CARPET CARE

Treat spills immediately. To aid drying, cover with a paper towel, then a folded bath towel, and walk on it.

Carpets are senstive creatures. DO NOT saturate them with water or chemicals that cannot be washed out. If the backing becomes wet it can create new stains in the carpet, and may also grow mould. Never use on a carpet any product that has bleach in it as it removes colour.

Before treating a stain, physically remove as much of it as possible. Blot liquid with a sponge or paper towel. Add lukewarm water, and blot again. Continue until the stain fades.

Candlewax, Crayon or Chewing Gum

Are easier to remove after being frozen with ice. Treat any residue with an appropriate substance. Apply a clean cloth (rather than directly onto the carpet), and work in from the edge. Don't rub! Afterwards, spray with water and blot with a paper towel.  Candlewax can also be removed by heating your iron and placing a teatowel over the wax and ironing until removed totally.

A solution of one teaspoon of wool detergent with one teaspoon of white vinegar in a litre of lukewarm water should remove most stains.  Try turps or white spirits on wax, oil and fat. Large or stubborn stains may need professional carpet cleaning.

Some stains permanently change the carpet's colour, amd are untreatable. These include dye, (hair dye) chlorine bleach, mustard, tumeric, acid and alkaline cleaners, plant fertilisers, and suchlike.

Red Wine or Beetroot

The safest treatment is plain water. Blot with a cloth, add water, and blot again. Repeat until the stain fades.

Minor Spots

Treat with half a cup of white vinegar, mixed with one and a half cups of lukewarm water, Squeeze on the spot, let stand for a few minutes, and blot with a clean, dry cloth. Repeat this.

Deoderise the Carpet

Mix two parts of cornflour with one part of borax. Sprinkle liberally on the carpet, leave an hour then vacuum.