25. Carpet Stain Remover

One of the most frustrating things to do is to remove stains from carpet. Although this can be daunting, it ends up being a real money saver and making your carpet last longer. It is easiest to remove stains from carpet when they are fresh, so if you can get them fast. If you are like me, mystery stains show up randomly and are difficult to identify.

When you are working on removing a stain, make sure that you start at the edges and work in to the center, this should reduce spreading it around. If you can not identify what caused the stain, try starting with carbonated water. If this doesn't work you will have to move on with other options. One that seems to work well is 20 Mule Team Borax dissolved in tap hot water. Using a cotton rag, blot the Borax water onto the stain and wait for it to dry, then vacuum up any residue. I have discovered that this will get many stains out permanently.




Having pets, we end up with a lot of mystery stains. One product that I have found that works wonderfully on pet stains is Bissell OxyPro Pet, I have tried multiple stain removers and this works the best. Your best option for an identified urine stain is to cover the stain with white vinegar, then use the Bissell.


 There are multiple methods to remove a variety of stains, I found a couple of books that have ingenious methods for making things last. One is Yankee Magazine's Make it Last and another is Get Out Darn Spot, both books have excellent methods for caring for your carpet and your upholstery. Make it Last has care instructions for just about anything that you own.



Here are a couple of methods: wax can be removed by using a paper towel covered by a regular towel, then use your iron on a very low setting (be careful as the carpet can be scorched if you are not cautious); chewing gum can be removed using an ice cube and gently scraping the gum off of the carpet.

Good Cleaning!
Until Tomorrow!