Dining room tables can be a great addition for holidays and large family gatherings. The problem is that most dining rooms have carpet flooring. Unlike your kitchen floor, food and liquid stains can be a real hassle to remove from the carpet. What is the best way to clean a tragic spill in your nice dining room? For the best results try using a professional carpet cleaner in OKC. If you don’t have time for a professional service, there are some things you can do to prevent damage to your carpet.
Here is a step by step guide to help you effectively remove food and liquid stains:
Prevention is Key
Before discussing how to effectively remove stains, it is important to take the necessary precautions. First, make sure those eating in the dining room are mature and not prone to spilling. Second, consider using a thick tablecloth to trap any food or liquid spills from falling on the carpet. Third, provide space for those eating at the table. Make sure each person has a full range of motion and can easily get in and out of their seat. Also, Chem-Dry offers a carpet protectant service that helps to block out carpet stains. These simple tips will help mitigate the risk of having to deal with food or liquid spills.
Take Immediate Action
The best thing to do in the moment of a spill is to take action immediately. This means trying to clean up as much of the spill as possible. In the case of a food spill, try to remove as much of the food as possible from the carpet. This will prevent the food stain from hardening. In the case of a liquid spill, use a paper towel to soak as much of the liquid as you can. Do not rub the liquid stain with a towel, this will spread the stain and worsen it.
Try Homemade Cleaners
Homemade cleaners can be a great way to reduce future damage of stains. These cleaners typically involve common household products such as vinegar, salt, borax, shaving cream, and more. Here are a couple of recipes for homemade cleaners and their applications:
- Ammonia: Sponge the stain with 1 cup of ammonia mixed with half a gallon of warm water. Let it dry thoroughly.
- Vinegar: Rub carpet stain with 2 tablespoons of salt mixed in ½ cup of white vinegar. Let the solution dry then vacuum.
- Vinegar: For fruit and fruit juice stains, mix 1 tablespoon of laundry detergent with 1 ½ tablespoon of white vinegar and ⅔ cups of water. Work the solution into the stain and blot.
- Shaving cream: Pat the stain with a wet sponge then squirt some shaving cream on it and then wipe with a damp sponge.
- Cornstarch & Milk: For grease, oil, or ink stains use cornstarch and milk. Mix milk and cornstarch together to create a paste. Add that paste to the carpet stain. Allow this homemade solution to dry then vacuum it up.
Schedule a Professional
These tips above are a helpful short term solution to prevent major damage to your carpet. For the best solution to completely rid your carpet of any food or liquid spill, try scheduling a professional carpet cleaning service. Remember that steam cleaning can sometimes actually worsen the stain. Find a professional who uses a carbonation extraction method. Chem-Dry uses a proprietary hot carbonating extraction method, which guarantees a longer-lasting clean. For the best carpet cleaning in Edmond, give Chem-Dry of OKC/Edmond a call.
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