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Rugs Stain Removal

Every day accidents happen, but it doesn’t mean that your rug’s appearance has to suffer. Here are 6 easy steps to ensure your rug doesn’t pay the price of mishaps.

Act Fast
BLOT – NEVER RUB
Clean stain - Edge to Center
Do Not SOAK
Pat and Fan Dry
Brush Pile

You have to move fast when spills happen, which means you should keep a little box containing the following close at hand at all times: dry cleaning fluid, club soda, cotton cloths, white vinegar, mild dishwashing detergent (containing no alkalis or bleaches), alcohol, 3% hydrogen peroxide, clothes brush, household ammonia, salt, and nail polish remover (acetone).

Scoop or scrape off solid stains with a spoon or blunt knife. Blot up excess spills with paper towels. Don’t rub, as this will spread the stain. You want the opposite of the ripple effect, working the stain from the edge to the center. This will hopefully contain the stain and not affect the rest of the rug. Always apply antidote with a clean cloth. Do not soak the stain with cleaning solution. The less moisture the better. Then pat excess moisture with paper towels and dry with a fan or hand blow dryer, preferably on a low heat setting. Finally, to restore the pile, brush it with a soft brush. On old and stubborn stains, repeat the process until the stain is completely removed.

Special Stains:

Chewing Gum: Press ice cubes against spot until it becomes brittle and breaks off. Use spot remover to vanish last traces. Saturate the spot with a cloth soaked in vinegar or alcohol.

Candle Wax: Place a brown paper bag over the spot. Place a hot iron over the paper bag. Move iron constantly. Wait a few minutes until the wax is absorbed. Repeat if necessary.

Ink from ballpoint pen: Saturate the spot with hairspray. Allow to dry. Blot lightly with vinegar solution.

Use the chart and key below as tools to help determine which method to use when treating common stains.

SPOT		SPOT
Alcoholic Drink	A	Lipstick	A
Ammonia/Alkali	A	Machine Oil	B
Beer	E	Mayonnaise	B
Bleach	A	Milk	A
Blood	C	Mixed Drinks	E
Butter	B	Mud	A
Candy/Sugar	A	Mustard	E
Carbon Black	B	Paint	B
Catsup	B	Perfume	A
Charcoal	A	Rust	A
Chocolate/Cocoa	A	Salad Dressing	B
Coffee	D	Sauce	A
Cooking Oil	B	Shortening	B
Cosmetics	B	Soft Drink	E
Crayon	B	Soy sauce	B
Dye (blue/black)	C	Starch	B
Dye (red)	E	Tar	B
Egg	B	Tea	D
Excrement	C	Toothpaste	A
Fruit Juice	E	Urine (old)	B
Furniture Polish	B	Urine (fresh)	E
Gravy	A	Varnish	B
Hair Oil	B	Vaseline	B
Hair Spray	B	Vomit	B
Hand Lotion	B	Washable Ink	A
Ice Cream	B	Wine	G
Lard	D

Make sure to blot after every step!

Cleaning Methods Key

Method A: Detergent – Vinegar – Detergent – Water
Method B: Cleaning Fluids – Detergent – Water – Ammonia – Detergent – Water
Method C: Detergent – Vinegar – Ammonia – Detergent – Water
Method D: Detergent – Ammonia – Detergent – Water
Method E: Detergent – Water
Method F: Detergent – Ammonia – Vinegar – Detergent
Method G: Salt – Water – Detergent - Water

Detergent Solution – 1 tsp dishwashing liquid + 1 cup water
Ammonia Solution –1 oz ammonia + 1 cup water
Vinegar Solution – 1 part vinegar + 2 parts water

Disclaimer: For difficult or unlisted stains, please consult with a professional rug cleaner. These stain removal tips are to be used only as guides. Rugsales accepts no liability for damage from the use of these solutions.