7 Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Tips for Moms
Tuesday October 27, 2015
Kids are so cute. And dirty.
I sometimes have thought that kids are so darn cute because when they make big messes, we need some reason to extend the level of grace and patience needed to deal with it like an adult. And not the only sometimes OCD adult that we can be.
Other than pet stains, kids make the most messes on carpets and upholstery. Whether paints gone awry, muddy footprints, food and drinks or more, kids are walking chaos makers. But, they are so cute and steal our hearts, so we need to deal with the temporary messes in exchange for all the joy they bring us.
Emergency stain removal is pretty important with kids, as is a regular carpet cleaning and upholstery cleaning routine. Tips for preventing the most problematic messes are also important. We have compiled a quick list of 7 Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Tips for Moms.
- Â Â Â Â Â Â Don't scrub carpet at it tends to push the stain through to the underlying carpet pad. Instead, blot at it, using a clean towel to absorb as much of it as possible.
-       American Cleaning Institute has a chart of all types of stains and the ways to remove them on a variety of surfaces. Great resource for kid stains on carpet and upholstery, including fruit juice, maple syrup and mud.
-       Soda, Ice Cream or Jelly? Use ¼ tsp of white vinegar and 32 oz. of water. First remove the large pieces, then blot the area with the vinegar and water mixture.
- Â Â Â Â Â Â Blood, chocolate or vomit... call a professional as the type of cleaning product needed will depend on the type of fabric or carpet it is on.
- Â Â ThisOldHouse.com suggests removing glue in this manner:
"Moisten a cotton ball or soft cloth with rubbing alcohol and press it on the affected area. Once the glue residue is thoroughly moistened, gently wipe it off and repeat until the carpet is clean."
- Â Â Reader's Digest offers this for gum removal:
"Chewing gum somehow end up stuck to the fibers of your carpet? Freeze the gum first with ice cubes in a plastic bag, then scrape with a butter knife"
- Â Â Wax removal, such as from candles or melted crayons, is best done with a paper towel and an iron. Place the clean, dry paper towel over the stain then gently iron it on the lowest setting. The heat will re-melt the wax and the paper towel will absorb it. Repeat with a clean paper towel until all the wax is removed.
Do you have a carpet or upholstery stain you have attempted to tackle that just won't budge? Â We are happy to help and we will steer you away from those techniques that make it worse!