Some carpet stains are so stubborn that it’s easy to get excited when you’ve finally scrubbed them out. However, what happens when the same spot reappears a few days later? Luckily, you’re not going crazy—this happens in some carpet stain removal situations. Use the following sections to find out why it’s happening, and how you can get rid of stubborn spots once and for all.

Why Do My Carpet Stains Keep Coming Back?

If you used a carpet cleaning solution to scrub out the original stain, some of the chemicals could be lingering on the carpet fibers. Over the course of a few days, dirt particles clung to the residue, forming a new stain in the same spot and shape. This is called soiling.

Wicking, however, is when the substance from the original stain has bled through to the carpet base or backing. Like a flame on a candle wick, the liquid slowly rises up the carpet fibers until it is once again visible.

How Can I Keep Them Away?

Wicking most often happens with wet carpets, so even if you use a steam cleaner, you need to make sure the fibers are thoroughly dry afterward. As a general rule of thumb, try to clean up stains as soon as they happen—allowing them to set will make soiling and wicking much more probable.

To remove the current stain, try to soak up all the underlying liquid with the following trick: lay a stack of paper towels on top of the stain and cover them with a stack of heavy hardcover books. If this doesn’t work after a few hours, have your carpet professionally cleaned and thoroughly dried before soiling or wicking can begin.

If you’re dealing with reappearing carpet stains, end the struggle by investing in professional carpet stain removal services. The experts at Lakes Area Professional Carpet Care will get to the bottom of your flooring issues and leave your home spotless. In addition to carpet stain removal, they also offer concrete and upholstery cleaning to residents in Branson, Kimberling City, Ozark, Hollister, Forsyth and Nixa, MO. For more information on their wide range of services, visit the website or call (417) 334-6049 to schedule an appointment with their Branson location, (417) 739-5537 for Kimberling City, and (417) 485-5651 for Ozark.