Here are some helpful stain removal & carpet cleaning solutions to help you to clean up those accidents.

Basic Rules Of Stain Removal

  • Attend to spill promptly.
  • Scrape or blot up excess.
  • Work from the outside back into the centre of the stain to avoid spreading it.
  • Dilute with warm water and sop up excess with a colour fast towel. (Use cold water for protein spills such as blood).
  • Repeat for as long as you are achieving a positive result.
  • If the water and dry towel process stops working, use a warm water and detergent solution (1 tspn: 1 ltr of water) and blot dry.
  • Repeat for as long as you are achieving a positive result. In most cases this is all you will need to remove most fresh stains.
  • If more is required to remove residual stain, look for your particular stain in our Stain Removal Advice tab paying attention to the following points.
  • Don’t over wet with solvents (eg turps, eucalyptus oil and dry-cleaning fluid), they can damage the carpet backing.
  • Don’t use salt. Contrary to popular belief this only helps by drawing up some of the liquid. A dry colour fast towel will do a better job in half the time with less mess.
  • Don’t scrub!
  • Avoid bleach products.
  • If you can’t remove a fresh stain, keep it moist by covering with a damp towel. Not allowing it to set can make it easier to remove for a professional with the right products and equipment.

Stain Removers Likely To Be In The Home

Methylated spirits, turpentine, cloudy ammonia, soap, sard soap, mineral turps, dry cleaning fluid, vinegar, dish washing liquid, make up remover, nail polish remover, eucalyptus oil.

Warning: NEVER use any product that contains bleach as it will remove colour.

Warning: Never use an off the shelf stain remover on your woollen carpets without doing a colour fast test in an inconspicuous place. High pH cleaners suitable for synthetic carpets will chemically burn some woollen carpets and permanently damage them. Don’t be comforted by the trusted brand or the TV claims. In most cases there will be some small print on the label advising you to do a colour fast test. One of the products that causes our clients the most trouble is a very well-known product from a very respected brand. Be careful, read the label and Solvents such as nail polish remover, make up remover and turps can damage the glue in the carpet backing if overused. Dish washer and washing machine powders are high pH and should not be used on any carpet especially woollen or New Generation carpets.

Warning: High pH cleaners can strip the protection from New Generation carpets. Use products with a pH lower than 9

Stain Busters has developed exclusive stain removal products and procedures for your carpet and upholstery. Using our own unique products, we are able to remove the stains others leave behind. We also have our own exclusive and effective cleaning products allowing us to give your carpets a thorough clean.

We regularly remove difficult stains such as: Dye, ink, cordial, tea, coffee, blood, grease, oil, red wine, medicine, makeup, nail polish, pet stains and odours and most others. If you’d like to learn more about Stain Removal Services or schedule an appointment, please give us a call. We’ll be happy to provide you with the competitively priced services you’re looking for. Give us a call at 1300 0 STAINS to get the process started.

BEER STAINS

Apply a mild detergent and clean water solution to the affected area.
(1 tspn to 1 litre of water)

Step 1: Blot dry with a colour fast cloth such as a nappy or old towel.

Step 2: Continue until stain is removed, rinse with clean water and blot dry as above.

Step 3: Further Treatment

BLOOD STAINS

Step 1: Rinse the affected area with a detergent/water solution
(1tspn : 1 litre warm water) blot dry

Step 2: Continue with this method until stain is gone or not responding and rinse with clean water.

Step 3: Blot dry with a colour fast cloth such as an old nappy or towel.

Step 4: If stain remains treat with an ammonia/water solution.
(1 part ammonia : 15 parts water)

Step 5: Rinse with clean water and blot dry.

BLACK SAUCE STAINS

Step 1: Rinse the affected area with a mild detergent solution (mixed with cold water. 1 tspn per litre)).

Step 2: Blot dry with a colour fast towel and repeat steps 1 & 2 whilst effective.

Step 3: If stain persists rinse with a cloudy ammonia/water solution. (1part to 15 parts water)

Step 4: Allow the area to dry naturally.

Step 5: This method will be effective for minor blood spills. For large spills see below.

CHOCOLATE STAINS

Step 1: Scrape excess with a spoon or blot up with hot water and a good cloth or sponge if scraping not possible.

Step 2: Apply dish washing solution (1 tspn: 1 litre of warm water) to the affected area.

Step 3: Blot dry with a colour fast towel.

Step 4: Repeat steps 2 & 3 until stain is gone or not responding.

Step 5: Rinse with clean warm water.

Step 6: Blot dry.

