There is nothing like the look and feel of carpet underfoot in your home, it has an elegance and beauty all its own. Other flooring surfaces simply do not compare. The beauty of carpeting is obvious with the overwhelming selection of styles, patterns and colours. From solid, formal tones, to natural, loop berbers, carpet has the most versatile choice of the different floor coverings available today.

Carpets today will hide dirt and resist stains. People mistakenly believe that some of the extra stain resistant carpets and carpet with extra protection are stain proof. If you do not follow a proper maintenance schedule and practice diligent care, you will find that you will reduce the beauty and lifespan of your carpets.

The most important thing you can do to keep your carpet looking great is to vacuum it thoroughly and often. Frequent vacuuming removes the dirt particles, which dull the appearance of the carpet as well as develop wear patterns in the high traffic areas. The use of walk off mats in entrances prevents tracking the dirt onto the carpet and help to prevent soil accumulation.

Eventually all carpets will get spots and spills and it is important to remove these marks as quickly as possible to prevent these stains from becoming permanent. If a person is patient, careful, and willing to follow directions, they can successfully remove the most stubborn spots and stains. There are no short cuts to stain removal. It requires patience, proper procedures, and a little effort to maintain the beauty of your carpets.

With a fresh spill, you should scoop up as much of the spill as possible. Then you should blot, not rub, the area with clean white cloths to remove as much of the moisture as you can. If the spill has dried on the carpet, you should scrape away as much of the spill as you can without damaging the fabric. Next, you should spray warm, not hot, water to the stained area and blot with a white cloth. Repeat this process until there is not any stain showing on the towel.

If the stain remains on the carpet, you should mix a mild solution of dish detergent to a cup of water. Spray this solution on the stained area and let it sit for about five minutes. Spray clear warm water on the area and blot to remove any residue of the stain. Continue applying clear warm water and blotting to remove any residue of the detergent and this will prevent resoiling the carpet. Absorb any remaining moisture with layers of white paper towels weighted with something that won't stain the carpet. When the carpet is dry, you should brush or vacuum to restore the texture.

If the stain reappears after the carpet has dried, it may be because it was deeply embedded in the pile and it wicked to the surface. This can be removed by repeating the cleaning process and remaining patient. Do not rub the stain because you could damage the fabric, spread the stain or make it permanent. One method to prevent wicking is to pour salt on the area after the cleaning process. Salt will absorb any remaining residue and it can be vacuumed up after it has dried.

Stains from non-food or beverages could require special cleaning procedures. Most spills that contain oils such as shoe polish, creams, cosmetics, butter and salad dressings have to be cleaned with a dry cleaning solvent or rubbing alcohol. You would follow the same procedure using the rubbing alcohol instead of detergent mixture.

Finally, you should take care to remove any remaining odors from stains that were in your carpets. There are many great odor digesters on the market, which will eliminate any remaining odor instead of masking it.

By following a simple routine of removing spots and stain in your maintenance routine, you will get many years of life out of your carpets. They will maintain an elegance and beauty far beyond your expectations.