When Kids and Carpets Collide: Carpet Stain Removal
At Sloane’s Carpet Secret, we understand that kids and carpet often don’t make the best combination. Especially in the summer, kids track in all kinds of messes from outside. Because of that, we have put together a list of common stains and how to remove each from your carpet.
Grass: Grass stains are very common in the summer since the grass is often wet from sprinklers or rain showers. These stains require you to act fast because pigments in the grass can dye the carpet if they set. Grab your vacuum, laundry detergent, ammonia, vinegar and a white cloth or paper towel. First, take your vacuum and let the head hover close to the carpet, grabbing any excess grass pieces and dirt particles. Make sure to keep the vacuum head from touching the carpet as you can risk pushing the stain deeper. Then mix one teaspoon of detergent with one cup of water. Slowly pour the mixture directly on the stain. Begin blotting with a towel—you should notice the green transferring from the carpet onto the towel. Once the stain is gone, rinse the area with water and blot. If this stain is particularly stubborn, mix one tablespoon with a half-cup of cold water and pour this mixture onto the stain. Blot with a clean towel.
Watermelon: Everyone’s favorite summer fruit is so fun to eat while you’re on the go, but it can also leave some nasty stains. If a watermelon spill/stain situation arises, grab your white cloth, oxygen bleach and warm water. Pick up any solid watermelon pieces, and use your cloth to blot the stain and rid it of excess liquid. From here, mix a tablespoon of oxygen bleach with a quart of warm water (you can also use non-bleach detergent if you are worried about bleaching your carpet). Use a clean white cloth to apply your mixture to the stain, and then go relax for 10-15 minutes! Blot the stain with a clean white cloth, and repeat this process if necessary.
Gum: We all know that gum is delicious, but it can be tricky for kids to handle. It is very likely that their gum will end up swallowed or on the carpet. Don’t worry: at least for the carpet scenario we are here for you! When you see gum in your carpet, grab several ice cubes, a butter knife, an old toothbrush, fresh lemon juice and some liquid hand soap. Place your ice cubes in a plastic bag with a good seal on it and set it on top of the gum. This is another stain that allows you to go relax for a bit! Come back in 30 minutes or so. You will find that the gum is now very hard which will make it easier to remove. Grab your knife and slide it underneath the gum. Pry as much of the gum off as you can in one piece, and then pry off any smaller pieces that are left. If the pieces soften, rub the ice over them before prying. From here you may still have small pieces left, and you can squeeze lemon juice onto them. Then take the toothbrush and brush diagonally up the fibers. The gum should come off onto the toothbrush—make sure you remove the pieces from the brush before going at the stain again. Once you have removed the gum completely, mix warm water with soap and clean the area.
Sand: It is more than likely that you will find sand mixed in with your carpet this summer, from the beach or the sandbox or who knows where. Here’s how you can tackle that dilemma. First, you will need a very strong vacuum. If you don’t have one, we recommend trying to borrow one—this is a tough job. If the sand is wet, you will want to either wait for it to dry or use a wet/dry vacuum. Next, lower the vacuum height as much as you can. You may need to override the height if your vacuum adjusts automatically because it will only adjust to the height of the carpet. From there, vacuum up the sand. It will be difficult to push the vacuum because of the height, but keep going until all of the sand has been vacuumed up.
These are some of the most common summer stains that we see. We also wanted to give you some tips for trying to avoid these stains in the first place, though we know this will not always be possible! We recommend placing mats by the entrances to your home and having your kids take their shoes off there. If your kids are barefoot outside and coming back in, you can keep a towel by the door and have them wipe their feet before coming farther into the house. Lastly, you can try to enforce a rule that food can only be eaten outside or at the table or counter. This way you avoid tracking food throughout the house! Not all of these will be possible all the time because life is hectic and unpredictable, but we hope these tips and tricks help you take care of your carpet this summer.
How to Use This Information
Here at Sloane’s we always want to bring you tips for keeping your carpet clean and fresh. However, when it becomes time to invest in new carpet, we have your back. We have an amazing selection of carpet, all at great prices that you have to see to believe. For more information or to make an appointment, call Sloane’s at (303) 300-9555 or contact us online!