Area Rug Spotting Tip – Food or Drink Spill

Prior to spotting an area rug, it’s of utmost importance to test a spot in an inconspicuous area to ensure that the colors will not bleed. Bleeding can be a common trait of some vegetable-dyed rugs. To test the color fastness of your rug, lightly dampen a couple of paper towels with water, fold them into a small square and place them on a corner of the rug. Then place a weight on top of the paper towels (such as a book). If after a short time you don’t see any color transfer onto the paper towel, you may proceed with the spotting instructions listed below.

Please note that, while there are many spotters on the market touting their ability to remove a wide array of stains, many of these spotters can actually cause more damage to your rug than good. In our 50 plus years of experience and testing, we have found that the safest and most effective spot treater for carpet, upholstery and area rugs is Folex. Folex is a gentle, residue free spotter that can be purchased at our Redding office or from one of our IICRC certified cleaning technicians during your next scheduled appointment. In case of emergency, Folex can also be found at many grocery or hardware stores.

Spotting Steps:

1. Blot to remove the excess spill
2. Blot the affected area with cool water and a white rag
3. Spritz the spot with Folex
4. Blot with a clean white rag
5. Spritz again with Folex
6. Place 8-10 stacked paper towels on the spot. Weigh the towels down with a weight such as a book. Leave in place for a few hours or until the spot is dry.
7. Repeat steps as necessary

If after treating the spot with the above steps, a stain still remains, contact our team of experts at Preferred Carpet Care of Redding. We will provide further tips or schedule professional area rug cleaning as needed.
Contact Us