Almost all homeowners have been there at least once, the ghost of carpet stains past returns to haunt them.
You have scrubbed, sprayed and nearly torn out the carpet, but the stain is still there. Learn why the stains are difficult, what you can do, and why professional help is the best option when you need to remove old carpet stains.
Why You Can't Get Rid of the Stains
Liquids, including colored fruit juices and red wine, often contain fruit acids and dyes. While the coloring may be natural, it still becomes a somewhat permanent dye. Fruits, vegetables, and other natural products that contain polyphenols were the original sources of dye used in clothing and makeup. And that's why they have permanently stained your carpet.
In addition, any greasy stains resist standard cleaning techniques because the oil creates a water-resistant barrier and clings to the carpet fibers. For example, If you used heat on a bloodstain, you have actually created a stronger bond between the stain and your carpet.
Why Some Stains Come Back
Stains magically reappear because the substance has soaked below the carpet backing and into the padding beneath. For several days or even weeks, you think you have it conquered. You and your family keep walking across the area and then suddenly the stain is back. It has been absorbed back into the carpet from the padding with continual pressure.
What You Can and Can't Do to Remove Old Carpet Stains
Do gently blot up stains as quickly as possibly after the spill or event occurs. Use clean towels or rags to pick up solid materials. Then blot lightly with clean rags until no more liquid can be absorbed.
A small amount of club soda may help you remove some stains like red wine.
Do not rub the stain. This simply spreads it and forces it deeper into the carpet fibers. Scrubbing away at your carpet also damages the fibers, making everything look worse.
Do not keep adding water to try to clean the stain. All this will do is spread it further and make it soak into the padding more.
Never use bleach or other chemicals. You may end up with both stains and discolored areas, which will ruin your carpet.
The Right Professional Treatment
When you are trying to remove old carpet stains, a standard steam cleaning is not the best solution. While this will remove the majority of the stain on top of the carpet, it also adds excess moisture. This moisture can carry the stain into the padding, where it will lurk and then reappear when you least expect it.
The Zerorez® carpet cleaning process uses Zr Water™️. Your carpets are not soaked in the cleaning. They dry faster and the water does not penetrate through the carpet backing. This means that the stain is pulled out of your carpet, not pushed in further to return a month later.
The high-pressure patented spray system with strong extraction removes the stains and debris. The professional technicians are trained know how to treat different stains, they are not just employees that operate equipment. Contact Zerorez® if you need to remove old stains once and for all.
Image source: Wikimedia Commons
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