Kids and clean carpets just aren’t a realistic combination. The younger they are, the less they care about your carpet, through no fault of their own of course, they’re babies, they don’t know from carpets or how much time, effort, and money you put into having them installed. So, it’s up to you to preserve the look and feel of your carpeting while you have young kids living in the home.
How to do that? Well it depends on the mess that has been made and when it comes to kids some of the most common stains will come from bodily fluids and functions. Every good carpet owner knows they need to bring in Columbia, SC carpet cleaners to professionally clean their carpets at least once a year. But you never know what’s going to happen in between those cleanings. So, you need to be ready to act fast should a mess be made and you can be sure it will at some point.
So, let’s look at what do when removing common kids stains from your carpet and you’ll be ready the next time something happens.
Fecal Matter
There is probably nothing worse than walking into a room where your child is crawling across the carpet and his or her diaper has leaked. You’re dealing with two challenges, removing the stain and eliminating any odors. Taking these steps will help you do both.
For starters, pick up what you can with a spoon or some other utensil that will prevent from driving the poop deeper into the carpet. Mix water, dish soap, and vinegar in a bowl and, using a sponge or cloth, apply it to the affected area. Take a clean cloth and blot at the area until the moisture is absorbed. For those jobs that are particularly rough (i.e., the poop has been sitting there for a while) add some hydrogen peroxide and a few drops of ammonia. Rinse with cold water and blot the spot dry.
Urine
Similar problem, similar solution. Blot up the excess urine with a towel or cloth and try to do it as fast as you can, you don’t want it dripping or soaking into the backing material. Get your warm water and vinegar and apply to the affected area. Let it sit for a minute or two, then blot it dry.
If it’s a spot of urine that has dried, bring some dish soap to the water and vinegar mix. Then rinse with some warm water and blot dry.
Vomit
The thing about vomit is that depending on what the child has consumed before expelling it over your carpet, the more likely a stain can set in. So, pick up the excess vomit and do it carefully, so you don’t drive it down into the fibers.
Now get some baking soda and sprinkle it over the area, liberally. Really cover the area and let it sit there for about 15 to 20 minutes. You want the baking soda to absorb as much of the vomit as possible. After that time has passed, vacuum the area. From there, put one tablespoon of liquid hand soap with one tablespoon of white vinegar and two cups of warm water. Apply the mix to the area and let it sit. Finally blot it up with a clean cloth and you should be all good.
