As a homeowner, it’s essential to maintain your flooring to only keep your home looking nice, but also to promote healthy air quality. This means addressing rug stains and spots as they occur while also maintaining a regular carpet cleaning routine. Here are three examples of stains many families encounter at home and tips on how to effectively clean them up.

3 Carpet Cleaning Tips to Remove These Common Stains

1. Pet Markings

Sometimes pets have accidents in the house, which can leave behind stinky, unsightly stains. When cleaning up after your pet, first pick up and dispose of all solid matter, then blot any liquid mess with a towel. Pour baking powder over the affected area, and let it sit for 10 minutes, before vacuuming it up to mitigate odors. You may have to still scrub the spot with a brush or damp cloth, depending on how long the mess was left to sit and absorb into your rug. If the smell or mark is still there after completing this process, bring in a professional carpet cleaning crew to deep clean the area.

2. Red Wine 

Red wine can create dark, bold stains that especially stick out against light-colored carpeting. If you spot a wine spill, immediately blot it with a clean cloth before pouring a little soda water over the area. Remove the liquid with the cloth, and then rinse it with water. Dry the carpet with a hair dryer or a fan. If you come across an old wine stain, you can try your best to remove it with this process. However, it’s more likely that it will only come out via a professional, deep carpet cleaning.

3. Ink

Ink pens can leak and leave sizable, dark stains on carpets. If you notice an ink stain on your rug, do not rub it, as you are likely to make it larger. Instead, pour rubbing alcohol on a cloth, and blot the area starting from the outside and working your way into the center of the stain. Do this several times until the ink is no longer visible. Finally, rinse the alcohol out of your carpet with water, and use a hair dryer to prevent ink that may have soaked deeper into the carpet from flowing up the wet fibers.

If you’re looking for a professional, efficient team to tackle tough stains, contact A-1 Cleaning & Restoration in Goodhue County, MN. Their technicians have more than 30 years of industry experience, offering fire and water restorations services, in addition to carpet cleaning and mold remediation services. Call (651) 385-8442 or visit the website for information on how they can mitigate bacteria and dirt buildup, as well as remove carpet stains.