It is inevitable that you’ll unexpectedly drop your dinner plate and make a huge mess, have your pet pee or vomit on your carpet, have kids who make the biggest messes or spill things like paint or nail polish – even makeup. As much as we try to prevent these spills, they just happen.

And, as nice as it would be to contact your local professional carpet cleaning company to rush over and clear the stain, that’s simply not realistic. Instead, do what you can to remove the stain with these DIY tips. Then, call a professional carpet cleaning company and schedule a cleaning appointment.

Easy ways to remove stains from your carpets

Get it before it sets –

One of the most important things you can do the minute you see the stain happen is trying to remove it before it starts to set into your carpet.

Blot, blot, blot –

Instead of rubbing, get in the habit of blotting the stain. This will enable you to lift the stain from the carpet by soaking up as much liquid as possible. If you scrub, you end up rubbing the stain further into the carpet which then makes it harder to lift and remove.

Minimize the product you use –

For some unspoken reason, we tend to overuse products thinking the more the better. When it comes to stains, opposites attract. Use less product so you have less of a chance of spreading the stain thinly over a larger portion of your carpet.

Dry, dry, dry –

After you’ve cleaned the area it is important you dry it as thoroughly as possible. This helps reduce the chance of mold or mildew from forming.

Common carpet stains

There is many reason why a carpet stain may happen. And, there are similarities in what causes the stain. Here are the most common carpet stains professionals see when they clean homes:

• Dark-colored food stains
• Grease from food, shoes, and hands
• Wine
• Coffee
• Sugary beverages
• Nail polish
• Makeup
• Pet urine, feces, and vomit
• Gum or chewy candy