The most common accidents on carpets are water damage, either water, coffee, cold drinks, urine from pets, and so forth. To preveny any further damage put a dry cloth or sponge on both sides of the carpet, with little weight on the spill. Try to remove as much of the liquid as humanly possible.
Take clean water and sponge the damaged area, but do not soak the spot/area. NO carpet shampoo must be used.
Once this step has been done, dry the area with warm air, by making use of the sun or a hairdryer. Ensure that you dry the back and the front of the carpet. Do not set the hairdryer at its hottest setting, as only warm air is required. You need to dry the spot completely. Should the spot/area feel leathery or hard, it is not 100% dry. To make sure the damaged spot/area is looking like the rest of the carpet, brush over the fibers/hairs off with your fingers in a rubbing motion.
Should you not have dried the damaged/wet carpet as soon as possible, the carpet may rot and or become brittle in that area and brake. It may also cause colour run of the different colours in the carpet. If this occurs, you will need to have the carpet professionally cleaned and or repaired. Colour run on a carpet needs to be done profesionnally or the damage can be made worse and or irriversable.
How to spot a colour run:
Test a small area of the rug by rubbing he area with a damp white cloth or a white sponge or something simlure. If the colour dos not run the stain can be removed at home. If the colour runs an expert nees it’s attention. This stage whould be blotted up, even when the colour does not run. If the stain is run proof, start the cleaning of the stain from one side, and work your way through the stain with a up and down movement. Do not start from the centre of the stain and work towards the edge of the stain. If the sun is not shining, make use of a hairdryer using the lowest heat setting. If the sun is shining, lay the rug in the sun until it is dry.
Urine stains from household pets are very common and can be very damaging to your rugs of untreated. No serius damage will be done if the urine is dabbed up immediately, however, if left to dry it almolest becomes impossible to remove and will leave a stain. Urine affects the fibers of the carpet/rug chemically and it bleaches the wool and also rotting the foundation. A comment problem with dried animal urine is that the animal will return to the stained area and keep using it to urinate on. Stains from tea, coffee. Cold drinks, juices, milk, ice cream ir acohol must not be removed by using a soap or carpet shampoo as it makes it more stubborn to remove. Stains from blood, eggs or wet gelatine must not be washed with hot water as it wil set them.
How to remove stains:
Urine:
Remove all moisture with a white or undyed piece of material. Sponge the area/stain by using lukewarm water. Repeat several times. Once completed, mix 2 tablespoons of white vinegar with 500ml lukewarm water and work it in to the stained area/rug, repeating until the cloth/sponge soaks up clean water. Blot dry the area by ising, kitchen paper/blotting pasper on both sides and stak a few books on the area to weight it down.
Tea, coffee, soft drinks, juices, milk, Ice cream and alcohol:
Using a white/undyed cloth/sponge, absorb as much of the liquid as possible. Mix 1 tablespoon, non-alcholic detegent wirh 500 ml lukewarm water and apply to stain area. To dry the area, blot out all liquid and using a hairdryer, dry the area on the lowest heat setting.
Cocoa, chocolate, gravy and shoe polish:
Remove the excess liquid with a dry cloth/sponge. Mix 1 cup of soapless carpet shampoo or detegent to 4 cups of lukewarm water and rub on the affected area. Rince well, with a clean cloth/sponge and lukewarm water. Blot to dry on both sides.
Blood, Eggs and Wet Gelatine:
Absorb Excess moisture/liquid. Sponge the spot with cold, clean water, removing a much liquid as possible. Mix half a cup of salt with 500 ml water and sponge over affected area. Blot area with cold water. If the stain is not 100% removed, mix 2 tablespoons of non-alcoholic detergent with 500 ml water and sponge the area. Dry by blotting.
Nail Polish:
As orierntal rugs ate made of naturakl materials, nail polish can be removed with nail polish remover. Apply nail polish remover with an eye dispenser. After a few minutes, blot the area dry.
Wax, Grease, Butter, fat:
Remove as much of the fatty mess as possible. Cover the stained srea with brown paper or white blotting paper and with an iron set on warm, gently press the paper. The paper will absorb the fat/grease. Now mix 2 teaspoons of non-alkaline detergent with 2 tablespoons of white viniger and 500 ml lukewarm water. Apply the mixture to the stain. Rince with clean water. Dry the area with a hairdryer and the setting on the lowest setting of heat.
