When the kids get home from school, they might grab a soda on the way to the TV (hopefully after their homework). When Dad’s getting ready for work, maybe he has a cup of coffee before he leaves. When Mom wants a break, perhaps she enjoys a cup of tea – hot or iced. Whether it’s due to weather, work, or play, sooner or later we all have a sip of something. But if the sip becomes a spill instead, it’s important we clean them up before they develop into carpet stains.
This time on the Baine of Stains, we will briefly cover three popular drinks: soda, coffee and tea. For things like milk and alcoholic drinks, stay tuned. We will cover them in future installments.
First Thing’s First
As with almost any liquid spill, the first thing to do is remove as much as you can as quickly as you can. Grab several dry, white paper towels and dab the area. Remember not to scrub or apply heavy pressure, as this will spread the liquid or push it deeper into the carpet. The idea is to let the paper towels absorb as much of the liquid as possible. Then, depending on the drink in question, move on to the next step.
Tea Spill
Interestingly, there are several options available to remove a tea stain. Some prefer dabbing with baking soda while others use salt and club soda. However, since it’s often used for other stains as well, using white vinegar has an advantage. You might want to keep on hand a spray bottle with 1/3 cup of white vinegar and 2/3 cup of water.
Spray the mixture onto the affected area but be careful – you don’t want to wet the backing of your carpet. Shoot for a comfortable medium between damp and soaked. Use more paper towels to blot the area and remove excess moisture.
If the stain persists, change up to 1/4 teaspoon clear dishwashing liquid (make sure it’s free of bleach or lanolin) mixed into a bowl with a quart of water. Using white paper towels, dab the mixture into the stain. Keep repeating this step until the spot is removed, and then blot away any excess moisture. Finally, spray with water to rinse the area and place dry paper towels on it. Keep the towels in place with a heavy object, like a book or brick, and allow it to dry.
Coffee Spill
A stain from this traditional “go juice” is addressed pretty much the same way as a tea stain. Remove the excess, and then apply the same mix of white vinegar and water in the same amount. If the stain persists, change up to the same dishwashing detergent mix. Rinse with water and place the towels to absorb the water, weighted by a heavy object.
Whether it’s coffee or tea, this still might not be enough to get rid of the stain. As a last DIY effort, moisten the area with 3% hydrogen peroxide and let it sit for an hour. Blot it and repeat if necessary, but rinsing is not needed since light will turn hydrogen peroxide into water after a few minutes or hours.
Soda Spill
Having added flavors, colors, carbonation and other ingredients, sodas are a little different than coffee or tea and require a different mixture. Nevertheless, begin by dabbing away the excess liquid. Then add 1 tablespoon of household ammonia to 1/2 cup of water. Apply that instead of your white vinegar mixture, but in the same quantity (between damp and soaked). If the stain persists, try your dishwashing detergent mixture. If still persistent, try your hydrogen peroxide option.
Regardless of which drink spilled, Preferred Carpet Care is ready to help you remove any stain. Please give us a call with any questions or schedule an appointment online. We’re here to help you enjoy your drink with peace of mind, without worry of stains.