Whether you are preparing for holiday guests or cleaning up after them, you can eliminate permanent carpet damage and or a costly bill from your local carpet cleaner by being prepared and tending to those little accidents promptly. With the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s holidays quickly approaching, it seems that with each passing year, there is more and more to prepare. More places at the table to set, more deadlines to meet and more things to forget or just subconsciously put off until the last minute. Now is a perfect time to make sure you have your carpet spot and spill cleaning response items close at hand.
Believe it or not you are probably almost very close to being prepared right now, you just need to get organized and informed on carpet cleaning basics. Many of the following household items can be used to quickly clean up common domestic mishaps. 
- White absorbent towels
- Liquid dish soap
- Vinegar
- Ammonia
- Denatured alcohol
- Spray bottle
Some of the spills and spots on your carpet during the holiday season are likely to be protein in nature. Proteins can be found in milk, eggs, baby formula, coffee and other similar food items. Other unsightly marks on your rugs or carpet might be oily. Some bathroom and cosmetic products contain oils, someone’s shoes might track in tar or cooking oil might splash off the stove. Holiday guests and visitors may bring a pet that has an accident causing pet urine odors. Having the items mentioned above in one easy to reach location will save the day.
Each type of spot and stain on a rug is unique and needs to be treated different than others. However a few basic principals apply.
- Blot, don’t rub. Rubbing permanently distorts the carpet pile.
- Use a dull edge such as a spoon for scraping dry material.
- Spray or blot, don’t pour spot cleaning solutions. Pouring may damage the carpet backing.
- Always pretest cleaning solutions. Test for adverse reactions first in an inconspicuous location.
- Check your warranty information. Carpet warranties usually give spot cleaning guidelines.
For a short demonstration on “carpet spot cleaning basics” watch our 2 minute video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyZR8fhipK8.
Protein soils can be treated using 2 tablespoons of clear white vinegar, a dash of dish soap and 6 ounces of water.
Oil based spots can be cleaned using denatured alcohol. However some spots may contain both oil and water based compounds and may require the use of dish detergent too. Watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ianN1VKReUc.
Pet urine stains and odors can be counteracted with a half and half mixture of vinegar and water. Check out other specific and informative “DIY carpet cleaning tips” by Services Etcetera Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning of Hazleton PA.
Again, getting a few simple household items ready and in one location now can save time, aggravation and money on a rug cleaning service call in the future. I highly suggest viewing some of the aforementioned videos for more specific instructions concerning different types of spills and spots on your rug.