Removing Candle Wax from Carpet

 

 

 

 

 

 

Removing candle wax from carpet can be tricky, but not impossible. You should only attempt to remove wax from synthetic carpet, never from upholstery or any type of natural fibers such as cotton, wool, or silk (contact a professional carpet and upholstery cleaner for these types of fabric).

You will need water, an iron, and thick white cotton towel.

1. Dampen the towel until it is almost soaking wet.
2. Place the towel on the wax.
3. Plug in the iron and adjust the temperature to the LOWEST setting.
4. Place the iron on top of the wet towel on the carpet.
5. After 10 seconds remove the towel and iron, and check to see if the wax has melted.
6. If the wax has not melted, raise the temperature of the iron a VERY small amount and repeat steps 4. and 5.
7. Repeat steps 5. and 6. until the temperature of the iron reaches the melting point of the wax.
8. Once the wax melts, it should easily transfer onto the wet towel that has been placed on top of it.

Keep in mind that dye from candle wax may never come out completely, but at least you will have removed the actual wax embedded in the carpet.

How to Remove Paint from Carpet

For paint spills, as with all liquid spills, ACT FAST. Once the pain dries, it will usually stain the carpet permanently.

First, contain the wet paint and absorb with paper towels or napkin or rags that you don’t mind throwing out. Before you apply any chemicals or solvents, test them in an inconspicuous area of the carpet to make sure it won’t damage the carpet.

For Acrylic Paint
Apply glycerin to the stain and blot it up. Then remove the residue with rubbing alcohol and go over the remaining stain with a mild detergent and water using a sponge or rag.

For Oil Based Paint
Oil based paint will definitely damage the carpet if it sits for too long. Use turpentine or mineral spirits to remove the paint, then blot with rubbing alcohol and finally use a mild detergent and water with a sponge or rag.

For Latex Paint
Blot up as much as possible, then apply a mixture of 1 tablespoon of mild detergent with 1 cup of warm water. Repeat as necessary.

For Water Based Paint
Blot up as much as possible, then continue to blot with vinegar, and finally blot with a mild detergent and water and a sponge.

Dry Paint
Scrape away as much paint as you can, then apply WD-40. Let it sit for 20 minutes, then blot the area clean using a mild detergent and water. Repeat as necessary.

Carpet Cleaning Mistakes to Avoid

You might panic when red wine spills on your brand new carpet or your new puppy has an accident on the berber rug, but make sure to avoid these carpet cleaning mistakes:

• Not taking immediate action

Liquid spills sink into the carpet quickly, so if you don’t act fast, the liquid can seep into the padding and even through to the floor, causing mold and damage. Make sure to act quickly to clean up liquid spills.

• Using the wrong cleaning product

There are many types of cleaning products you can use for carpet cleaning, but you must read the directions thoroughly. Avoid products that have soap, shampoos, and detergents in them, as they may be too harsh and can do more damage than the spot you are trying to remove.

• Not doing a test patch before using harsh products

If you care about your carpet, before cleaning the carpet it’s always advised to pre-test a spot in an inconspicuous location to make sure it won’t damage the carpet.

• Using a deodorizing powder to clean

All powders do not clean; they just help with smells in the carpet. Most vacuum cleaners are not strong enough to vacuum out the powder, so it stays behind and attracts dirt, ultimately making the smell worse.

• You clean you carpet every week

It’s important to keep your carpet looking good, but do not clean your carpet every week. Doing so can damage the yarn in the carpet, and you might be applying chemicals that are too harsh or that work their way into the carpet, attaching themselves and attracting even more dirt than before.

• Never hiring a professional to clean your carpets

A professional carpet cleaning company can do a thorough job of cleaning, sanitizing, and protecting carpets better than you can on your own, and often more safely if the company uses organic products.

How To Remove Tomato Sauce from Carpet

Very simply: Act Fast, Blot, Do Not Rub!

The longer you wait, the more the tomato sauce will cling to the carpet fibers. It’s always a good idea to keep some cleaning products on hand so you don’t have to waste a timely trip to the store when you have a spill. You should have: dishwashing detergent, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, and club soda on hand.

1. Remove as much excess sauce as possible, and using a spoon or the blunt side of a knife, scoop or scrape off the tomatoe sauce. Start out from the furthest part of the stain and work inward so as not to spread the stain.
2. Apply a little club soda and blot the spot, and use a paper towel to dry the area as much as possible.
3. After that, mix a tablespoon of liquid dish detergent with 2 cups of cool water.
4. Blot the stain and rinse with cold water, and blot with napkins when done.

