When it comes to carpet stain removal, many stains are challenging to extract fully. However, a few of them are known for being particularly stubborn. Fortunately, with effort and a few tips, you will have everything you need to remove them.

5 Hardest Carpet Stains to Remove

1. Pet Urine

As urine dries into the carpet, it attracts bacteria that cause a lingering smell and won’t scrub out easily. Sprinkle baking soda onto the stain, let it sit overnight, spray it down with distilled vinegar, and absorb it with a rag or towel. Alternatively, combine the vinegar and baking soda in a spray bottle, apply it to the stain, and dab it dry.

2. Gum

The chemical makeup of gum causes it to reject water, so it doesn’t respond to conventional carpet stain removal methods. However, try spraying WD-40 liberally onto the gum, let it sit for a few minutes, then scrub it away with a fingernail brush. You could also melt it with a hairdryer and scooping it up with a plastic bag. Another option is covering the gum with a plastic bag full of ice and then scraping it off once it hardens.

3. Coffee and Tea

Tannins are the reason that coffee and tea are brown, which is also why they stain so deeply. After absorbing as much coffee as possible in a dry cloth, combine white vinegar and liquid dish soap in a bowl of warm water. Dip a sponge in the bowl, moisten the stain, and blot it dry. Repeat as necessary. Finally, use the sponge to dab the spot with plain cold water before drying it again.

4. Red Wine

Like coffee and tea, red wine contains tannins, but it also causes stains because of its chromogens, a color pigment-producing substance that clings to any surface it touches. To remove a red wine stain, lightly soak it in cold water, and blot it dry. After that, put water in a bowl, add three times as much baking soda, mix it to make a paste, and smear it over the stain. When it dries, vacuum it up.

5. Blood

The iron in the blood reacts readily to fabrics, which is why it has a reputation as one of the toughest substances to handle in carpet stain removal. However, it is often cleaned by scrubbing the residue with a steel brush, then sponging it with a cloth soaked in cold water mixed with scentless liquid detergent. You could also try using warm water and ammonia instead.

If any of these tips for carpet stain removal don’t work out for you, employ the carpet cleaning services of Lakes Area Professional Carpet Care in Branson, MO. Serving Kimberling City, Ozark, Hollister, Forsyth, and Nixa, only the most modern techniques and equipment will suffice for their customers. They also help with tile and grout cleaning, upholstery cleaning, concrete cleaning, and more. For a full scope of their services, call one of their locations at (417) 334-6049 for Branson, (417) 739-5537 for Kimberling, or (417) 485-5651 for Ozark, or check out their website.