Basement flooring should be both practical, functional and at the same time add visual appeal to your basement. With such a wide array of basement flooring material readily available to choose from these days, a homeowner has virtually limitless opportunities to select and improve a viable basement living area. For homeowners looking to add an elegant and warm yet still affordable method of basement flooring, carpet is always an option. Not only is carpeting inviting, it is functional enough to entertain guests and still make everyone feel at home. But what happens if during an evening of entertainment in your newly remodeled basement goes south and you end up with stains on that beautiful carpet?

The first and most important thing to know when you go to clean your basement carpet is just what solutions to use to get the most bang for your buck when removing the stain. There are three excellent choices for stain removal that I recommend to be the best and you probably already have stocked up somewhere in your home but the thought never really crossed your mind as it wasn't a cleaning solution you purchased from some fancy retail outlet or infomercial. The only real added expense is a mist bottle to hold the solution.

Carpet cleaning solution number one is a basic ammonia solution. Simply add two tablespoons of regular household ammonia to one cup of water. This handy little solution can be used to remove pet stains, lipstick, ink, chocolate, blood, and even most forms of beverage spills. Who knows what might get on a basement carpet after a fun filled evening hosting your first basement party.

Carpet cleaning solution number two is a very mild, detergent solution. To make this solution, add a quarter teaspoon of mild liquid detergent to a full cup of warm water and pour in the spray bottle. For this carpet cleaning solution to work properly it is imperative that the water be luke warm, cold water will not be as effective. Again, this solution is most effective for beverage, blood, chocolate, coffee, crayon, fingernail polish, ink, paint, lipstick, pet and shoe polish stains.

The last homemade carpet cleaning aide is a vinegar based solution. Using the spray bottle, mix one cup of white vineger to two whole cups of water. This solution can be used on all of the same stains as listed above and works just as well.

Some stains are tougher to remove than others and you definitely don't want to damage that carpet any further so here are some tips to help you best utilize these solutions. Always use them in this order when trying to remove a stain: detergent solution, vinegar solution then ammonia solution. One of the keys to successfully removing a stain from your carpet is to act quickly. Don't scrub at the stain, this will only lead to spreading it further than when it started. Always blot the stain from the outside in using a clean white cloth until the stain is no longer visible on the cloth itself. This will also help in containing the stain instead of spreading it.