Dark, stubborn beer stain. Take note if you are feeling helpless about stains in your home:

Get the spots out. During the holidays, everything from red wine to gravy to good old mud can find its way onto your rugs. Take two empty spray bottles to start carpet cleaning, and fill one with cold water. In the other, mix 1/4 teaspoon plain dishwashing liquid and 1 cup warm water. Spray the detergent solution onto an absorbent cloth (not the carpet you don't want to wet it too much), and dab, don't rub, it on the spot. As the stain dissolves, blot with a clean section of cloth. Keep applying and blotting this way until the stain is gone. Spray another cloth with the cold water, and use it to rinse the detergent solution from the carpet; blot again with a dry cloth. Then, pile on a stack of white paper towels, and place a heavy pot on top; leave overnight to soak up any residual staining deep in the carpet. In the A.M., remove the pot and toss the paper towels; fluff the fibers with your fingers and allow to air-dry.

Make It Easier Next Time

Keep dirt outdoors where it belongs: Stock up on extra slippers or flip-flops and keep them in a basket, along with a shoe rack by the back door, to encourage family members to make the switch when entering.
Stash a sweeper in a closet near the entryway to collect dirt before it gets ground into doormats. If you don't already have them, put down outside mats for a first wipe.

Another Method to Try

Move your furniture so you have enough space around the stain to get around. Vacuum the part of your carpet you'll be cleaning. Keep that vacuum near by - you'll need it again soon!
Moisten a dishtowel/washcloth/sponge and blot it on your stain. If your stain is still wet, you can skip this step.Sprinkle baking soda over the moist stain. Rubbed it in with your fingers because baking soda came out all clumpy. It worked better this way. Once your time is up, vacuum the baking soda paste up. You don't have to get it all but make sure there's not a lot left on the carpet.In a small bowl or mixing container, combine about a cup of bathtub warm water with a splash of white distilled vinegar and a touch of dish soap.Using your wet towel/washcloth/sponge, soak up some of the soapy vinegar mixture and dab it onto the stain. It may get foamy, depending on how much baking soda you left on the carpet.Keep blotting at the stain with your liquid mixture until the stain comes out - which for my pesky stain, wasn't that long.Grab a dry towel and pat the carpet as dry as you can.Your carpet should be looking a heck of a lot better!

Vinegar and baking soda for the win! Again! Using detergents and stain removers without dyes prevents adding another stain to the area. Sometimes colored detergents can leave a second stain as they turn the area a light shade of the dyes used to add color to the liquid. Vacuuming the area after it has dried will help to restore the texture of the carpet fibers.

Go to main page Auckland Carpet Cleaning for more reliable assistance on the job