Advice
Guidelines for Stain and Spot Removal
from carpet and rugs
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Immediately blot up as much of the liquid stain as
possible using a soft, white, absorbent material like a towel or
napkin. Though most of the carpets produced today are treated with
stain-resistant treatments, no carpet can be said to be completely
stain-proof. And longer the stain remains in the carpet, more
permanently it sets into it.
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Scrape away the solid or semi-solid stain using a
blunt spatula or spoon. Never use a knife as it's sharp edges
could harm the pile fibers.
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Never scrub or brush a stain; scrubbing can harm
the fibers and have the adverse reaction of making the stain set
in to the carpet or rug.
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Vacuum away as much of the solid stain as
possible.
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Pretest the spot removal agent on an inconspicuous
area of the carpet. Follow the instructions carefully. Apply a few
drops to each color in the carpet. Press a clean, white towel or
napkin lightly over it for approximately 30 seconds. Check both
the towel (or napkin) and the carpet for color transfer, color
change or any other damage. Try another spot
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To clean the spot, apply a small amount of spot
removal agent to the soft, white, absorbent material and gently
apply to the stain, working from the edges towards the center of
the spot to prevent it from spreading. Continue as long as the
stain is getting transferred onto the towel. Apply more solution
to a fresh area on the towel and repeat the process as long as the
stain is being removed. Patience is a virtue as far as this step
is concerned!
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In cases where you need to apply more than one
spot removal agent in a sequence, continue applying the first spot
removal agent as long as there is any improvement; then move on to
the next one.
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After the spill has been removed completely, rinse
out the affected area with water and blot dry to remove the
cleaning solution completely as any residue may attract soil and
cause damage to the carpet. To effectively blot up the water, you
may use clean, dry towels weighed down by flat, heavy objects like
a book; keep changing the towel as they become saturated.
-
Do not to overwet the area. Overwetting of carpets
while cleaning may cause damage to the
carpet.
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Got a mark on your bath (ceramic or
plastic), try putting a small lump of toothpaste on to your
finger and rubbing the mark gently with it. Wipe clean with a damp
cloth. You will be amazed as to what you can clean up with a bit of
toothpaste.
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If an aluminum pan has become
discolored, boil some apple peel in it for a few minutes,
then rinse and dry.
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Keep your fingernails clean while
doing a dirty job by first running them all across a bar of soap so there is a scraping
beneath each of your nails.
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Crushed egg shells and water make an excellent
scourer for vases.