How to Choose the Best Carpet Stain Remover

Carpet stain removers have become a must in most households, because let’s face it, accidents happen.

With carpets, the faster you act, the better results you’ll get.

Here are five things that you should take into account when choosing a carpet stain remover:

1. Know Your Options – There is definitely no shortage of options to get your carpet looking great. Knowing your options is an important part of cleaning your carpet. You can buy or rent a carpet cleaning machine, hire a professional, make your own stain remover or get one from the store.
2. Test Your Stain Remover – Before using a new product on your carpet, it’s best to make sure that you know it will work. Certain stain removers can even make the stains worse. A small swatch of carpet, or even a small carpet mat, plus your cleaner of choice, is all you’ll need. Purposely stain your swatch or mat with coffee, wine, juice, or anything else you may have around the house. Let it dry, and then use the solution as you would on your own carpet. If it works, congratulations! You’ve found a good cleaner. If not, well, that’s what the test is for.
3. Top Carpet Cleaning Machines and Stain Removers – The best cleaning machines for carpets, as of now, include the Hoover Power Scrub and the Bissel ProHeat 2X Healthy Home Deep Cleaner. For stain removal, you can find products like the Hoover Platinum Collection Instant spray.
4. How Carpet Cleaners and Stain Removers Work – The chemicals and detergents within most cleaning machines and stain removers are the key to breaking up any dirt, soil or stains. For machines, detergent and hot water break up the dirt and soil, then, like a vacuum, suck up the dirty water. For removing stains, they usually contain solute liquids, which dissolve the solvent in order to remove it.
5. How to Treat a Stain With a Homemade Stain Remover – If all you need is an easy fix for a small spill, homemade concoctions are where it’s at. Mix up about a quarter teaspoon of dish-washing liquid with a cup of warm to hot water in a spray bottle. Don’t use dish-washing liquid that has ingredients meant to moisturize the skin, as they can cause additional stains. Have another spray bottle on hand filled with clean water for rinsing after you apply the mixture.

Using a spray bottle is the best option to not damage your carpeting, the floor underneath, the packing or the padding. Blot the stain with the stain remover on a paper towel or cloth. For deeper stains, gently work it into the carpet. Rinse the spot, and blot dry. Leave a few pieces of paper towel on the spot, with something to weigh them down overnight, to absorb any excess residue, otherwise the stains may reappear as the carpet dries.

In the end it all depends on what type of stains you’re dealing with. Cleaning machines are best used for large areas (if you’re looking you remove dirt stains), whereas stain removers are more for spots like juice, grease or red wine spills.