Abco's Guide to Carpet Stain Removal
02 February 2024
5min read time
Guide
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Maintaining pristine carpets can be a challenge, especially when it comes to stains. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the best practices, including Do’s and Don’ts, for effective spot cleaning of carpet stains.
Understanding Carpet Stains: A Quick Overview
Before we dive into the world of stain removal, it’s important to understand the nature of carpet stains. Stains can be categorised into three primary types: water-based stains, oil-based stains, and protein-based stains. Knowing the type of stain you’re dealing with is crucial for selecting the right cleaning approach.
Water-based stains include common culprits like coffee and wine, while oil-based stains may come from substances such as cooking oil or lipstick. Protein-based stains, on the other hand, can be caused by milk, blood, or pet accidents.
Abco’s Carpet Care Range: Agar Cleaning Systems
When it comes to effective carpet stain removal, having the right tools at your disposal is half the battle. We are proud to be the New Zealand partners for the high-performing cleaning chemicals brand, Agar Cleaning Systems. The industry experts, Agar Cleaning Systems have been manufacturing cleaning products for over 55 years. Agar’s range of carpet cleaning products includes targeted spot-cleaning treatments designed to tackle stains with precision as well as pre-sprays, Hot Water Extraction (HWE) formulations, treatments, and upholstery care products to provide a solution for every task. Explore the Agar Carpet Cleaning Range here
Best Practices for Spot Cleaning
The DO’s of Spot Cleaning:
- Act Quickly 99% of all spillages can be removed completely if immediate action is taken. The longer a stain sits, the harder it is to remove. For best results, treat stains as soon after they occur as possible.
- Remove residue and solids before treating. Absorb spilled liquids and scrape or vacuum any solids before applying spot treatments.
- Pre-test. ALWAYS pre-test spotting chemicals in a hidden corner of your carpet to ensure it won’t cause any discolouration or damage.
- Take Care When Using Solvents. Solvents are flammable and, in some cases, harmful to skin/eyes. Read the material Safety Data Sheets and use caution when spot-cleaning carpets with latex or tar backing, as these materials may dissolve. Ensure appropriate PPE is worn when handling and follow all safety instructions as laid out in the SDS sheet.
- Work from the Outside In. Work from the outer edge towards the centre of the stain and dab the edges more lightly than the centre. This helps prevent the stain from spreading further.
The DON’T’s of Spot Cleaning:
- Don’t over-wet. Be conservative with the amount of liquid/water you use when spot cleaning as over-wetting the carpet could leave unsightly ring marks or browning.
- Don’t use Boiling Hot Water. Hot water may set the stain (especially protein-based stains) making it difficult to remove. Unless otherwise instructed by our Spot Removal Guide, use lukewarm or cold water only.
- Don’t Rub. Avoid aggressively brushing or rubbing the carpet pile as this could result in fussing or other distortion of the carpet fibres.
- Don’t Make Assumptions. It’s imperative to know what has caused a stain before treating it as using the wrong product could make it worse. If you don’t know, use a general-purpose carpet cleaning product/spot cleaning treatment such as, Spot Wiz, or a pre-spray such as Citrus Extra.
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