COFFEE STAINS

Step 1: If fresh, dilute with water and soak up with a colour fast towel. Repeat as long as effective.

Step 2: Treating when fresh will avoid the tannin from setting making the stain much harder to remove.

Step 3: If stain has dried, apply ammonia solution (1-part cloudy ammonia: 15 parts water) to the affected area.

Step 4: Soak up and treat with a white vinegar solution (1-part white vinegar: 1-part water) and soak up.

Step 5: Repeat both steps as long as there is improvement.

Step 6: Rinse with clean water and blot dry with a colour fast towel.

CORDIAL STAINS

Step 1: Dilute the cordial by pouring cold water on the affected area. Be careful not to spread the stain.

Step 2: Soak up and repeat as necessary.

Step 3: This method will likely only be effective if the stain is attended to instantly.

CRAYON STAINS

Step 1: Apply methylated spirits or dry-cleaning fluid to the affected area.

Step 2: Soak up and repeat so long as there is improvement.

Step 3: May only be effective while fresh.

DYE STAINS

Step 1: Apply dry cleaning fluid to the affected area.

Step 2: Rinse the fluid out and repeat as necessary.

Step 3: This method will likely only be effective if the dye has not been allowed to dry.

FANTA STAINS

Step 1: If fresh dilute the affected area with cold water.

Step 2: Soak up with a colour fast towel and repeat as long as there is improvement.

Step 3: If stain persists apply a detergent/water solution (1 tspn detergent: 1 litre of warm water) and blot dry.

Step 4: Repeat for as long as there is improvement.

Step 5: If stain persists apply an ammonia/water solution (1-part Cloudy Ammonia: 15 parts cold water) and blot dry.

Step 6: Repeat for as long as there is improvement. If the stain persists or has set you will need professional help.

FAT, GREASE OR OIL STAINS

Step 1: Soak fat up with hot water and a good cloth sponge.

Step 2: Apply dish washing solution to the affected area. (1 tspn: 1 ltr of warm water)

Step 3: Blot dry with colour fast towel.

Step 4: Repeat steps 2 & 3 until stain is gone.

Step 5: Rinse with clean warm water.

Step 6: Blot dry with colour fast towel.

INK STAINS

Step 1: A fresh water-soluble ink stain may respond to washing out with dish washing solution. (1 tspn: 1 ltr of warm water)

Step 2: If not responding, apply methylated spirits to the affected area.

Step 3: Blot dry with a colour fast towel and repeat while effective.

Step 4: You can try eucalyptus oil or dry-cleaning fluid as well. Different inks respond to different cleaning agents.

GENTIAN VIOLET MERCUROCHROME IODINE STAINS

Step 1: Call Stain Busters. See further treatments below for more information.

JAM OR JELLY STAINS

Step 1: Scrape up excess.

Step 2: Apply dish washing solution (1 tspn: 1 litre warm water) to the affected area.

Step 3: Blot dry with colour fast towel and repeat if necessary.

Step 4: Rinse with clean warm water and blot dry with colour fast towel.

LIPSTICK STAINS

Step 1: Lipstick contains wax, oils, fats, emollients (structure products) and a pigment. (Colour)

Step 2: It is important to remove the structure products and the pigment to avoid leaving a permanent dye stain.

Step 3: apply a solvent such as methylated spirits or dry-cleaning fluid.

Step 4: Blot with a colour fast towel and repeat as long as there is improvement.

Step 5: Cease treatment if you are not removing the pigment and call a professional. See note below.

FOUNDATION STAINS

Step 1: Apply oil free make up remover or dry-cleaning fluid.

Step 2: Dab on Blot out with colour fast towel.

Step 3: Repeat until stain is gone or not responding.

Step 4: May only be successful whilst the stain is fresh

NAIL POLISH STAINS

Step 1: Apply nail polish remover to the affected area.

Step 2: Rinse out and repeat while effective.

OIL OR WATER BASED PAINT STAINS

Step 1: For fresh spills, scoop excess and dilute with water (water-based paint) or turpentine (oil based)

Step 2: Blot out and repeat while effective.

Step 3: Soak up and reapply until paint is all gone. Note that too much turpentine will damage the carpet backing.

Step 4: If the paint is dry, apply turps or methylated spirits to the affected area.

Step 5: Soak up and repeat so long as there is improvement.

POT PLANT STAINS

Step 1: Apply a white vinegar solution to the affected area. (mix equal parts water and white vinegar)

Step 2: Soak up and repeat so long as there is improvement.

Step 3: If it is an old stain mould may have already begun to decay the carpet.

RED WINE STAINS

Step 1: Blot as much of the wine as possible with a colour fast towel.

