Have you just “ruined” your carpet, or a favorite rug? Deep steam cleaning might be the only way to bring it back to life, but there are some things you can do to prevent further damage.

Pet Messes and Spilled Food on Carpeting

This is a common, and very difficult, stain to deal with. While some things can cause your carpet to look terrible, and leave visible stains, pet urine, or worse, can create an unbearable odor that can completely destroy carpeting. In addition to discoloration and smell, the chemicals in pet mess can destroy the very structure of your carpet. If this problem occurs repeatedly, the underside of the carpet, and even the floor beneath, can be damaged to a point where it breaks apart, and cracks.

Food can also be difficult, and the decaying matter that clings to your rug might cause similar problems. However, if you are able to treat the spot quickly, before the spill can dry, there should not be any permanent damage. Use a white cloth, or paper towel, to dry up the mess. Use a blotting technique, and do not rub at the mark.

How to Rinse a Small Rug

If you are dealing with a small rug, it is easy to take it outside for rinsing with a hose. You do not want to drench the rug, because it will take a long time to dry, and it might start to develop mold. The last thing you want is to create a whole new problem with your cleaning efforts. Once you have rinsed down your rug, squeeze the water from it thoroughly, on both sides, and leave it somewhere clean to dry.

Should You Use Home Remedies on Rugs?

There are a lot of “home remedies” for cleaning oriental rugs, but you should be very careful when considering any of them. Just because something apparently worked for someone else, it in no way means it will work for your carpet or rug. Some people recommend using common home items to clean oriental rugs, such as:
-Baking soda
-White vinegar
-Dish soap

If your carpets are important to you, trying untested methods could prove to be disastrous.

Contact a Professional Carpet Cleaner

For those who are very particular about their carpet, the best solution is to hire professional carpet cleaners. You should be able to find a good carpet cleaning company, who will be able to do the job properly. While this can seem more expensive than trying to do the job yourself, it just might save you from having to replace your carpeting.

A carpet cleaning company can bring the right tools to the job, and they know how to do it properly. A damaged carpet needs to be properly freed of all dust and dirt before it is cleaned. After this is done, a deep steam cleaning for your carpet will ensure that all stains are removed. High-powered steam cleaners are expensive to buy or hire, so it is usually cheaper to hire a cleaning business to clean your carpet for you.