Carpet Spotting Tips Guide:
For effective spot cleaning, you’ll need the following items. The item numbers are keyed to the stain - and all should be used in the recommended sequence. Some stains may require professional cleaning, depending on the age of the stain. Remember to allway test all materials by putting samples of each solutions reccommended on area that will not matter if it stains. If you see any staining do not use the item causing stains and call for us for advice at 585-235-5171. And remember - advice on spotting is free.
Codes for stain removal chart:
1. Cold Water
2. Detergent Solution. Mix one ounce of *laundry detergent liquid with 20 ounces of warm (not hot) water. (You can keep this in a spray bottle and use as your all purpose cleaner and never buy over priced all purpose cleaners again). It is awesome!
* We recommend not using laundry detergents with optical (flourescent) brighteners, because they can cause pre-mature dulling. We prefer environmentally safe detergents.
3. Ammonia Solution. Mix one tablespoon of clear household ammonia (3% solution) with 1/2 cup of water. Never allow ammonia to come in contact or near bleach - when an ammonia cleaner mixes with a bleach based cleaner it can make you sick and possibly cause death.
4. Dry cleaning solvent (available at grocery, drug and hardware stores).
5. Ice. Chill with ice cubes in a plastic bag. Shatter residue, pick or scrape off and vacuum.
6. White Vinegar Solution. Mix white vinegar with an equal amount of water. Spray or pat on. Here is another great solution to keep around the house in a spray bottle. This can reverse browning caused by pet mistakes, coffiee, coke, tea. Allways pretreat these spots with white vinegar before cleaning and allow to stand for 15 to 20 mintues. Don't hesitat to use 2 or 3 times to remove browning.
7. Hot or warm water - only as hot as you can comfortably stand.
8. Hot Iron - Use with caution and test material in an inconspicuous area. A) Wax - Use dry white (no dyes) cloth. Place dry cloth over wax and then iron cloth untill wax pulls up and into cloth. B) When removing colored dyes or markers you will need a red dye removal solution (this can be purchased at any major hardware store). Saturate the spot and then iron out. You must be patient to remove dyes and markers, it will take a few times - possibly 5 to 7. You should also be very carefull you may pull some of the items dye out and create a different type of spot.
9. Clear rubbing alcohol.
10. Rust Remover
11. Concentrated dish detergent solution deluted 8 parts water to 1 part solution or with much caution tar remover (automotive stores).
12. Absorbent Cleaning sponges. (Purchase at Home depot, Lowes etc..). Also well known as chemical cleaning sponges.
13. Dish detergent solution - diluted 8 parts water to 1 part solution (great degreaser).
| Stain | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 |
|---|
| Alcoholic Beverages | 1 | 2 | - |
| Bleach | 1 | 2 | What ever you do - never use bleach or bleach based cleaners. |
| Blood | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Butter | 13 | 7 | - |
| Candle Wax | 8 | - | - |
| Chewing Gum | 5 | 4 | - |
| Chocolate | 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Coffee | 6 | 1 | 7 & 6 |
| Colas and soft drinks | 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Cooking Oils | 13 | 7 | - |
| Cream | 2 | 4 | - |
| Egg | 2 | 7 | - |
| Felt tip pen | 7 | 2 | 8 if needed |
| Floor wax | Call for information. | - | - |
| Fruit Juice | 1 | 2 | - |
| Furniture polish | 4 | 2 | 7, then use 8 if needed |
| Gravy and sauces | 7 | 2 | - |
| Ink | 9 | 2 | 7 |
| Ketchup | 7 | 2 | - |
| Lipstick | 4 | 2 | - |
| Mercurochrome | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| Milk | 7 | 4 | 2 |
| Mustard | 2 | - | - |
| Nail Polish | 4 | 2 | - |
| Oil and Grease | 4 | 2 | - |
| Paint (latex) | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Paint (oil) | 9 | 2 | 7 |
| Rust | 2 | 10 | - |
| Salad Dressing | 2 | 7 | - |
| Shoe Polish | 11 | 7 | - |
| Soot | 12 then 11 | 7 | Never allow to run or drip and allways. Chemical dry sponge before wet cleaning. |
| Tar | 11 | 7 | - |
| Tea | 6 | 2 | 7 |
| Urine (fresh) | 1 | 2 | 6 if needed |
| Urine (old) | 6 | 2 | 7 Repeat as required. |
| Vomit | 2 | 7 | 6 if needed |
| Wine (If red wine put white wine on it) | 7 | 1 | 8 if needed. More so on older stains. |
| Sensitive and / or expensive materials call for advise - 585-235-5171. Allways follow labels or written instructions over this chart. |
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