Cleaning carpet stain techniques are varied and there are many things that you can use to get rid of any type of stain, no matter how stubborn it is. However, there are a few steps to take before actually cleaning up your carpets and rugs. This all depends on what you plan to do in order to clean your carpet.

You don't have to wash your carpet to get it clean. Keep these tips in mind the next time you are about to clean up your carpets whether in the house or office.

Pre-clean

Are you thinking of shampooing your carpet? The fact is that you might not even have to shampoo it in the first place. Save yourself some time and money by pre-cleaning your carpet. This is a great way to check if you need to go through further steps like shampooing.

Pre-cleaning includes the most basic things like sweeping up dirt that is caught in the threads of your carpet. A broom with hard bristles will help make the nap stand in your carpet and loosen any embedded dirt. Simple sweeping will show noticeable improvement in the appearance of the carpet and perhaps will help you decide on whether or not you should delay shampooing.

Neutralize

Observe any foul smell from your carpet. Cleaning carpet stain methods aren't always about washing or sweeping. Another thing to clean up is the air around the carpet. Some invisible stains let off an odor that can be quite unpleasant so although your carpet looks pristine, its smell may say otherwise.

To neutralize the smell, use cornmeal. Get some Borax and mix it with some cornmeal. Borax is a kind of salt that is used in detergents and cosmetics. You can sprinkle this mix over the carpet and let it be for an hour. It will absorb the smell in and around the carpet in that time and you can vacuum up the mixture afterwards.

Speed

With any kind of spill, time is the most important factor. You don't want to end up cleaning carpet stain areas that have hardened and stand to cause damage. So as soon as a spill happens, make sure to get a few paper towels and perhaps some warm water to blot and clean it up immediately. Blot the area where the spill has occurred from the outside of the spill and towards the center. Do not let the spill dry especially if the substance spilled is something sticky or something that will cause odors to form.

Vacuum

Give the carpet a good once over with a vacuum cleaner. You might be surprised to find out that there are areas that were not stained to begin with. Sometimes, dust can accumulate in one area quite quickly and really just needs to be swept or vacuumed away. Use a broom to loosen some of the embedded dirt and then vacuum afterwards.