7 Carpet Cleaning Tips from the Pros

No matter how hard you try to keep your carpet clean, a certain number of spills, spots and stains will invariably find their way to it. Country Living Magazine interviewed carpet cleaning experts in San Antonio, Texas to come up with some top carpet cleaning secrets:

Blot stains, don’t rub – Rubbing any cleaning solution into the carpet will grind it into the fibers. Dabbing a bit of cleaner onto the stain and blotting gently from the outside inward will best soak up the stain.

Use club soda – For fresh wine stains, pour a little club soda over the stain and blot gently. If that doesn’t do it, spray on a mix of half water and half white vinegar. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes, then blot.

Try shaving cream – For most stains, apply the cream directly on and let it set for 30 minutes. Blot it away with a dry white cloth. Apply a half and half vinegar-water mix and blot it up with another dry cloth.

Freeze away dried gum – If you’ve tracked gum onto the carpet, freeze it off by applying ice cubes to it for 30 seconds. Once the gum is frozen, use a spoon to lift up the glob and cut a few strands of carpet as close to the gum as possible.

Heat up wax stains – Candle wax drip on the carpet? Place a white cloth over your iron, then put the iron on top of the wax for no more than 30 seconds. Scrape off the wax with a butter knife. Finally, lay a paper towel over the surface and iron the paper for a few seconds. The last of the wax should bind to the paper, though it may take a couple more applications.

Clean pet stains organically – Use an organic cleaner, like Eco-Spot (available for about $10 in a spray bottle). Spray the pet stain and scrub gently. Then wipe up with a cloth or towel. These cleaners can also help remove coffee stains.

Remove crushed candy with a knife - Scrape the candy with a stiff brush or butter knife. Using a sponge, apply water mixed with a mild soap to get the sugar out. Once the candy is removed, dry the spot by blotting it with a cloth or towels.

Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2014. All rights reserved.