How to Remove Tough Stains From Carpet and Upholstery Before Moving Out?
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One of the most stressful removal activities is the end of tenancy cleaning.
This sanitising procedure should be deep and thorough enough to please your landlord and get your tenancy deposit back.
But with your time running out during this frustrating episode of your life, the disinfection of the property might turn into an absolute horror. Especially when suddenly you face some accidents or unpredicted circumstances.
Things can get awful when you have to deal with a stubborn stain on the carpet or upholstery while wiping around. Thankfully, there are ways to remove almost any grime–just read on to learn about them in detail.
Remove any excess dirt immediately
Whether you hosted a party with delectable food and had an accident, rule number one for upholstery and carpet stains is this: remove them as soon as you see them.
The faster your reaction is, the more chances you have to get rid of it. Carpets, woolen rugs, delicate sofas, and soft coaches are made of specific materials that soak the dirt quickly and, sometimes, even irretrievably.
Whether it is food falling on the carpet a minute ago, or an old parched grim on the upholstery, you must first scrape it off.
Remove the excess with a soft brush, and then continue with your favorite rug or upholstery cleaning tips you’ve gotten from your mum, the web, Oprah, or your neighbor.
Apply a stain remover directly on the stain
Having no carpet cleaning advice on your mind? Don’t worry! There are plenty of ways to get rid of the spot. In the supermarket, you can find numerous commercial stain removers.
On the other side, you can apply a homemade organic cleansing solution. What’s important here is to act fast and attentively. Do not soak the entire rug, but instead, pour the disinfecting liquid directly on the stain.
Blot the carpet stain away
Always let your favourite carpet cleaning solution stay for a while. This ensures the active ingredients can absorb properly. Whether you use some homemade white vinegar solution or a commercial spot remover, it takes about 10 minutes to blot and act.
Don’t panic if you see the dirt spreading around. This is how the active ingredients work – by dissolving the grime. Once the 10 minutes pass, you will wash the entire stain easily. Keep blotting with a clean cloth, and the spot will be out.
If this tactic doesn’t work during the end of tenancy cleaning, you can call professionals to avoid any disputes with your landlord.
How to remove different stain types?
Home upholstery and carpets are usually at the highest risk of getting spots. These interior items can receive any type of stain.
For your tenancy cleaning checklist, you can use various recipes that work on different spots.
Candle wax
No, you don’t have to throw your carpet away. Actually, the candle wax spot is removable. It’s a bit sluggish procedure, but you can deal with this end of tenancy cleaning task.
Here’s a quick guide for it:
- Immediately start rubbing the affected area with an ice cube;
- Then, scrape off the wax with a knife from its dull side;
- Apply some toilet paper or a piece of newspaper;
- Press with an iron;
- Hold for a bit, and then scrape off the rest of the wax;
- Keep doing these steps until the stain is gone.
Blood
Whether it’s your period or an accident, blood can cause serious damage to your upholstery and carpets. Your landlord will not excuse this, no matter what the cause was.
Remove the blood stains easily with cold water only. Remember that this method works only if the spot is fresh (otherwise, try club soda).
Chocolate
Like all other food-originated stains, this one should meet the knife’s dull side in advance. After this essential pre-treatment, you can continue with ordinary all-purpose cleansing solutions.
Sometimes, you will have to put into action the 10-minute blotting method.
Coffee and tea
Making the perfect cup of coffee or tea is important for many people, but what do you do when the mug accidentally falls or spills over?
Depending on the tea, the herb might even help remove concrete stains. However, black tea and coffee leave severe stains visible from meters.
What can help you in such situations is the old but gold hydrogen peroxide. Mix it with lukewarm water and clean your upholstery or carpet easily and on a budget.
Dirt
Sometimes, when you have dirt stains on your carpet, you should better not act immediately.
Of course, we don’t encourage you to leave this cleaning chore for tomorrow. Instead, let the dirt dry and then scrape it off. If you treat the fresh mess immediately, you risk spreading the grime around the surface.
Wine
Whether you got a raise or are celebrating buying a new home, hosting a home party poses a risk when red wine is involved. Thousands of people believe those kinds of stains are irremovable.
Yet, before considering buying a new carpet to pass the end of tenancy cleaning inventory check, try this method: apply club soda, wait for 15 minutes and then wipe it out with a clean microfiber cloth.
Urine and vomit
Disgusting or not, these spots should be eliminated right away. They are not just ugly but also disease-spreading.
The disinfection of such stains is not hard–only the nasty smell might be tough for you to overcome.
If you have to, wear a mask, but immediately remove the urine or vomit spot with some enzymatic cleaning product or a paste made of baking soda and lukewarm water. Air the room after the procedure.
Conclusion
See, there’s almost no stain on a carpet, a rug or upholstery that cannot be removed.
Unfortunately, the only instance for you to be incapable of dealing with a spot is when it’s too old. In these cases, using professional assistance might be your best option.
Don’t hesitate to ask the specialists how to get rid of other grime in your house because they tend to be very generous when giving helpful sanitising tips and tricks.
