When a spill occurs on your carpet, your first thought might be to reach for something wet and soapy to hurry and clean the mess up. Because wet, soapy and foamy concoctions are used to clean so many other messes in our homes, it’s no wonder that this is our natural first thought when it comes to cleaning carpet. But the truth is, there are some cleaners and stain removers that can actually make things worse.
Related: How Often Should I Get My Carpets Cleaned?
One of the reasons why some liquids can ruin your carpet is because of the different fabrics used when making carpet. Some liquid cleaners just don’t work well with carpet. Instead of cleaning the mess, it actually sets it in permanently. Even hot water can cause irreversible damage.
The reason why is because most spills and messes on our carpets are acid based. Think about some of the more common spills in our homes that can lead to stains – salsa, juice, wine, coffee, tea and pet messes. All of these are very acidic and can stain carpet made of cotton, synthetic and other natural fibers. These fibers are not resistant to acid and can easily stain.
Experts suggest that the best thing you can do when a spill occurs on your carpet or furniture is to work quickly to neutralize the spill immediately. Club soda and baking soda both work well to calm the acidic reaction that may be taking place. What you don’t want to do is wet the spill area as this will activate the pH and make it acidic again.
There are many cleaning solutions available on the market today that claim to be the best first response to a spill or potential stain in your carpet or on your furniture. While some of these may work, many will not and just make the situation worse.
This is also true for spots or spills involving non-acidic substances. Two of the more common non-acidic spills seen include ink and nail polish. When something that dense and thick comes in contact with your carpet, it’s natural that you want to quickly clean it up as soon as possible. Dr. Dry-Chem is here to tell you NO! Do not touch it! The minute you begin rubbing, scrubbing, dumping or applying any kind of cleaning product onto these types of spills, you are greatly decreasing the chances of getting those stains out.
Instead, call Dr. Dry-Chem as soon as possible. We have the experience and the proper materials that can help lift that stain away. The products and methods we use are proven to work, leaving you with gorgeous, stain-free carpet.
For an emergency or to set up a time for a regular carpet cleaning, call 602-243-6379.