If the above instructions do not work, try this:

1. Mix 1 tablespoon of ammonia with a 1/2 cup of cool water (Warning! Be careful handling ammonia. Use gloves, and never mix ammonia with bleach!)
2. Do a test area spot to ensure it’s safe for the colorfastness of the carpet.
3. Apply the ammonia solution and blot the sauce stain, then rinse with cool water and blot dry with paper towels.

If the stain still isn’t gone after using the ammonia solution, try this:

1. Create a hydrogen peroxide solution with 1 tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide and 3 tablespoons of cool water.
2. Do a test area spot to ensure it’s safe for the colorfastness of the carpet.
3. Cover with a towel and keep the sunlight off the spot for 30 minutes. (Warning! Be careful handling hydrogen peroxide, and use gloves!)
4. After 30 minutes blot, rinse with water, and blot with paper towels.

How To Remove Coffee Stains from Carpet

As with all stains, the best thing to do is to quickly blot up coffee stains with white paper towels or napkins and soak up as much as the liquid as possible. Avoid rubbing, as rubbing can push the coffee further into the carpet fibers.

If the carpet is an antique carpet or natural fiber carpet (wool, cotton, silk) it would be best to call a professional carpet cleaner to ensure the carpet won’t be damaged.

1. Mix 2/3 cup of warm water with 1/3 white vinegar (or a teaspoon of dishwasher detergent)
2. If the coffee contained milk, cream, or sugar, use a little enzyme laundry detergent as well.
3. As with any carpet stain, apply the cleaning solution to an inconspicuous spot before you move on to visible areas
4. With a spray bottle, spray the solution on the carpet and then blot it up.
5. If the spot comes out, rinse the area with water and blot to try to remove the vinegar and detergent.
6. If the spot is very wet, put some paper towels or a white cotton towel on the spot and put a couple of very heavy books over the towels to soak up as much of the liquid as possible.

If you are not able to remove the coffee stains you may try a safe pH balanced spot cleaner from the store, or better yet, call your local carpet cleaning company.

How To Remove Glue from Carpet

When you spill glue you have to act quickly to remove it. Many glues are fast drying so it’s easier to clean up the glue if it’s still wet. Pre-test the carpet to make sure it doesn’t get damaged by trying to remove the glue.

1. First start by dabbing the glue with a damp paper towel. You may need to repeat this process with multiple damp paper towels (don’t keep using the same paper towel if it’s covered in glue)
2. If the glue is wet and is slow drying, you will probably be able to pick up most of the glue.
3. Make sure you get down into the fibers after you have picked up the glue on the surface.
4. If this isn’t working with water, dip the paper towel in white vinegar then try blotting.

If the above process doesn’t work, or if the glue has dried:

1. Take a brown paper bag (grocery bag) or a thin cloth and put the brown paper or cloth on top of the glue.
2. With an iron on a low setting, carefully iron on top of the bag or cloth, checking frequently to see if the glue has melted and transferred onto the cloth or paper.
3. Check the spot in 10 seconds. If you need more heat, slowly increase the temperature setting on the iron and try it again.
4. Keep checking every 10 seconds or so, and repeat the process until the glue has melted into the cloth or paper.
5. Do not spray the glue with water or use steam on the iron.

How To Remove Pet Hair

The easiest way to remove hair from carpet, furniture, drapes, and even clothing, is with a lint roller. Just roll away the hair and dispose of the stickers once they are hairy and ineffective.

You can also use rubber or latex gloves, or a rubber sponge. Wipe over furniture and carpet edges with gloves or sponges and watch how the hair just pulls away. You can also moisten the gloves or the sponge with a little bit of water, which helps in eliminating static electricity and will help it cling better so you can ball it up easier.

If you are in a pinch, you can even rub a blown up balloon on the pet hair! The pet hair will cling to the balloon due to static electricity, and then you can wipe the hair from the balloon into the trash.

After using any of the methods above, vacuum the carpet and upholstery to remove any remaining pet hair. Make sure your vacuum cleaner is at the proper setting for your carpet. When you are vacuuming carpet, make sure to vacuum in different directions (“cross vacuuming”) to ensure you are vacuuming each side of the carpet yarn.

