These things happen sometimes – you drop a permanent marker or spill your coffee, and now you’ve got a stain on the carpet. When your boss is on the way and you don’t have time to wait for your next professional office clean, here is your emergency guide to removing all types of carpet stains from your workplace carpets.
Advice for Removing General Stains
For the removal of most stains on carpets, blot the stain then dry the whole area - work from the outside inwards. When the stain has dried, rinse well with clean water, then do the blotting/drying process again: you always work from the outside in. Don't ever rub or scrub a carpet because you could damage the fibres, which encourages the stain to work itself deeper into the carpet through to the underlay.
How to Remove Water-Soluble Stains
If you have water soluble stains, like coke, alcohol, washable markers or ink, milk, even wet paint, you can remove the stain by combining four cups of clean water with one-quarter teaspoon of white vinegar. Use this mixture in the blotting/drying process described above, and you’ll find the stain is easily removed. It may even be worth keeping a small bottle of white vinegar in your drawer or in the shared kitchen for future water-soluble stain emergencies!
Things get a little more complicated if the stain is from blood, chocolate, tea or coffee or wine. In these cases, try the vinegar/water mixture but if that doesn’t work, try one tablespoon of ammonia mixed with one cup of water (but only on carpets that are not wool), or one part chlorine bleach to five parts water (but only on carpets that are solution-dyed). Before you use any of these mixtures make sure you're aware of what the carpet is made from. If you’re unsure, you’re best to stick with the vinegar/water mixture until your next professional office cleaning. Click here to find more about industrial cleaning companies.
Clever Hacks for Removing Specific Stains
Wax, oil or fat – lay a couple of sheets of paper towel on top of the stain and run a clothes iron over the paper towel on a warm (not hot) setting. Ideally, the stain will leave the carpet and come away on the paper towel. Sure, you probably don’t have a clothes iron at work, so this may need to wait until tomorrow.
Cigarette burns – find a hard, flat item such as a butter knife, and gently and slowly rub the carpet pile with the edge. It may take some time, but this is an effective way of removing cigarette burns from carpet.
Nail polish – if you’ve been giving yourself a quick mani/pedi at work and have spilled nail polish, the solution is the obvious one – nail polish remover. Just dip a cloth or rag in nail polish remover and blot the stain: the polish should easily come away from the carpet.
There is no substitute for a professional office clean, but sometimes you just need a quick fix to tide you over in the meantime.
Advice for Removing General Stains
For the removal of most stains on carpets, blot the stain then dry the whole area - work from the outside inwards. When the stain has dried, rinse well with clean water, then do the blotting/drying process again: you always work from the outside in. Don't ever rub or scrub a carpet because you could damage the fibres, which encourages the stain to work itself deeper into the carpet through to the underlay.
How to Remove Water-Soluble Stains
If you have water soluble stains, like coke, alcohol, washable markers or ink, milk, even wet paint, you can remove the stain by combining four cups of clean water with one-quarter teaspoon of white vinegar. Use this mixture in the blotting/drying process described above, and you’ll find the stain is easily removed. It may even be worth keeping a small bottle of white vinegar in your drawer or in the shared kitchen for future water-soluble stain emergencies!
Things get a little more complicated if the stain is from blood, chocolate, tea or coffee or wine. In these cases, try the vinegar/water mixture but if that doesn’t work, try one tablespoon of ammonia mixed with one cup of water (but only on carpets that are not wool), or one part chlorine bleach to five parts water (but only on carpets that are solution-dyed). Before you use any of these mixtures make sure you're aware of what the carpet is made from. If you’re unsure, you’re best to stick with the vinegar/water mixture until your next professional office cleaning. Click here to find more about industrial cleaning companies.
Clever Hacks for Removing Specific Stains
Wax, oil or fat – lay a couple of sheets of paper towel on top of the stain and run a clothes iron over the paper towel on a warm (not hot) setting. Ideally, the stain will leave the carpet and come away on the paper towel. Sure, you probably don’t have a clothes iron at work, so this may need to wait until tomorrow.
Cigarette burns – find a hard, flat item such as a butter knife, and gently and slowly rub the carpet pile with the edge. It may take some time, but this is an effective way of removing cigarette burns from carpet.
Nail polish – if you’ve been giving yourself a quick mani/pedi at work and have spilled nail polish, the solution is the obvious one – nail polish remover. Just dip a cloth or rag in nail polish remover and blot the stain: the polish should easily come away from the carpet.
There is no substitute for a professional office clean, but sometimes you just need a quick fix to tide you over in the meantime.