Removing Stains from Rugs

Bringing both stylish and practical benefits to a home, rugs are the perfect addition to any room. It is however an inevitable misfortune that at one time or another, we’re going to spill something on said rug. Whether it be food, or the dreaded red wine, spills are unavoidable. Although irritating, it isn’t the end of the world and there some simple steps to take to stop these spills from staining your rug. Here is a list of some don’ts when it comes to stains on your rug.

Don’t Wait

It’s imperative that you act as soon as the spill happens. The less time the spill is sitting on the rug, the less it will soak deeper in to the material. Something you might not think of but is always important to do is to also check underneath your rug. If it was a large spill, some might have soaked through the rug to the floor underneath. If you have carpet or wood floor under your rug, this can become damaged too if left.

Don’t Scrub

As soon as a spill happens its more than tempting to just start furiously scrubbing away in an attempt to aggressively get the stain out. This actually causes more damage than good as all you are doing is pressing the stain further into the fibres. Its better to blot the stain with some kitchen roll to absorb most of the liquid first.

Don’t use Warm Water

With most cleaning, you’re used to using warm or hot water to properly disinfect. With a spill, warm water will only intensify the colours of the stain. It’s best to use a cloth soaked in room temperature or cold water. This picks up most of the spill and you can use warm water later to get any left over residue.

Don’t Use Products Without Testing First

Before going in with any kind of cleaning products, you must always try a test patch first. On the underside of the rug, test the products you intend to use to see whether the rug has a reaction. It’s best to try this underneath the rug where it won’t be visible than to apply to straight to the spill and find it stains or damages the rug. Never use bleach. This will cause irreversible damage to your rug.

Don’t Use Rouge Cleaning Methods

Along with bleach, avoid using laundry or dishwasher detergents. In the panic of dealing with a spill, most of us will reach for any cleaning product to attempt to lift the markings. However, using things such as detergent will cause a build up of product in the fibres that will attract dust and dirt that will worsen the area.

Following these simple steps will help to make cleaning any spill or stain as easy as possible. While some stains may cause noticeable damage, like red wine on a white rug, most other spillages should come up fairly easily by using the correct cleaning techniques.

Comments

  1. >Don’t Scrub

    This is one I certainly learned the hard way… and it’s a lesson I’ll never forget! And another one – always have carpet stain treatment on hand!

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