How can I get an old stain out of the carpet?

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There is an old stain n my carpet where my daughter spilled orange soda. We have rented a rug doctor and tried numerous carpet cleaning products to no avail. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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  1. Nurse Diesel says:
    October 11, 2009 at 12:55 am

    You could try oxy-clean, but orange dye is pretty difficult. My best recommendation is that you call a place that sells carpeting, and see if they know the answer.

  2. Joey Migs says:
    October 11, 2009 at 12:55 am

    Avoid the expensive products and try these home remedies for carpet stains.

    Water

    Water should be the first thing you try, especially if the stain is new. Most carpets today come with stain-resistant treatments, so many spills can be removed if you get to them quickly. Pour a small amount of water on the area and blot it up with a clan white cotton cloth or white paper towels. Don’t rub the spot – just press down to soak up the water and stain.

    Add water and repeat the process. When you don’t see any of the stain transferring to the cloth or paper towels, that is probably as far as you can go. If there is still a visible stain in the carpet you will need to try something else.

    Spoon

    Peanut butter, pudding and other soft solids should be scraped out and and lifted gently with a spoon, to remove as much as possible before you add water or other cleaning solvents.
    Specific recommendations for carpet stain removal are listed below for each type of carpet stain. If you have a stain that is not on the list, follow the procedures on the page, How To Get Out Carpet Stains Of All Types. It is recommended that you read that page first in any case, so you are familiar with the general guidelines for carpet stain removal.

    Acidic Substances: Strong acids are found in batteries, some tile cleaning compounds, and some drain cleaners. Refer to the page; How To Clean Carpet Stains: Acids, for detailed removal instructions.

    Bleach: Bleach stains on carpet can’t be removed, since the dye has actually been removed from the carpet. A carpet cleaner that does dyeing can spot-dye the bleached area to match the surrounding carpet.

    Blood: Blood stains on carpet will come out if you get to them quickly. Heat will set the stain, so use only cold water with your cleaning solution. For complete instructions, see the page; Blood Stain Removal.

    Burns: See the page; Carpet Burns – How To Repair Them. This covers genearl burns and cigarette holes.

    Chewing Gum: See the page; How To Remove Chewing Gum From Carpet.

    Coffee: Use carpet coffee stain removers sold at Walmart and other stores. You can also try white vinegar. Heat the area with a hot, wet cloth, dab with vinegar, rinse, extract, and repeat. Dry the carpet well when you are done.

    Dye Stains: Dyes from medicines, foods, cosmetics, crayons and other household products can each react differently with carpet. Try the procedures on the page; How To Get Out Carpet Stains Of All Types. If the stain is permanent, it may be possible to hide it by spot-dyeing. Call a carpet cleaner that does this.

    Fingernail Polish: Apply non-acetate fingernail polish remover to a white cotton cloth and dab the area, working from the edges towards the center. Leave it for a few minutes, then blot it, rinse it, blot it, and repeat if necessary.

    Ink: See the page; How To Remove Ink Stains From Carpet.

    Kool Aid: See the page; Kool Aid And Other Red Stains In Carpet.

    Mustard: Depending on the type of mustard, it may be necessary to cut out the stain and insert an undamaged piece of carpet. Try general cleaning procedures first.

    Red Stains: See the page; Kool Aid And Other Red Stains In Carpet.

    Red Wine: Extract the remaining liquid (blot or vacuum). Apply white wine. This recreates the initial conditions, especially on old stains, making it easier to remove. Extract and repeat, or do this in conjunction with a commercial spot cleaner. Rinse well and dry the carpet quickly.

    Rust: If it is a fresh stain, try general cleaning procedures. Professionals can remove almost all rust stains, but the chemicals used are somewhat hazardous for casual use.

    joe

    Vacuum

    Some solids can be broken up and vacuumed once they are dry. Just repeat this process until you get out as much as you can. If some staining remains, try to rinse it with water and blot it dry. Only if water is not enough should you move on to other solvents.

    Dish Washing Detergent

    Dawn dish washing detergent may be one of the best home remedies for carpet stains. Just put a few drops in a cup of cold water and mix it gently. Use this just as water is used in the example above, applying, blotting it out and reapplying as necessary. This works especially well for greasy food stains.

    Rubbing Alcohol

    Ink and other similar stains can be taken out of carpet using 90% isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol). You can try the ones that are 70% if that’s what you have available at the moment. Don’t pour the alcohol on your carpet though. First put it on a white cotton cloth and then dab the stain carefully, so you don’t spread it. Blot the area carefully, and don’t rub it! Repeat this process until you get the stain out or until you get no more transfer to the cloth or paper towels.

    Shop Vac

    A basic wet/dry shop vac can be a real help for removing stains. Use it to quickly suck up spills. It’s better than a towel, which can sometimes spreads the stain. Use it to suck up liquids as you clean existing stains, instead of blotting with paper towels or cotton cloth.

  3. Nattitude says:
    October 11, 2009 at 12:55 am

    I have used either ammonia or Windex with ammonia and some stains get out but others are just barley noticeable.

  4. rob s says:
    October 11, 2009 at 12:55 am

    Old stains are the worse. A rug dr type machine won t extract the deep down stuff and it ll re wick up and still attract dirt .. google both Mohawk and Shaws carpet and you ll find a site on stains. Or go in ( don t call) a carpet place, the small mom and pop type and ask if they have a pamphlet on stains and how to get rid of them. I always had booklets for customers . There are to many ways to remove stains that I can t remember the way to do your particular stain sry and GL

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