With a full, active household comes plenty of stains on the carpet. Way more stains than we care to admit. From coffee spills to muddy paw prints to paint smears, messes and accidents can be a literal dark spot on your day. But hey, life happens! With the right tools and solutions, tackling your toughest stains doesn’t have to be a big deal. Keep reading for our expert stain removal tips.
Coffee stains
One misstep in a busy morning can send a full coffee mug straight to the floor with little time to clean it up, but you’ll want to act quickly on this one. Use a rag to blot up as much excess liquid as you can. Be sure you don’t rub the stain to avoid pushing the coffee further into the carpet.
After you blot, cover the spot in HOOVER's pretreat spray, and let the solution sit for about 10 minutes so it has time to break down the stain. Follow up by deep cleaning with a carpet cleaner like the HOOVER SmartWash and you’ll be out the door in no time.
Mud
Mud is a common carpet nightmare, especially if you have kids or pets trekking in with muddy shoes or paws on rainy days. You’ll want to let the mud dry before you try to clean it up. This might seem counterintuitive but letting the mess dry will prevent it from becoming an even bigger problem. Once the mud is dry, thoroughly vacuum the area. You’ll want to vacuum slower than usual to pick up as much as possible before deep cleaning
For bigger, tougher stains, spray the spot with HOOVER’s pretreat spray, letting it sit for about 10 minutes so it can do its job. Finally, finish up with a powerful deep-cleaning carpet cleaner. We recommend something compact like the HOOVER PowerDash if you’re cleaning on an entryway rug or in a high-traffic area
Paint
If you have a budding artist in your family, then it’s safe to say paint has missed the paper and made its way onto the carpet at least once. If you’re lucky enough to catch it while it’s wet, blot up as much of the paint as possible before using a carpet cleaner on the area.
Don’t worry, you can still clean it up if the paint’s dry with just a few extra steps. Start by covering the area with HOOVER pretreat spray, then spread a warm, wet rag over the stain to help loosen the paint as the pre-treat works its way into the carpet. Once the paint is softened, use a dull knife to scrape up the excess then use the HOOVER SmartWash to tackle the mess once and for all.
Wine
You don’t have to let a little bit of spilled red wine ruin your next get-together! Jump on blotting up the excess liquid as quickly as possible. Remember, don’t rub the wine into the carpet! If you don’t want to deal with a full-on clean right away, sprinkle salt on the blotted stain to continue to absorb some of the wine. Simply vacuum it up post-party and continue with the deep cleaning process.
For a particularly tough wine stain, use HOOVER’s pretreat spray as directed. Finish up with a super powerful carpet cleaner, like the HOOVER SmartWash to get your carpet back to pre-stain status. Use the carpet cleaner slowly to ensure it has plenty of time to lift the stain!
Food spills
Dinnertime can have a messy outcome, especially when lasagna is involved. When any food hits the floor, start by scooping up as much of the solid mess as possible, being careful to not spread it around even more. If excess liquid remains on the carpet, blot that up too.
Then, tackle the mess with a powerful carpet cleaner. If the food spill landed on an upholstered dining chair or another piece of furniture, just use your carpet cleaner’s hose and upholstery attachments for a hassle-free clean up.