Rugs are made to withstand lots of wear and tear, but even the toughest of carpets aren't immune to spills and stains. Accidents happen, but they shouldn't mean the end of your favorite floor coverings! When life gets messy, try one of these stain-removal solutions to get your space looking good as new.
Wine
If ladies’ night goes wrong and your favorite pinot noir ends up on the carpet, you'll have to act fast! Blot up as much as you can with paper towels or a clean cloth. Be sure not to wipe -- you risk grinding the stain in deeper! Once you've soaked up as much as you can, cover the damp stain with salt and let it sit for a few hours. The salt will soak up the rest of the moisture, lifting the stain with it. Then, sweep the salt away and vacuum up anything left behind.
Coffee
As with the wine and all other liquid spills, if your morning coffee topples over, you'll want to start by blotting up as much as you can. Once you've soaked up the majority of your coffee, mix two cups of warm water with a tablespoon of dish soap and a tablespoon of white vinegar. Using a clean cloth, blot the solution over the stain a little bit at a time until the coffee starts to fade. Once the stain disappears, gently blot with cold water and pat dry.
Pet Stains
Fido and Whiskers might be beloved members of the family, but unfortunately, they can be a bit tougher to potty train than the human members of your family. When your pet pees on the rug, absorb as much of it as you can with a clean cloth or paper towel. Then pour white vinegar directly onto the stain. Not too much! Just enough to cover the stain without making the carpet soggy. Sprinkle baking soda on top of the vinegar and let it sit for anywhere between a few hours and a few days. The longer you can leave it on, the better the stain will come out. After a day or two, scoop up as much of the baking soda as you can and vacuum up the rest.
Mud
Unlike most other stains, slow and steady wins the race against mud. Resist the urge to leap into action when the kids come stomping in from playing in those April showers, and let the mud dry on the carpet. Trying to clean it up while it's wet will only make the stain worse! Once the mud is good and dry, pick up the larger pieces by hand and vacuum up as much debris as you can. If any stains are left behind, they can usually be sponged out easily with a solution of warm water and dish soap. When the stains have faded, rinse off any leftover soap residue and pat dry.
Ink
We might not be able to save your favorite pen from getting stepped on, but there is a simple way to save the rug from ink stains! Make a paste using two parts corn starch and one part milk. Spread the paste over the ink stain as quickly as possible after the initial spill and allow it to sit on the carpet undisturbed for a few hours. Once it's hardened, brush it away and vacuum up the residue.
Blood
Though blood stains can seem stubborn, they're one of the simplest stains to remove! All you need is two cups of cold water and a teaspoon of dish soap. Because blood stains are proteins, warm water will make them set more, so be absolutely sure you're using cold water. Use the mixture to blot the blood spot with a sponge or clean cloth until the stain begins to lift, then pat dry.
Nail Polish
Lucky you, there's a product made just for removing nail polish from surfaces! You guessed it: nail polish remover. Acetone is as good at removing nail polish from a carpet as it is from your nails. If the polish has dried into the carpet, scrape off as much as you can with a spoon or a dull knife. Then pour some nail polish remover onto a cloth and blot until the stain starts to lift.
Of course, none of this cleanup effort is worth it if you don't have a rug you love! If your rugs are looking a little worse for wear, you might want to ditch the vinegar and stop by our store. We have rugs, decor, and more, to freshen up your home, and with these stain-removal tips, you'll be able to keep your new duds in great condition for years to come.