Spills happen — whether it’s juice, wine, coffee, or even something as messy as chocolate or ketchup. The good news is that most carpet stains can be removed if you act quickly and follow the right procedure. Below, we’ve outlined two effective spot-cleaning methods (Procedure B and Procedure M) that cover a wide range of common household stains.
Procedure B: General Stains (Everyday Spills)
Use this method for soils such as: beer, candy, sugar, chocolate, glue, ice cream, mayonnaise, milk, latex paint, and more. It’s also the first step for more stubborn stains like vomit, wine, or butter.
What You’ll Need:
- Clear dishwashing detergent (¼ teaspoon mixed with 1 cup warm water)
- Clean, dry cloths
- Paper towels
Steps:
- Scrape or blot up any excess spill immediately.
- Apply the detergent solution to the carpet with a damp cloth.
- Blot — do not rub or scrub.
- Using a fresh cloth, rinse with clean water to remove detergent residue.
- Place a thick stack of paper towels over the damp area, weigh them down with something heavy (like a jug of water or a glass baking dish), and leave for several hours. If any stain remains after the wicking process, repeat.
- For stains such as vomit and wine, good job on completing the first step with Procedure B. The next step to follow would be Procedure M
Procedure M: Stubborn Stains (Food, Drinks & Dyes)
If your stain is caused by berries, blood, ketchup, tomato sauce, coffee, dyes, soda, tea, or mustard, start with Procedure B, then move on to Procedure M.
What You’ll Need:
- Clear dishwashing detergent (¼ teaspoon mixed with 1 cup warm water)
- Hydrogen Peroxide/Ammonia Solution: mix ½ cup 3% hydrogen peroxide with 1 teaspoon undiluted, unscented, clear non-sudsy household ammonia (must be used within 2 hours of mixing)
- White vinegar
- Clean, dry cloths
- Paper towels
- Plastic wrap
Steps:
- Test the material for color fastness in a non-visible area. This should be done with all cleaners being used for the first time on any product.
- Scrape or blot up excess spill.
- Apply detergent solution with a damp cloth.
- Blot — do not rub or scrub.
- If the stain is gone, finish with step 5, and you are DONE!
- Use a fresh cloth to apply clean water, ensuring all detergent residue is removed. If the stain is removed, great job;, you can stop here. If the spot is not removed, continue with step 6
- If the spot remains, apply ammonia using a damp cloth. Blot, do not rub or scrub
- Apply the hydrogen peroxide/ammonia solution, let stand for 2-3 hours under a weighted sheet of plastic wrap. (For weight use a water bottle or glass baking dish)
- Repeat application of hydrogen peroxide/ammonia solution and allow it to dry until removal is complete..
- Apply undiluted white vinegar using a clean dry cloth only after stain is removed.
- Apply water with a damp towel to rinse.
- Blot dry.
- Apply a thick stack of paper towels to the area, then weigh them down with a heavy object, such as a jug of water or a glass baking dish, and leave for several hours.
If the stain still won’t budge, refer to your Carpet Care & Maintenance Guide for additional steps.