How To Remove Carpet Dents

When something heavy like the leg of a chair or table is placed on a carpet, it can create a “dent” in the carpet. Here are some ways to remove carpet dents:

Method 1

1. Place ice on the dents for a few hours.
2. After the ice has melted, absorb the water.
3. Then use a spoon or fork to lift fibers.

Method 2

If the ice didn’t work, try heat.

1. Lay a cloth over the dent and iron the cloth using the iron’s steam setting. It is important to use a cloth between the iron and the carpet to prevent damage.
2. After ironing, use a spoon or a fork to lift the fibers .

Method 3

If the steam from the iron doesn’t work, try another ironing method.

1. Lay a very moist towel on the dent.
2. Using your iron on medium heat, iron the towel for 30 seconds. Be careful not to touch the carpet with the iron.
3. This time leave the towel on the dent afterwards and don’t remove it until it has dried.
4. After the towel is dry and you’ve removed it, vacuum over the carpet in that area to suck the fibers up to their full height. Depending upon your vacuum it may be more effective to use one of your vacuum’s accessories for a stronger pull.

Method 4

If the ice and ironing methods don’t work, try using a hair dryer.

1. Spritz the area with water and the use a hair dryer on the low setting on the carpet. If the carpet is made of wool or nylon fibers, the heat will help it rebound.
2. Use your fingers or a utensil to push the fibers as you blow.

Sometimes you just can’t get out carpet dents. It depends on what made the dent, how heavy the object was, the type and quality of the carpet, and and how long the dent was there.

How to Get Odor Out of Carpet

Here are the best ways to remove odor from carpet. If the odor is from a pet accident, please also read last week’s blog on “How to Clean Urine Out of Carpet”.

1. Air out the room(s) – Open windows and turn on ceiling fans.
2. Vacuum the carpet. Many odors in the carpet are just on the surface, and giving the carpet and thorough vacuuming can improve the smell especially if you have pets and kids. Hair and pet dander can create a lot of unfresh odors. It’s important to cross vacuum (vacuuming in one direction then vacuuming in another direction). Make sure the vacuum cleaner is on the correct setting for your carpet.
3. Then apply baking soda to the carpet. Baking soda is known for its odor-eating properties. Make sure to concentrate on those areas which you know to be especially smelly; for these special spots, liberally apply the baking soda and lightly brush in.
4. Let the baking powder sit for 2 days or so, then vacuum the baking soda up. It is very important to take your time and thoroughly vacuum up all the baking soda.

If the above instructions don’t get rid of the odor, try this:

1. Apply vinegar to the spot on the carpet. Allow the vinegar to sit for about 30 minutes to give the acid in the vinegar a chance to neutralize the odor.
2. When done, blot up the vinegar and use water to absorb the rest of the vinegar out of the carpet.

If that still doesn’t work, use hydrogen peroxide, the same way that you used the vinegar.

It is important to always take your time and pre-test all fabric with these products to ensure it will be safe for the carpet colorfastness. Never use these products on any natural fibers such as wool, silk, and cotton.

How to Get Urine Out of Carpet

Urine is made up primarily make up of hydrochloric acid, urea acid and ammonia. There are many variables that will determine your success in completely removing the urine. It takes 5 years for urine to break down naturally. Following the procedure below can be a big help in removing urine stains and odors. With high acid content of urine you may some permanently yellowing or bleaching of the carpet.

If the urine is still wet:

1. Use paper towels to soak up as much as the urine as possible.
2. Pile up a few layers and place them on stain, weighing them down with something heavy like a brick.
3. Keep the paper towels pressed down for several minutes, and repeat as needed.
4. When the area is barely damp, rinse it with cool water (not hot) and then blot up the remaining liquid.
5. Then you need to use a basic carpet cleaning solution, following the directions on the bottle. Try to use an organic and/or “green” eco-friendly cleaning solution to effectively clean the urine spot.
6. Then use a high quality pet odor neutralizer to completely remove the odor (read next week’s blog on “How to Remove Carpet Odor”).

If the stain is dry:

1. Rinse stain with room temperature water and a Shop Vac. Don’t over-wet, as this could push the urine into the backing.
2. Then clean the urine spots as described above.

AVOID using the following:

• Cleaning chemicals that have strong chemical odors.
• Ammonia based products or vinegar (these products can make the odor worse and the high acid pH will combine with the acid from the urine and can permanently damage the carpet).
• Hot water or steam cleaners, which can attach the urine molecules to the carpet fibers rather than remove them.