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The Cleaning Professor

Keep up-to-date on what it takes to learn the absolute best technical skills with carpet and furniture cleaning, spot and stain removal and color repair.

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Spot and Stain Removal Procedures

10/31/2013

45 Comments

 
By Jeff Cross, Senior Editor of Cleanfax

The standard of measurement of your entire cleaning ability can all come down to a tiny spot on the carpet.

And even if the result of your cleaning is, in your opinion, a successful cleaning job, and you are able to remove all spots or stains, one or more can reoccur and result in a complaint and an unhappy customer.

The first order of business with proper spot or stain removal is to identify the substance in the carpet.

Of course, the easiest way to identify the spot or stain can be by asking the customer. This doesn''t mean the customer will be right, but they most likely will have a good idea of what the cause might have been.

Procedures that can best determine the content of a spot or stain include:

  • Analyzing the location, remembering that different rooms often have different types of spots or stains

  • Analyzing the appearance of the spot or stain: A "shiny" appearance often means the spot or stain is synthetic, and a "dull" appearance often means it is organic

  • Testing the spot or stain for a pH reading, as this can help classify the substance

  • Using a pocket microscope to determine if the material is in the fiber or if it is on the fiber, because a stain will be inside the fiber and much more difficult to remove than a spot, which is typically coating the outside of the fiber

  • Identifying the odor of the spot or stain, which can be done by wetting the area, blotting it with a towel and then detecting the odor.

After you ID the spot or stain, you need to determine the class of chemical needed to remove the substance.

In general terms, use the following guidelines:

  • If the spot or stain is petroleum-based or solvent-soluble — inks, oils, greases, adhesives, paints, etc. — use a dry solvent spotter — included in this class are gel solvents

  • If the spot or stain can be determined to have a specific pH and/or you find it to be a water-soluble spot or stain, you can use the proper water-based cleaning agent to neutralize the spot or stain

  • If you have a synthetic stain — manmade, such as red dyes, candy or food, etc. — use a reducing agent

  • If the stain is natural or organic — coffee, tea, condiments, mustard, etc. — use an oxidizing agent

  • If the spot or stain is protein — vomit, feces, blood, etc. — use a protein digester.

Remember that these are guidelines, and that use of one or even two of these on a specific spot or stain might be best.

Coffee or tea, for instance, typically requires an acid-based agent to dissolve the natural tannins, but then an oxidizing or reducing agent — depending on the type of coffee or tea, such as decaffeinated or herbal — may be necessary to remove any remaining stain.

The physical removal

After determining the identity of the spot or stain and the proper chemistry needed for removal, follow these physical steps:

  • Remove contamination by blotting or vacuuming

  • If sources are unknown, start with a dry solvent spotter and then move to a wet solvent spotter

  • Use small amounts of spotting solution — flip-top bottles work well in controlling amount of solution

  • Be careful when working cleaning solution into the fiber, as you do not want to add moisture to the base of the carpet or the cushion where it can wick back and cause a recurring spot

  • Use a tamping brush and towel; be careful of aggressive agitation as it can damage the fibers

  • Work from the outside in to keep spots or stains from spreading.

Be sure to have plenty of blotting material — cotton towels, for example — or a vacuum capable of pulling moisture from the fabric.

Add heat to the spot or stain when needed. This activates the chemical and makes it work faster — but be careful of some spots or stains, such as protein-based varieties, as excessive heat can set the protein matter permanently, or at the very least, make it more difficult to remove.

It''s safer to use steam, such as from a wallpaper steamer. You can also add safer heat by putting a hot water bottle or a bucket of hot water on a damp towel on top of the stain.

Remember that dry solvents work much faster than wet solvents. Be sure to ventilate adequately when using dry solvents.

Jeff Cross is the senior editor of Cleanfax magazine and an industry trainer and consultant, and offers carpet cleaning marketing, disaster restoration marketing and contract cleaning marketing seminars and classes through Totally Booked University, and also IICRC technical training for carpet and furniture cleaning, spot and stain removal and carpet color repair. For more information, visit his technical training website and marketing training website.
45 Comments
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11/1/2013 08:48:41 pm

The standard of cleaning products and services are helpful in removing spots from carpet. First measure the spot conditions on carpet then have to analysis if removable and i know some of chemicals can be helpful to clean up the carpet spots.

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11/15/2013 06:36:37 pm

Hello.... because a human sheds its dead cells every 28 minutes or something, and those cells fall on the carpet. you walk, sit, eat & play on the same carpet. and sometimes you forget to wash your hands and u put it in your mouth it can be dangerous.

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1/14/2014 11:15:28 pm

Thank you very much for the tips! I believe that carpet stain removal is easy once you understand proper stain removal procedures.

