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Always read and follow the care instructions and any warnings provided by the carpet manufacturer. Rugs and carpets with natural fibers and/or certain dyes may require special treatment. If in doubt, contact a cleaning professional for advice or service. To keep your carpet looking its best, vacuum dirt away regularly and clean it periodically.
Carpet Stains
Asphalt, tar: Use a table knife to scrape up what you can without spreading it. Soak a clean rag with isopropyl rubbing alcohol and blot up the stain by rubbing in the same direction only. Do not rub in a circle because that may damage the twisted yarns. Do not let the alcohol penetrate to the backing, where it may destroy the latex bond.
Blood: Immediately soak in cold water, then blot the area dry with a paper towel. Follow this by mixing 1 tablespoon of clear household ammonia to 1/2 cup of cold water. Use a spray bottle to saturate the stained area. Blot it dry.
Chewing gum: Freeze the gum by covering it with ice in a plastic bag, then gently scrape it loose from the carpet.
Coffee: Blot up excess with paper towel and then neutralize with 1/3 cup of white vinegar to 2/3 cup of water. Blot dry.
Crayon: Wipe up excess with paper towel and then dampen area with isopropyl rubbing alcohol. Keep blotting to remove the stain.
Grease: Scrape up excess with kitchen knife and then blot with paper towel soaked with isopropyl rubbing alcohol.
Ink: Use paper towel soaked in isopropyl rubbing alcohol.
Nail polish: Wet a paper towel with nonoily nail polish remover and wipe the area clean.
Paint: Clean up the initial spill with paper towels and a table knife to remove excess paint. Soak a clean rag in isopropyl rubbing alcohol and rub the area clean. Do not rub in a circular motion; just gently back and forth.
Shoe polish: Wipe up with rag soaked in isopropyl rubbing alcohol.
Vomit: Clean up initial amount with spoon. Blot up excess with paper towels. Spray the area with a mixture of 1 tablespoon clear household ammonia and 1/2 cup of water and blot dry as you clean. Wash with dishwashing soap (1 teaspoon to 1 quart water) that does not contain bleach or lanolin.
Wine: Blot up the spill immediately. Apply a mix of 1/3 cup white vinegar and 2/3 cup of water to neutralize the wine. Blot dry. Wash with dishwashing soap (1 teaspoon to 1 quart water) that does not contain bleach or lanolin.
The sooner you react to a potentially damaging spill on hardwood floors, the better results you will have. Wipe the spill clean with a dry, absorbent towel. Do not let any liquid stand on hardwood floors or it may cause the wood to swell.
Pet stains: Wipe the area dry as soon as possible. Wipe the area clean with a paper towel soaked in white vinegar. Do not let the vinegar soak into the wood. Old stains can be difficult to remove. At best, it usually involves sanding the floor down to bare wood and then refinishing with the same stain and finishing material. At worst, it means cutting out the wood and replacing it.
Chewing gum: Cover the gum with a plastic bag of ice until it hardens, then carefully pry it loose from the floor with a dull knife. Wipe away any residue with a rag soaked in ammonia.
Wax: Same as above for chewing gum.
Water marks: Rub the whitened area with non-gel toothpaste, which is a very mild abrasive. Wipe the area clean and rub with wax.
Marble, granite, slate, and some tiles are porous and will absorb liquids spilled on them unless properly sealed. Clean up any spills promptly by blotting them, not wiping them. Wiping tends to spread the material and possibly widen the stain. Rinse with a clean damp rag once the spill is gone.
Stains that have penetrated the stone or ceramic surface cannot always be wiped away and must be drawn from the material with a chemical-absorbent material called a poultice. Basic poultices are made from different types of clay that are mixed with a chemical, depending on the stain.
Safe and readily available poultice materials are clays and diatomaceous earth. Avoid whiting or mixing clays that contain iron with any acidic chemicals, which can cause rust stain in the stone. The clays come in a powdered form that you mix with a chemical to draw out the stain.
