Simple & Quick Ways To Treat The Most Common Carpet Stains

Posted Wednesday, January 23rd, 2019

Life happens! No matter the preventative measure put in place, stains can happen too. We know you don’t always have the time to schedule a professional cleaning to deal with unexpected spots, so we decided to put together a simple guide to help you deal with the most common carpet stains. With this guide you can manage these stains until you get a chance to schedule a cleaning with a professional carpet cleaner.

Important Note: This is only a guide! There is no guaranteed DIY method to remove all carpet stains, since there are many other variables that determine whether or not it will come out. You should always consult a professional before attempting to treat any stain at home!

Red Wine or Coffee

With a red wine spill or a coffee spill, you will want to address the mess sooner rather than later. The longer it sits the harder it will be to remove the stain! You will want to first blot up the excess liquid. Use either white terry cloth towels or paper towels.

Now this is very important: Blot, don’t rub! The action of blotting picks up excess liquid, so it will not saturate the carpet fibers or pad further. If you rub the area, the liquid will spread and get worked into the fibers, and the stain will be much harder to remove.

Once you have blotted up the excess liquid you will want to get at least 2 fresh clean towels to work with and mix a bowl of cleaning solution. The cleaning solution will be 1 part sugar free club soda and 1 part cold water, mix it well!

Dab the solution onto the stained area to saturate the stained area with the cleaning solution. Then, using the dry towel, you will blot the stained area to lift up the cleaning solution. Repeat this process until you begin to see color on the towels you are blotting with. That means the stain is lifting off or the carpet.

Continue the process of dabbing on the cleaning solution and blotting it up with a clean dry towel until you begin to see the color of the stain fade. It may take some time to see the color transfer, but do not give up! And remember, do not rub or the stain will get worse!

Muddy Footprints

When dealing with muddy footprints on carpet you will have to do something that feels very unnatural….you will have to walk away and leave them alone to fully dry. Trying to clean the stained area before allowing the dirt to dry up and removing it will only exacerbate the problem.

So, it may feel weird, it may be uncomfortable, it may go against all of your instincts to do so, but you will leave the muddy footprints alone until they fully dry.

Once the footprints have dried try to remove as many large clumps of dirt as possible. Just pick them up with your hands and throw them out. Once you have removed all the larger chunks use the vacuum to pick up the rest of the dried dirt.

With all the dry dirt and soil removed you will have a much clearer view of the stains you are dealing with. Grab a good amount of towels, either white terry cloth or paper, and mix your cleaning solution of 1 part white vinegar and 1 part cold water.

Saturate one towel with this solution and dab it onto the footprint stain, then, using a dry towel, try to blot up the cleaning solution you applied. Continue this process of dabbing on the solution and blotting it up until you begin to see the dirt lift from the carpet fibers onto the towel you are blotting with. You may have to repeat this several times per footprint for the dirt to begin to lift. Remember: Do not rub! Only blot!

Blood

With any type of blood spot you will want to treat the stain ASAP to reduce the chance of the stain. Dab up as much material as you can. Then make a mixture of sugar free club soda and cold water.

The water must not be hot or warm, since blood coagulates if it warms and will stick to the fibers even more than before. Cold water is necessary to loosen the material and the stain is much more likely to release if you use cold water.

As with the previous stains, you will dab on the cleaning mixture with one towel, then blot it up with another clean and dry towel. Repeat this process until the blood spot begins to lift from the carpet and onto the towel. Remember to take your time and to blot, not rub!!

Pet Stains

With pet stains odor is usually a factor. The best solution for dealing with pet stains is a 1 parts vinegar to 3 part water solution because the vinegar helps reduce any odors. It also helps release color, which is usually present in pet stains.

Just like with the other stains above, you will first want to remove by hand or blot up as much material as possible. Once as much loose material as possible is removed begin to dab the cleaning solution onto the area to saturate the affected fibers, then use a clean and dry towel to blot up the solution.

Repeat this process until the color begins to transfer from the carpet to the towel. As you repeat the process the strength of the odor should be reducing as well. Continue until the color has lifted.

Now, there are still some spots or stains that will require a professional cleaning to truly remove, but these solutions will help you out in between Modernistic appointments. Maintaining your carpet with regular professional cleanings can really help protect your investment. If you have a household that has a lot of foot traffic, children, or pets you may want to ask your Modtechs about 3M Scotchgard protection.

3m Scotchgard creates a protective layer between your carpet and the world that is trying to stain it! When you have 3M Scotchgard applied, liquids will bead up on the surface of the fibers of your carpet and you’ll have time to blot up a spill before it saturates the carpet. Even if a stain does manage to work its way into the fibers, carpet with 3M Scotchgard protection has a higher likelihood of releasing stains during your next cleaning.