Step 2: Rinse the area with a detergent solution (1 tspn washing up liquid: 1 ltr of warm water)

Step 3: Blot out with a colour fast towel. Repeat step 2 & 3 whilst effective. This should be sufficient to remove fresh spills.

Step 4: If there is a residual stain, treat with a white vinegar solution. (1:1-part water)

Step 5: Rinse, blot dry and apply an ammonia solution. (1:15 Parts water)

Step 6: Rinse and repeat steps three and four as long as there is improvement.

RUST STAINS

Step 1: Apply lemon juice to the affected area.

Step 2: Soak up and repeat as long as there is improvement.

Step 3: Will only be effective on fresh rust marks.

SHOE POLISH STAINS

Step 1: Apply methylated spirits or dry-cleaning fluid to the affected area.

Step 2: Soak up and repeat so long as there is improvement.

Step 3: Some of the new liquid brush on polishes can be more difficult to remove. Try step 1 and 2 on these stains making sure you work from the outside back in toward the centre to avoid spreading.

SOFT DRINK STAINS

Step 1: For fresh spills dilute the area with cold water and blot dry with a colour fast towel.

Step 2: Repeat step one with warm water and detergent solution. (1 tspn: 1litre of Water) and blot dry.

Step 3: Repeat steps two as long as there is improvement.

Step 4: If a stain remains treat with ammonia/water solution (1:15) and rinse with vinegar/water solution (1:1)

Step 5: If stain remains or has set you will need some expert help. Food colour once set will not respond to these home remedies.

SOUP STAINS

Step 1: Apply detergent/water solution (1 tspn: 1litre water) to the affected area.

Step 2: Rinse out with clean water, blot dry with a colour fast towel and repeat while effective.

Step 3: This should be all you need to do unless soup has food colour additives which have set.

TEA STAINS

Step 1: For a fresh spill dilute stain with cold water and blot dry with a colour fast towel.

Step 2: Repeat step 1 for as long as you are getting a positive result.

Step 3: If required apply a detergent/water solution (1tspn: 1 litre of warm water) and blot dry and repeat as necessary.

Step 4: If a stain remains apply ammonia/water solution (1:15) and neutralise with a water vinegar solution (1:1).

Step 5: repeat step 4 until stain is gone or not responding. Rinse with clean water and blot dry.

Step 6: Any remaining stain is most likely a tannin stain and you will probably need our help to fix this especially if it hasn’t responded to the ammonia/vinegar treatment.

TOMATO SAUCE STAINS

Step 1: Rinse the affected area with dishwashing solution (1 tspn: 1litre cold water) and blot dry with a colour fast towel.

Step 2: Repeats for as long as you are getting a positive result.

Step 3: If stain persists, apply an ammonia solution (1-part cloudy ammonia: 15 parts cold water) and rinse.

Step 4: Apply a white vinegar solution (1:1 cold water) rinse and blot dry.

Step 5: Repeat steps 3 & 4 as long as there is improvement.

Step 6: Rinse with cold water and blot dry with a colour fast towel.

URINE STAINS

Step 1: If fresh apply water to dilute stain and blot dry with a colour fast towel

Step 2: Apply detergent /water solutions (1 tspn: 1 litre warm water) and blot dry

Step 3: Repeat until spill has been removed and rinse area with clean water and blot dry.

Step 4: If stain persists or already dry, apply ammonia/water solution (1-part cloudy ammonia: 15 parts cold water).

Step 5: Soak up and treat with a white vinegar/water solution (1:1 cold water). Blot dry.

Step 6: Repeat steps 4 and 5 as long as there is improvement.

Step 7: Note: This is unlikely to fix an odour. For stubborn stains and or odours call Stain Busters.

VOMIT STAINS

Step 1: Scrape up excess.

Step 2: Apply detergent/water solution (1tspn: 1 litre warm water) to the affected area.

Step 3: Blot with a colour fast towel and repeat step 2 and 3 for as long as there is improvement.

Step 4: Rinse with warm water and blot dry.

Step 5: If stain persists apply dry cleaning fluid and blot dry.

WOOD STAINS

Advice

Prevention is the key. Put plastic or some other safe material under wooden legs (such as tables and bookshelves). Once this stain is present there is very little you can do other than call Stain Busters.

Treatment

Stain Busters have products that can improve some wood stains on carpets, rugs, lounges and other upholstery. Our certified technicians deal with stains just like these every day. These are particularly difficult stains to remove and in some instances, it is not possible to remove them without removing carpet colour as well. Contact us to learn more.

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