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8/26/2016 10:17:38 pm

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5/21/2018 11:32:05 pm

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3/4/2019 05:08:49 pm

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8/23/2019 02:31:32 am

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10/16/2019 06:43:52 pm

I love how you talked about different types of stains and specifics of each and how to get rid of them. My husband and I haven't had our carpets cleaned the entire two years we've lived in Highlands Ranch, CO and need to clean them. We will keep these tips in mind for maintenance after hiring a professional to deep clean our carpets.

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10/29/2019 10:13:45 pm

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11/28/2019 09:26:20 pm

It was a great honor that the one who wrote these tips is a Senior Editor of Cleanfax. My heart is so happy to know this information! By the way, removing spot and stain on your carpet is a huge challenge. If you don't know how to do it, you will surely not achieve what you want to achieve. This is the reaps why we should know how to follow rules so we would surely know how to get it right. I know that it remains to be a huge challenge, but everyone can do it!

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2/20/2020 08:32:03 pm

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5/23/2020 04:28:35 am

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9/17/2020 04:44:23 am

I have read all the procedures and found it really useful for DIY cleaning. Thank you so much for sharing such informative things.

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11/9/2020 06:26:20 am

If the carpets are not cleaned on daily basis, a buildup of dirt and dust can occur beneath them. Also stains on it make it look ugly and dull and then your carpet just do the opposite of its purpose. You must need to hire carpet cleaners as they are well experienced in carpet cleaning and know the best solution for this problem.

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11/24/2020 12:15:35 am

Great tips! so helpful!

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2/26/2021 06:56:49 am

I've got some stains in my carpet, and I just can't get them out. It makes sense that using the right methods for this would be really important! I'll be sure to get a professional to help me out with this.

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4/23/2021 01:25:51 pm

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5/3/2021 11:44:14 pm

Brushing is utilized to eliminate dried stains and spots. A few spots, for example, those framed of dried mud, might be totally taken out by brushing. In treating different sorts of dry stains (for instance, face powder), brushing is only the initial phase in treating the stain. In treating a few stains, brushing might be one of the last strides, as when you need to eliminate a spongy or a dried stain-eliminating glue from a surface.

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While flushing a mess, particularly one on a non-launderable texture, you need to control the progression of water cautiously. To apply a deliberate measure of flushing fluid, utilize a gadget, for example, an eyedropper or plant sir, or a plastic trigger shower bottle that can be acclimated to splash a fine stream. Before you start the treatment, place a perfect retentive cushion underneath the spot, at that point gradually and cautiously apply the prescribed stain remover to the stain.

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5/7/2021 05:33:20 pm

I didn't realize that you have to work from the outside in to prevent the stain from spreading. We tried that with a wine stain downstairs, and it definitely spread. I will start looking for a carpet cleaning service that has experience with stain removal.

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5/20/2021 08:53:02 am

There are some stains on my carpet, and I'm not sure how to get rid of them. It makes sense that I would want to work with a professional to ensure that it gets cleaned right. They would be able to ensure that the best stain removal methods are used.

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7/16/2021 04:10:10 pm

Thanks for pointing out that we can use an oxidizing agent to remove coffee and tea stains from our carpet. My husband and I are very busy with work so we don't have the time to clean our carpet. I guess we should look for carpet cleaning experts on Monday who can get rid of the smell and stains to make our carpet smell and look new again.

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9/23/2021 02:17:21 pm

I like your cleaning tips. My upholstery is stained. I'll have to hire a cleaner.

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12/9/2021 06:08:18 am

Which technique to use in treating a particular spot or stain depends upon both the nature of the stain and the type of surface stained

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12/26/2021 05:54:40 am

A basic guide for spot & stain removal from The National Carpet Cleaners Association. Please feel free to download the Spot & Stain Removal Guide.

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12/28/2021 09:21:53 pm

Excellent guide and suggestions to get a variety of tough stains out.

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12/29/2021 12:20:04 pm

Rub lightly in one direction at a time so as to rub further down the individual tufts rather than simply flopping the carpet in a back and forth motion. Do not rub with pressure.

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1/11/2022 03:31:03 pm

It helped when you mentioned that it is important to have a proper cleaning ability for the service. My uncle mentioned to me last night that he needs a cleaning service because of the carpet stains and old age and asked if I have any idea what is the best option to do. Thanks to this informative article and I'll be sure to tell him that he can consult a trusted carpet cleaning service in town as they can answer all his inquiries and will provide good-quality service.

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    Jeff Cross...

    ... is the executive editor of Cleanfax.com and an IICRC-approved instructor. His goal is to help cleaning and restoration technicians to become the best in the industry. He can be reached at (740)973-4236 or by email (click here)

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