Do not attempt to remove a stain with a poultice and chemical until you know what the staining material is. To identify a stain, first consider if it falls into one of these categories:
· Food based (organic)
· Oil based (cooking oils, machine oils, tar)
· Ink (felt tip markers, pens)
· Biological (mold, mildew, fungus)
· Metallic (rust or copper stains)
Removal Steps
Food based: Mix 1/2 cup of hydrogen peroxide with about a teaspoon of ammonia, then pour on the stain and let it fizz. Work it in with an old toothbrush. Rinse clean. If the stain is reduced somewhat, repeat the process. If this does not work, apply a poultice, as described below.
Oil stains: First cover the area with a rag soaked in a mix of 10 percent sodium carbonate in water. For deeper stains, apply a poultice; it may take several applications.
Inks, dyes, blood: For tiles, scrub with household bleach. For light colored granite or marble, use DI DI Seven, available from a stone dealer, mixed with water to make a poultice.
Mold, Mildew: Wash with a 50-50 solution of bleach and water. After it is cleaned, dry the area thoroughly.
Here are some common poultice combinations for certain stains:
| To Remove: | Use a Poultice Mixed with: |
| Paint | Mineral spirits |
| Oils | Degreaser, ammonia |
| Coffee, tea, soft drinks | Hydrogen peroxide |
| Rust spots | Iron Out(tm) |
Preparing a Poultice: Mix the diatomaceous earth or clay with the selected cleaning chemical above until it is the consistency of toothpaste. Place the poultice over the stain and then cover with a piece of plastic to keep it from drying out. Tape the edges of the plastic down and let it remain in place for 24 hours. Remove the plastic and clean away the poultice. If stain still persists, repeat the procedure. You can obtain a Stain Removal Guide for Stone from The National Training Center for Stone and Masonry Trades by calling (407) 834-4800.
Some Stone Tips
Rust: Surprisingly, rust is a common staining problem on stone surfaces. Use a product called Iron Out, which is designed for water softeners. When made into a poultice, it removes rust from stone.
Efflorescence: This is a white powder that may form on recently laid marble, granite, or slate tiles. This material is mineral salt from the mortar base being pushed through the stone by moisture. Do not wet mop it but instead wipe it away with a dry rag each time it appears, and it will eventually cease.
Hydrofluoric acid: This acid, found in many rust removers, will damage a granite surface, etching the polish away. Check labels of any cleaning material to see if it contains HF before using it on granite.
Faded Black Granite: Some people find their black granite tiles begin to fade after a few cleanings. The granite is not fading; some granite has been dyed to give it a special color. If in doubt, wipe a piece of black granite with a rag dipped in acetone. If the cloth shows a dark stain, the granite has been dyed. Do not accept it.
Carpets: Dirt and grit at the base of the carpet yarn tends to cut the yarn and destroy the carpet pile. Regular vacuuming is essential to prolonging carpet life. Periodic deep cleaning keeps the pile in good condition.
Granite: Keep granite tiles free of sand and dirt, which will cut into the polish and leave a dull floor. Damp mop the floors with a solution of Murphy's Oil Soap and water [?] periodically to keep them bright.
Marble: As with any stone floor, keep marble floors free of dust and grit. After damp mopping, wipe them dry with a chamois cloth for a clear and non-streaked finish. If the floors become dull from wear, they can be enlivened with marble polish, available at stone dealers. Acids from citrus fruits will etch the surface of marble and leave it dull. Blot up any acid from marble and rinse repeatedly with a damp cloth.
Ceramic tile: The easiest way to clean ceramic tile is with an electric floor polisher with brushes instead of pads. Use some TSP and a little water for a quick and thorough cleaning. If the grout is still dirty or is mildewed, scrub it with a 50-50 mix of chlorine bleach and water. When dry, reseal the grout, which will help keep it from getting dirty again. Use sealers that you sponge on both the tile and the grout, then wipe the tile clean when it dries.
Hardwood: Keep polyurethane floors clean by damp-mopping periodically with water and a grease-cutting detergent such as TSP. Do not allow water to stand on the floor. Go over the floors with clean rinse water in the mop. Waxed floors must be regularly buffed with a floor polisher.
Laminate: These floors do best with commercial cleaning agents that prolong the factory finish. Ask your dealer to recommend cleaning products. Remember, the surface pattern is only a photograph. Do not use wax or polyurethane on these floors.
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