WFMW: Cleaning Carpet Stains

With the holidays approaching I figure that there are bound to be a few spills onto my precious carpet, and after last night's poop fiasco, I've learned an invaluable lesson about keeping my carpet clean. Vinegar is my best friend.

If vinegar, a little detergent, and water can get smudged poop out of carpet, anything will.

Here's the technique:

Gather together...

• Soft Dry Cloth (or many if the stain is one like the one I had to deal with yesterday.
• White Vinegar
  
• non-bleach, non-alkaline mild detergent

Here's what you do...

1. Apply a small amount of mild liquid detergent to the stain.
2. Blot the stain with a dry, white cloth.
3. Flood the area with white vinegar.
4. Blot again with the cloth.
5. Apply a little more liquid detergent to the stain.
6. Blot the stain again.
7. Flood the area with water.
8. Blot one last time.

Now, if the stain is stubborn like the one I dealt with, a little elbow grease never hurt anybody.

Here are some additional tips I found online...

• Always test the cleaning solutions on an inconspicuous part of the carpet before using on a large area.
• Always use a white cloth rather than a colored one to prevent any dyes from coming off on the carpet.
• As you blot, keep turning the cloth so that you are using a clean, dry section to pick up the stain and the cleaning fluids from the carpet. Don't rub.
• If using a brush to help clean the stain, always brush from the outer edges of the spill inward to prevent the stain from spreading.