How to remove stains

Are you looking for some tips on how to clean the house? If so, then one of the areas that you will probably need most help with is how to remove stains, especially from the carpets. The fact is that with the right solutions and a bit of effort, just about anything can be removed from carpets. In this article, find out how to remove stains.

Animal urine

Immediately, blot excess liquid with paper towels. Dab with a little fizzy water. Use spot removers made from one teaspoon of washing-up liquid and 100ml of warm water. Scrub with diluted carpet shampoo, with an added splash of white vinegar. Finally, rinse and blot dry.

Blood

If the blood stain is fresh, blot with cold water (not hot). If the blood is dried, try a solution of 15ml of ammonia and 50ml of water. Leave to set for 30 minutes. Then, sponge it off with cold water.

Chewing gum

Freeze stuck-in chewing gum by covering it with a plastic bag full of ice cubes. Scrape off the gum with a butter knife once it's brittle enough to chip off the carpet. Vacuum up any remaining crumbs.

Wine

Sponge red wine stains with white wine, then blot with kitchen towel. Don't put salt on carpet stains as it may affect the colour and the dried salt can be difficult to remove. Treat white wine like a soft-drink spillage and blot with kitchen towel. Dried-in wine stains can be removed by soaking in a solution of equal parts of water and glycerine for an hour, and then rinsing. You can also try sponging with methylated spirits to make the stain fade.

Coffee, beer and milk

Blot the excess with paper towels, then scrub with diluted carpet shampoo. When dry, use dry-cleaning solvent to remove grease from milk spills. Tackle stubborn stains by dabbing with a cotton bud dipped in three percent hydrogen peroxide solution (sold in chemists).

Wax

Scrape off as much as possible, then place a brown paper bag over the area. Run the point of a warm - not hot - iron over it (don't let the iron touch a nylon carpet or it will melt the pile). The bag will act as a blotter and absorb the wax. Remove remaining traces with dry-cleaning solvent.