blotting and placement of the absorbent towels
• Detergent left in the carpet. Always gently rinse the area with water to remove detergent. You will need to absorb the moisture because incomplete removal will expose the area to more rapid soiling. Place towels or a cloth over the wet area and weight with a heavy, colorfast object to absorb moisture. Leave overnight. The next morning, the area should be dry. Brush up the carpet pile.

Stains That Cannot Be Removed Acid toilet bowl cleaners, acne medication, alkaline drain cleaners, chlorinated bleaches, hair dyes, iodine, insecticides, mustard with turmeric, plant fertilizers and other stains of the same nature permanently alter carpet color. Call a professional. Typically, they address such stains by replacing the stained area. If you do not have extra carpet on hand, they might cut a piece from a closet or another inconspicuous area.

If you have additional questions concerning stains on your carpet, call our toll-free Maintenance Hotline: 1-800-633-3208.