The first disadvantage of having carpet is the fact that as soon as it is laid on the floor, it immediately becomes vulnerable to spills and stains. Many have tried varying ways to keep a carpet stain-less or spill-less, but just as tough as keeping a bull quiet in a china shop, there isn't much luck in those categories.
So, the only way to truly preserve the look of a new carpet is by being prepared to deal with the stains and spills that will almost inevitably take shape and form on your carpet sooner or later. Two of the more common stains that almost every carpet will have to face one day are blood and ink stains.
Carol Turner has worked with the Carpet and Rug Institute for sixteen years as a technical services manager. He has been responsible for some of the testing programs for carpet, vacuum cleaners, and adhesives. Turner has dealt with blood and ink stains for years and knows exactly what carpet owners should do when faced with blood or ink stains.
"To remove blood stains from carpet, we suggest using only cool temperature cleaning solutions to prevent setting the stain," he says. "Call your carpet cleaning professional for help with the removal of the blood borne pathogens."
The removal of ink stains is a little different from the process it takes to remove blood. Blood is a substance that has the ability to seriously stain if professional measures are not eventually taken. But for ink, these stains can be treated with everyday items around the house.
"Use rubbing alcohol as the dry cleaning solvent," Turner suggests. "Apply a small amount of the alcohol with a white cloth or towel. Do not pour the alcohol directly onto the carpet. Working from the edge of the stain towards the inside, blot the stain, absorbing as much as possible. Rinse the area with lukewarm water and then blot with a clean paper towel or cloth."
"Once you've soaked up as much as possible, apply a half-inch layer of paper towels to the affected area and weigh down with a flat, heavy object," Turner adds. "Make sure that the object you weigh the towels down with is colorless so that it doesn't fade onto the carpet. Continue changing the paper towels until the area is completely dry."
The most important thing that any expert will tell you about keeping your carpet looking new is to treat stains when they occur. The longer you allow a stain to sit, the lower your chances of completely removing the stain will be.
In addition to treating stains and spills as they happen, experts suggest that carpet consumers should have their carpet deep cleaned or shampooed at least once a year.
If there is a lot of traffic (kids or pets) that trudge their way through the house, having your carpet cleaned more frequently will help to reduce certain stains.
