There you are, sitting on your sofa after a long, hard day at work. Take out containers on the coffee table; you pour yourself a glass of red wine because, you know. Antioxidants. Just as your show begins to load you look away only to spill your entire glass of wine on the carpet.
What do you do?
Before you run for the carpet cleaner, before you Google “stain removal” and before you call your mother in a panic, take a deep breath. We will get through this together, and in the end, your carpet will be as good as new. Our professional rug and carpet cleaners are here to help. Best of all, these simple “Do’s” and “Don’ts” apply to every wet stain, not just wine.
DO Blot
Grab a soft cloth or paper towel and begin blotting the stain. Resist the urge to begin scrubbing furiously. Your goal is to absorb as much of the liquid as possible. Rubbing or scrubbing will only spread the stain to a larger area. Place the cloth or towel over the stain and blot lightly. Repeat with clean, dry cloths until the majority of the liquid is absorbed. Avoid pressing the towels until you can no longer absorb liquid from the surface of the stain. At that point, begin applying small amounts of pressure until no more liquid is absorbed by clean towels.
DON’T Use Water
Soap and water is the best way to clean any stain, right?
Wrong.
Water will damage certain fibers, making the stain appear even worse than it does right now. If your carpet or rug is wool or a wool blend, this is especially true, but water can even damage certain cotton fibers often found in carpet. Worst of all, water will dilute the stain that is already in the fibers of the rug or carpet and make it spread even larger.
DON’T Use Stain Remover
Whether the stain remover comes in a spray bottle or is made from household ingredients, chemicals mixed with wet stains can ruin the carpet or rug. This is especially common when these chemicals are mixed with heat or sunlight from open doors and windows or vacuum cleaners. Club soda might be great for getting red wine out of your blouse, but remember – club soda is mostly water and water can ruin your flooring. White vinegar might be amazing at cleaning stains from bathtub grout, but vinegar also acts as a natural bleaching agent that could damage your carpet. Even so-called “carpet cleaner” may not be safe for your flooring and, when misapplied, can make the stain worse.
DO Call a Professional
Professional cleaners have the knowledge, skill, and resources to remove any stain from every surface. Armed with chemicals that are appropriate for your carpet or rug, the professionals at Embassy Cleaners can attack that wet stain, even after it has dried. Our proprietary tools and methods will leave your carpet or rug as good as new, and ready for your next Netflix and red wine marathon. Contact us today!
Just be sure to pour in the kitchen next time.
