Water Soluable Liquids
When it is a liquid spill, blot it up carefully; don’t rub or you may make it worse. As much as possible try to always use clean white cotton cloth or plain white paper towels (ones that do not have any colored designs printed on them). Just put the cloth on the spot and let it soak up the liquid, pushing down gently and starting with fresh rags or paper towels as necessary.
When you have removed as much of the liquid as you can in this way, rinse the spot with water and blot again until dry. Don’t pour too much water on the area though. Dribble it on carefully or use a spray bottle. Repeat if necessary to remove more of the stain, but don’t scrub the area, or you may damage the carpet and set the stain in more permanently.
Semi-Solids
Peanut butter, pudding and other semi-solid substances can be scraped and lifted gently with a spoon or dull butter knife. Rinse the remaining spill out and blot dry. Repeat the rinsing until you get no more transfer of the substance to the cloth and can no longer smell it in the fibers (get your nose down there).
Dried Solids
If semi-solids have already dried they should be broken up and vacuumed first. Use your fingers to break them up or carefully pinch them between two spoons. Continue breaking it up and vacuuming until it is essentially gone. Then rinse the spot with water and blot dry.Repeat the rinsing if needed.
The Importance of Fast Drying
Dry the carpet quickly when you are done cleaning something up in it. If there is any stain remaining deeper down in the carpet, quick drying prevents it from wicking up to the surface. Blot up all the rinse water you can with paper towels or cotton cloth. One technique that will get most of the remaining moisture is to stack paper towels on the spot with some weight on them (a brick, a gallon-sized jar of something, etc.). Replace the paper towels as they get wet. Final drying is helped by having a fan blow on the spot for a couple hours.
Stain Removal Secret
One of the most useful tools for removing carpet stains is a shop-vac. With a wet/dry vacuum cleaner you can quickly suck up spills, but more importantly, you can repeatedly flush the area with water and suck it out. This is much more efficient than blotting with a cloth, and less likely to cause damage to the carpet.
Dried Solids
If semi-solids have already dried they should be broken up and vacuumed first. Use your fingers to break them up or carefully pinch them between two spoons. Continue breaking it up and vacuuming until it is essentially gone. Then rinse the spot with water and blot dry.Repeat the rinsing if needed.
