Lynnguistics - Carpeting Hints

HOUSEHOLD HINTS - CARPETING

I've chosen some of the most common carpet stains and their removal procedures. Instructions are listed in tables. Follow the procedure letter beside the stain that refers to it. Cleaning solutions used in these procedures are found below.

NOTE: Always pretest any spot or stain cleaning procedure and chemicals on a hidden area of carpet for colour bleed or colour loss. Do NOT use these procedures subsequent to or in combination with other procedures. The compound effect of non-compatible cleaning agents could harm your carpets. Call a professional carpet cleaner and tell him what has been attempted so he may take proper action.

General Instructions:

APPLY: Solutions, solvents, water and other liquids should be applied to a clean white paper towel (NOT printed) and this wet towel used to dampen the carpet. Never wet the carpet through to the backing!

Cleaning Solutions:

DETERGENT: Mix 1 teaspoon clear dishwashing detergent with 1 cup warm - NOT hot - water.

PRESOAK SOLUTION: Mix 1 teaspoon enzyme presoak (Axion, Biz, etc.) with 1 cup warm water.

HYDROGEN PEROXIDE: Mix 4 fluid ounces Hydrogen Peroxide (3% strength available in drug stores) with 1 fluid ounce household ammonia (sudsy type).
Use within 2 hours after mixing.

AMMONIA: Undiluted household ammonia, sudsy type containing detergent.

VINEGAR: Undiluted white vinegar.

DRY POWDER CLEANER: Powdered carpet cleaners such as Host, Capture, and Blue Luster.

DRY CLEANING SOLVENT: Non-oily, non-caustic type solid for spot removal from garments.
CAUTION: May be flammable!

Stains

Asphalt - Procedure A	Beer - Procedure B	Berries - Procedure B-M
Blood - Procedure B	Butter - Procedure A	Candle Wax - Procedure 0
Candy (Sugar) - Procedure B	Ketchup - Procedure C-M	Chewing Gum - Procedure G
Chocolate - Procedure B	Chalk - Procedure P	Coffee - Procedure B-M
Cooking Oil - Procedure A-C	Dirt - Procedure P	Dyes, Blue, Black, Green, Red - Procedure M
Excrement - Procedure C	Foundation Makeup - Procedure A-B	Fruit Juice - Procedure C-M
Furniture Polish - Procedure A	Grease: Food - Procedure A	Grease: Auto - Procedure A
Glue: Hobby- Procedure A-L	Ice Cream - Procedure B	Ink - Ball Point Pen - Procedure A
Ink - India, Marking Pen - Procedure A-M	Artificially coloured fruit drinks - Procedure C-M	Kool-Aid - Procedure C-M
Lemonade - Procedure C-M	Lipstick - Procedure A	Mascara - Procedure A
Mayonnaise - Procedure B	Mercurochrome - Procedure M	Methiolate - Procedure M
Milk - Procedure B	Mixed Drinks (Liqueurs) - Procedure B-M	Mud - Procedure B
Mustard - Procedure C-M	Nail Polish - Procedure L	Paint: Latex - Procedure B
Paint: Oil - Procedure A	Pet Food - Procedure C-M	Paper Mache - Procedure B
Shoe Polish - Procedure A-M	Shortening - Procedure A	Soft Drinks - Procedure C-M
Tar - Procedure A	Tea - Procedure B-M	Urine: Dry - Procedure B
Urine: Fresh - Procedure B	Vomit - Procedure C	Wine: Red - Procedure M
Wine: White - Procedure B	Unknown - Procedure A-B

Procedures

Procedure A:

Apply a dry cleaning solvent, use dampened white towel.

BLOT: don't rub. REPEAT solvent application as above.

BLOT: don't rub.

WATER: apply with dampened towel.

BLOT: finish with weighted pad of towels.

Procedure B:

SCRAPE or BLOT up excess spill.

APPLY DETERGENT: (see "Cleaning Solutions"), use damp white towel.

BLOT: don't rub.

APPLY AMMONIA: (see "Cleaning Solutions"), use damp white towel.

APPLY WHITE VINEGAR: (Undiluted) , use damp white towel.

BLOT: don't rub.

WATER: apply with damp sponge.

BLOT: finish with weighted pad of towels.

Procedure C:

SCRAPE or BLOT up excess spill.

APPLY dry baking soda.

SCRAPE and VACUUM.

WATER: use damp sponge to rinse remaining baking soda. Don't overwet.

BLOT: don't rub.

APPLY PRESOAK SOLUTION: (see "Cleaning Solutions"), use damp white towel.

WATER: rinse as above.

BLOT: don't rub, dry well.

APPLY DRY POWDER CLEANER: (see "Cleaning Solutions"), VACUUM.

Procedure G:

SCRAPE or BLOTup excess spill.

FREEZE with ice cubes.

SHATTER with blunt object like the back of a large spoon.

VACUUM chips away before they melt.

Procedure L:

APPLY NAIL POLISH REMOVER: (non oily type) - use cotton swab to apply to the spill. Don't wet through to carpet backing.

PICK UP SOFTENED MATERIAL: use clean white paper towel and push towards the center of the spill to avoid spreading stain.

REPEAT ABOVE: soften and carefully remove a layer of the spill each time. Haste may spread the stain and/or damage the carpet.

Procedure M:

SCRAPE or BLOT up excess spill.

APPLY DETERGENT SOLUTION: use damp white towel, leave 3-5 minutes.

BLOT: don't rub.

APPLY HYDROGEN PEROXIDE SOLUTION: (See " Cleaning Solutions") - let stand 20 to 30 minutes under a weighted pad of clean, dry white paper towels.

REPEAT: application of Hydrogen Peroxide and dry under weighted pad until removal is complete.

APPLY WHITE VINEGAR: (Undiluted), use damp towel.

BLOT: finish with weighted pad of towels.

Procedure 0:

SCRAPE off excess material.

COVER WITH BROWN PAPER APPLY WARM IRON until material is absorbed. Be sure paper is large enough and take care to never touch the iron to the carpet.

CHANGE PAPER OR ROTATE to clean area and repeat until all material is absorbed.

Procedure P:

VACUUM away as much as possible. Loosen remaining powder by tapping with a scrub brush or tooth brush. Tap with brush, do not scrub.

VACUUM.

APPLY DRY POWDER CLEANER: (See " Cleaning Solutions").

TAP WITH BRUSH to work powder into carpet tufts. Do not scrub.

LET POWDER DRY: 1 hour or more.

VACUUM.

REPEAT: dry powder application as above, if necessary.

Please Note: I do not take responsibility should something unforeseen occur while using these tips. I've tried many of the applications found on these pages, and haven't encountered any difficulties.