Now there are still some spots or stains that will require a truck-mounted hot water extraction system to truly remove, but these Simple & Quick ways to treat the most common carpet stains will help you out in between Modernistic cleanings!

Modernistic has been cleaning up stains throughout Michigan since 1973, and you can trust we’ll get the job done right! Call or click today for help with your most stubborn carpet spots.

How to Housetrain your Cat or Kitten in 4 Steps

Posted Friday, October 21st, 2016

How can Charlotte, MI cat owners keep their houses clean?

Cat’s may have a reputation for aloof behavior, but if you’re a cat person, you know what rewarding companions cats can be. But that’s only when your cat is happy, and as any cat owner can tell you, successful litter training is an important part of keeping you and your cat happy, and your house clean. Fortunately, it’s not hard to housetrain your cat, because cats prefer a clean living space almost as much as you do.

1. Have the litter tray ready.

Purchase a litter pan and kitty litter from a pet store and have it ready when you bring home your feline friend. Carry the kitty to the litter pan and set it down right inside. Adult cats usually get the hint right away and will seek out the litter box when they need it. Kittens will also want to use the pan, but they may have trouble remembering how to find it, so it’s best to block off part of the house for them and until they can find it reliably. Importantly, don’t move the litter box without helping your cat find its new location.

2. Where should I put the litter box?

Make sure your cat can access the litter box easily. Cats like a little privacy when they’re doing their business, but they also don’t like to feel trapped. A low-traffic area of your home is best, but a closet or tight corner is likely to make a cat feel trapped. Also keep in mind that noises from the dryer, furnace, or other appliance can make a cat nervous. It’s best to avoid these areas, because your cat will probably avoid them anyway.

And remember: cats often don’t like to share. So if you have more than one cat, place multiple litter boxes in different places around the house.

3. Keep it clean

Cats like clean, so it’s important to clean out the litter box regularly. If you can smell your cat’s waste, you can be sure your cat can smell it, too—and your cat may eliminate in a different, cleaner part of the house.

Scoop out solids and dispose of them daily, and change the clay litter about twice a week. When you change the litter, wash the box with a mild detergent. This will cut down on the odors in your home, to the relief of both you and your cat.

4. Dealing with accidents

Not all accidents are accidental. If male cats aren’t neutered, they may spray around the house to mark their territory. If your cat quits using the litter box, call your veterinarian, as this behavior often signals a problem.

Your veterinarian can help your cat, but who’s going to help your carpet? Blot up what you can and contact Modernistic. Our professional pet stain removal team will clean and flush the area, using a powerful pre-treatment process and a hot-water extraction system to clear out any evidence of an accident.

When your house is clean, your cat will be happy—and so will you.

How to get that cat smell out of your couch

Posted Thursday, September 15th, 2016

Cat owners of Dewitt: need some tips for getting rid of the odor?

Every cat lover encounters this problem sooner or later: your cat decides to mark a corner of your couch or carpet, and even though you’ve cleaned up the stain, the odor won’t go away.

Cat urine contains proteins that create a strong, distinctive smell. As such, the odor takes some special treatment to get rid of completely. Here are some steps you can take to get that cat smell out of your couch.

Clean fresh accidents immediately

The faster you clean a new stain, the less chance it will become a problem in the long term. Blot at the stain with a white cloth or paper towel as soon as you see it. Do not rub the stain, as that will spread the stain over a larger area and work the urine into the fibers.

Use a black light to locate old stains

If you removed the stain a while ago, or if the stain faded over time, you may have difficulty locating the exact spot. However, because of the chemicals in pet urine, old stains will show up under a black light. Turn all your lights off and shine the black light over the area where you think the pet stain may be. The stained area will glow. Mark the spot with a sticky note or by outlining the stain with chalk.

Enzymatic cleaners are your best bet

An enzyme spray contains ingredients specially-designed for treating pet urine. Specifically, the uric acid present in cat urine is hard to remove without an enzymatic cleaner. Apply according to the instructions on the bottle, and give it time to work.

If you don’t have an enzymatic cleaner on hand…

Home remedies will never completely remove the odor from cat urine, but they can provide a stop-gap measure before you head to the store. Because cat urine and ammonia share a similar odor, avoid using ammonia-based products. Instead, treat the area with a mixture of 1 part white vinegar to 3 parts water. Apply enough to the area to cover the stain, then blot with a towel.

For the toughest odors, contact a professional

Some stains are just plain stubborn. For odors that won’t go away, contact a professional for cleaning help. Modernistic technicians have the tools and experience needed to remove any stain from your furniture, and can even help prevent staining and pet accidents in the future. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.