During the holiday season we often enjoy holiday meals and spirits with friends and family. What we don’t enjoy are the remnants of spills after the guests are gone – complimentary spots and stains all over the carpet!
Before sharing how to remove them, let’s first define the difference between a spot and a stain: A spot adds a substance to the carpet fiber, a stain adds a color to the carpet fiber. For example, a piece of apple or pumpkin pie dropped onto the carpet would be a spot because we will be able to remove the spots with a simple rinse and extract, as neither food carries a strong dye that transfers to carpet fibers. So these are considered spots.
A glass of red wine, a cup of regular coffee or cranberry sauce dropped or spilled onto the carpet will leave behind some of their strong natural dyes, so a rinse and extract will not sufficiently remove all the variant dyes left behind. These are considered stains.
Removing Spots
Spots require only a simple rinse and extract process. Scrape away excess food particles and vacuum, rinse and extract using a prespray like Prochem Ultrapac Trafficlean, then rinse and extract with Prochem All Fiber Rinse.
If a dye stain remains after cleaning and extraction, you are dealing with dyes that were transferred to the fibers. These dyes now have a new bond with the fibers.
Eliminating Stains
Removing organic based dye stains such as those listed above is quick and easy.
- Apply Chemspec Stain Exit to the stained fibers.
- Allow 10-15 minutes of dwell time.
- If the stain remains, repeat steps 1 and 2.
- If the stain disappears, rinse the treated areas with Prochem All Fiber Rinse.
When you’re done, the dreaded holiday stains are gone – only the treasures of the holiday memories live on!
Watch for more stain removal articles in upcoming Legend Brands Tips & Tricks.