Top 5 carpet stains and how to remove them

If not treated quickly or effectively, spots and spills can quickly ruin a carpet turning your beautiful investment into a worn, discoloured and shabby looking eyesore. 

To help you avoid this from happening, below we've listed five of the most common spots and spills that end up on carpeting and how to effectively remove them, keeping carpets looking clean and fresh. 

Red Wine

We've all been there. You've watched on helplessly as a glass filled with merlot topples towards the floor in slow motion, coming to a sudden halt as it impacts with your new cream carpet, sending a thick glug of wine in a forward motion across the room. You maybe could've stopped it, but you didn't and as the shock wears off you realise that most of the liquid has soaked its way deep into the carpet pile.

There's no sugar coating this, red wine can be challenging to remove as it is high in acidity and so deep coloured it has the potential to leave permanent stains on light carpet. Carpet type also plays an important part as soon fibres are more porous than others.

However, there can be hope. If you ever find yourself in this situation, always remove the red wine immediately. The spill will be much easier to remove while it is still wet. Now, within a business such as a hotel or restaurant, this is can very difficult to do, but don’t worry, although dried wine stains are more difficult to remove, it is not completely impossible.

To remove red wine, first blot with a clean white cloth (towels or paper towels will also work). Soak up as much of the red wine spill as you can. It is very important to blot throughout the entire process, never scrub and always work from the outside of the spill towards the centre as this keeps the stain from spreading.

Next, use either plain water, detergent water (mix one tablespoon of liquid hand dishwashing detergent and one tablespoon of white vinegar with two cups of warm water) or Pro 41 Carpet Spot Remover . Sponge the spot using your chosen solution – applying a little at a time, blotting frequently until the spot disappears. Tip: If possible pack the area with dry absorbent kitchen towel or  Pro 40  dry carpet cleaner - cover with kitchen towel and a heavy weight and leave overnight to absorb excess liquid.

Urine

The smell and colour makes urine a difficult spill to remove from non-washable fabrics like carpet. Urine can settle into the carpet fiber, and sometimes even the floor, causing a very odourous and difficult problem.

To clean, first absorb as much as possible with white towels. Next blot with a clean damp cloth using one part white vinegar with one part lukewarm water. Blotting until the mark is lifted.

Using a solution of water and vinegar will help to remove the odour, however, for total odour elimination we recommend using a biological product . Once these products are applied to the urine stain, the probiotic bacteria work to break down the acids and remove the urine smell from your carpets. If urine stains have been allowed to sit and possibly soak into the padding of your carpet, the spot may require repeat treatment. 

Vomit

Like urine, with vomit you have a double task of removing the spill as well as the odour. Treat vomit quickly – start by removing as much possible.

Next blot to absorb the moisture, follow the same procure as above with urine.

Again finish with a specialist odour neutraliser to breakdown the odour causing bacteria.

Coffee

Like all spots and spills, the most affective way to remove a coffee spill is to catch it quickly – the success of removing coffee spillages unfortunately comes down to the type of carpet the coffee is spilt on, the type of coffee and more importantly the temperature of the coffee. Natural carpeting is more porous and will absorb more of the spill than synthetic carpeting.

Blot using a white cloth – working from the outside of the spill towards the middle. For more stubborn marks use dish washing detergent in warm water. Spray and blot… spray and blot. Tip: pack with white kitchen towel and a heavy weight to remove and excess liquid from wicking back to the surface. If you don't have a spray bottle mix the detergent in a bowl with warm water until it foams. Lift the foam and place on the spill, without over wetting.

Blood

Blood can be difficult to remove however it is a water-soluble spill and should be treated as such. Remove as much blood from the carpet as possible.

First try spraying with water and blot – try not to over wet as this dilutes and spreads the blood. If you are still having difficulty removing the mark try diluting normal washing up liquid with warm water – spray and blot. Take your time and you will have a good chance of removing the mark.

Dealing with Mystery Stains

Handling stains can be tough when you can't identify the culprit. To play it safe, always read the care instructions for your carpet, and use the gentlest approach first. The location and colour of the stain may give you clues too.

A First-Aid Kit for Your Carpet

As spills can happen anywhere and without notice, why not prepare for the worst possible carpet spills by creating a “first-aid kit” for your cleaners to keep handy. This kit will give you the basic tools to fix the worst carpet stains. In your kit, we recommend you include the following items:

White Mirofibre cloths which are perfect for blotting.

Pro 39 Biological Odour Eliminator   is ideal for completely removing any unpleasant odours from deep within carpet and upholstery

Pro 41 Envirodri Spot Remover  is an innovative carpet cleaning formulation which removes spots and spills while leaving no sticky residues behind.

Pro 42 Biological Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner  has been designed to break down and remove organic grease and grime

Although you'll never be able to keep your carpets entirely stain free, even the culprits listed above aren't impossible to defeat. By using the right tools and dealing with a spill as soon as you can, you can limit the damage done to your carpet and prevent permanent discolouration. Please keep in mind however, that we always suggest you test any stain removal products on a discreet spot of carpet before treating the stain.