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Using the prompt and correct procedures on a fresh spillage or recent spots and stains, you may minimize or remove spills or spots from your textile furnishings such as carpets, rugs or upholstery. The best time to remove any stain is as soon as it occurs. Once a spot is dried or aged, that same spot has migrated well inside the fiber or hardened so that removal is much more difficult. **It’s a fact that there is a 90% chance that a stain will be set if you do not use the right chemical on it the first time. It is the same weather it is your favorite pair of jeans or your beautiful carpet or upholstery. ** Like Gene always says it's like when you get a grass stain on your favorite jeans and you use the right spot cleaner it comes right out, if you use the wrong spot cleaner it's there forever.


SPOT REMOVAL


     1. Remove residue and blot. Blot up or remove as much of the fresh spillage or discoloration as possible. Keep blotting using absorbent or paper towels for 15 or 30 minutes or more, until no further residue can be removed. Weight down the absorbent toweling with a heavy object, keep changing the towels t a fresh or unused area each 5 to 10 minutes. Blot only, do not rub and do not press down heavily unto upholstery fabric as you may damage it. Be patient, continue the blotting until no further discoloration is seen.

     2. Moisten lightly and blot again. If the stain is water based such as cola, fruit punch or juice, tea, coffee, latex type paint, or animal/pet urine, you can moisten the absorbent towels with water and repeat the blotting process above to see if any more of the stain or residue is removed. An alternate method is to dissolve a few drops of a mild, colorless dish washing liquid in a cup or water, moisten the stain or towels and blot as above. Be certain to rinse with water any detergent or soap residues even after the spot to removed.

     3. Check with your fiber company, carpet mill or upholstery manufacturer. Most of the fiber companies and several carpet mills or upholstered furniture manufactures have a toll free number or consumer “hot lines.” Contact any of these manufactures as soon as possible. Obtain their specific recommendations for stain removal procedures and confirm that the spot removal product is safe to use on their fiber, carpet or upholstery. If not, you may void the warranty as to stain resistance (where appropriate). 

     4. Avoid use of any harsh chemicals, strong cleaners or “home remedies”. There is always some risk in spot removal of damaging the textile, irreversibly altering the stained color, or otherwise ‘setting’ the stain. This is especially true if using strong chemicals, improper products or procedures. Avoid overuse or over wetting the stain as this may cause it to spread or be absorbed deeper into the carpet pile fibers or fabric. Harsh rubbing or use of cleaners with optical brighteners will result in variations in color, pile direction or ‘shading’. These changes may remain even after stain removal or following a thorough cleaning.

     5. Multipurpose carpet or upholstery stain removers. There are spot and stain removal products specially formulated for consumer use. These can be effective on certain water based and some oily or greasy stains. If you have used these successfully before and know how they work, you may try it on your current spillage (if in doubt about the product’s safety or applicability, do not risk further damage). Follow the product directions and pretest all spot treatments in an inconspicuous area before using, otherwise color damage may result. Avoid over usage of the product (less is often better than more). Rinse and blot any residual chemicals or spotting agent as the last step.

     6. Some stains are tenacious or impossible to fully remove. Without prompt treatment using the right methods, a fresh spill or spot will dry into the fibers and be much harder or maybe impossible to remove. Prompt attention to spot and stain removal is really your best ally. Some spillage or stains, however, contain dyes, colorants, bleaches or strippers that can permanently discolor the fibers and nor heroic treatments may remedy the discoloration.

     7. Contact Lake Odessa Carpet Care If in doubt, play it safe and don’t experiment. Call us at (616)724-8151 for a recommendation on how to proceed or to schedule an appointment to see if specialty stain removal or a professional cleaning can further improve the situation and remove the stains.


ANIMAL STAINS

Urine, take a dry clean cloth lay it a the spot and dab the spot with pressure to absorb as much of the urine as you can. You may have to repeat this process several times. Once you have applied pressure and removes the bulk of the urine take a clean warm wet cloth and begin to roll the cloth over the top of the spot . Once again you may have to repeat this process several times. 
Feces, remove the solid of the spot. After you have removed the solid take a clean warm wet cloth and begin to roll the cloth over the top of the spot. You may have to repeat this process several times until spot has disappeared. 
Vomit, remove the solid of the spot. After you have removed the solid take a clean warm wet cloth and begin to roll the cloth over the top of the spot. You may have to repeat this process several times until spot has disappeared. **NEVER ADD WATER TO A SPOT OR RUB THE SPOT**
General Information: A professional cleaner has methods available to minimize the discoloration, disinfect the area and reduce the smell, it is often impossible, however, to completely restore the original appearance of a textile furnishing that has been damaged with aged pet urine.
STANDARD SOLUTIONS: Test these solutions first by applying a small amount in an inconspicuous area to determine its effect on the fiber and dye. Wait 30 minutes to 1 hr. to see if any color changes or other problems may arise.
Standard white vinegar solution: one part white vinegar to two parts water.
Standard ammonia solution: one tablespoon clear or sudsy, uncolored household ammonia in one cup of water.
Standard detergent solution: one teaspoon neutral white or colorless detergent in a cup of lukewarm water. Make sure the detergent is bleach free.

SOILS
 
Soil found on a carpet can be classified as spots and stains; surface litter (paper, pet hair, lint, etc.); gritty unattached particles; and that which is adhering to the fibers.
Surface litter can be picked up with a vacuum. Although unsightly, generally this method does not soil or harm the carpet. 
Most gritty, unattached soil is tracked in on the feet, the longer it remains on the carpet, the more damage it causes. Gritty soil scratches and produces pits on fibers dulling them and making them appear to be more soiled than they are. Grit also produces a cutting action that removes fibers and shortens the life of the carpet. Remove this soil by daily vacuuming of traffic areas and overall vacuuming at least once a week.
Soil that gives the carpet its dirty look is composed of sticky oils and greases containing tiny pieces of soil materials. Thorough professional cleaning can remove most of this type of soil. The longer oily soil remains on the fiber, the more difficult it is to remove.
Some oily soils change chemically and produce a yellowing film on the fiber that is impossible to remove. Other oils actually dissolve into some synthetic fibers, becoming part of the fibers themselves. These cannot be removed without damage to the fiber.
For proper carpet maintenance, remove spots immediately, vacuum traffic areas daily, vacuum thoroughly once a week and have a professional cleaning when traffic areas begin to show soil.