Spills happen! Messes just seem to make their way to your family room floor, or even worse to the brand new carpeting you installed in your dining room.

When stains happen, we all get worried and a bit upset. After all, it does cost quite a bit to have our carpets professionally cleaned. To top it off, it is also a large investment and directly effects the cost of the home. The goal is to find the right method for cleaning carpet stains to keep the stains from ruining your investment.

Your Tools
You do need to keep on hand several things that will help you throughout your cleaning projects. If you place these items under your kitchen sink, all together, you can easily grab them and go to handle the carpet stain as soon as it happens.

One of the most important things to remember about cleaning any type of stain from your carpet is that time is the enemy. The longer a stain sits, the more permanent it will be.

•Clean, white terry cloths
•White paper towels
•An absorbent sponge
•Vinegar
•Hydrogen peroxide
•Mild dish detergent
•Isopropyl alcohol
•A dull knife
•Ammonia

You may also want to bookmark our site so that you can quickly access it to come back to find out how to treat specific types of stains that you will come in contact with over the course of owning your home.

What To Do When The Stain Happens
The way that you react when something hits the floor is what is going to make the most difference in the outcome of the stain removal. Here are some steps to follow for all stain removal from carpets.

1.For most food stains, cover the area with table salt. This will prevent the stain from setting while you get your things together.

2.Remove any type of debris from the stain. Do not leave it there or rub it in further.

3.Use terry cloth or white paper towels to blot up any and all of the liquid that is on the carpeting. Blotting is not rubbing, but applying a small amount of pressure to the area to cause the stain to absorb into the cloth.

4.If this does not remove all of the carpet stain, then you will want to move on to the most appropriate form of cleaning which you will find below.

5.After the stain is cleaned properly, place a thick stack of white paper towels on the wet area and apply something heavy such as a brick to the area and allow it to sit overnight. This will dry the carpet by further removing the stain.