No one wants food and other stains in their carpet to win out and stick around.
The solution begins with a suitable carpet cleaner, one that`s up to the job of making those stubborn carpet stains trying to move in on your territory hit the door.
The same products can often be used at home to clean and restore a fresh look to your carpets.
Read the label to see, if you're up to the task of carpet cleaning on your own, when it suits you.
Look for a foaming cleaner that is not too harsh on the environment, which means it does not contain phosphates or chlorine.
Check the label to see whether or not the container is recyclable too.
Most such products will work on your upholstery as well as carpets.
It is always a good idea to perform a test before delving into a big job.
Test on the underside of corner cushion or on a corner of the rug that is always covered.
When dueling with carpet stains, make sure that you have everything you need organized before you begin.
This includes your bucket, brushes, sponges, and materials for covering the legs and bottoms of furniture around the room you're about to clean.
Don't forget knee pads, for those longer jobs.
If you don't have any, simply grab a cushion.
Anything is better than nothing.
Decide where you're going to begin, and where you'll end your project and stick to your plan.
Pick up furniture to move it out of the way.
Dragging items will potentially damage your rug.
Take the time to cover the legs or bottom of any furniture in your path: chairs, sofas, book shelves, and so on.
Try wrapping feet and bottoms in aluminum foil or wax paper.
Many products can leave stains on wood and other materials, so it's always best to overprotect parts that you don't want to ruin.
Remember not to use too much water on your carpet.
Less is more! And take care to avoid spills on your floor covering, as it can be hard on the fibers.
Try sponging stains in a single direction.
While you're getting up close and personal with your floor covering, keep a pair of scissors handy to trim any stray or fraying bits and pieces.
Cutting them is always a better bet than unraveling your carpet in one shot.
Once you've completed the task, there are a couple of important things to remember: don't walk on your work right away! Wait a few hours or overnight, until the carpet is really dry, before travelling on it.
Once it's dry, don't forget to run the vacuum cleaner over it to finish the job.
And, finally, make sure you pick up that furniture once more as you put it back into place.
So there's help out there to make sure that you don't allow those carpet stains any more room to grow.
Show them who is in charge.
Take them out while they're fresh.