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Emergency Carpet Stain Removal Guide

If you have a stain emergency and do not have the Mohawk FloorCare Essentials Carpet Spot Remover Kit available, click on the stain category below for an alternative solution.

Water-Based Stains
Click here for removal instructions

  • Alcohol
  • Baby Formula
  • Beer
  • Blood
  • Candy
  • Catsup
  • Chocolate Milk
  • Clay
  • Cola
  • Cologne
  • Cranberry Juice
  • Felt Tip Marker
  • Food Stains (general)
  • Fruit Juice
  • Fruit Punch
  • Furniture Polish
    (water-based)
  • Grape Juice
  • Graphite
  • Ice Cream
  • Jelly
  • Latex Paint
  • Liquor
  • Milk
  • Soil Spots
  • Soft Drinks
  • Syrup
  • Tomato Juice
  • Water Colors
  • Watermelon
  • Whiskey
  • Wine
  • Vomit

Greasy, Oil-Based Stains
Click here for removal instructions

  • Butter
  • Chocolate
  • Cooking Oil
  • Cosmetics
  • Crayon
  • Furniture Dye
  • Furniture Polish
    (oil-based)
  • Glue*
  • Gravy
  • Grease (black)
  • Gum*
  • Hand Cream
  • Ink
  • Lipstick
  • Margarine
  • Mascara
  • Mayonnaise
  • Nail Polish
  • Oil
  • Oil Paint
  • Ointment
  • Peanut Butter
  • Rouge
  • Salad Dressing
  • Spaghetti
  • Varnish
  • Wax*

Special Water-Based Stains
Click here for removal instructions

  • Coffee
  • Urine
  • Tea

*Freeze and remove solid materials before using cleaning fluid.
 

Water-based Stains

Step 1

  • Use a spoon or dull knife to remove solid materials.
  • For large stains, work from the outside of stain to the center to prevent spreading.
  • Blot up liquid spills with a white towel or paper towel.
  • Mix a solution of 1/4 teaspoon of clear hand dishwashing detergent with 1 cup of water. Stir gently.
  • Apply detergent solution directly to a white cloth. Dampen the carpet fibers in the stained area with the cloth. Avoid saturating the carpet.
  • Wipe gently. Turn cloth frequently. Never rub, scrub or use a brush. This may damage carpet fibers.
  • If necessary, use your fingertips to work the solution to the base of the stain.
  • Wet the stained carpet fibers with clear, lukewarm water to rinse.
  • Cover the spot with an absorbent white towel or paper towel and apply pressure to blot.
  • Repeat the rinsing and blotting procedures until you are sure all traces of the detergent have been removed.
  • If the stain is gone, place an absorbent white towel or paper towel over the area cleaned, and weigh towels down with a heavy, color-fast object, such as a weighted plastic wastebasket.
  • Change towels or paper towels until carpet dries.
  • If stain remains, proceed to Step 2.

Step 2
Do NOT use on coffee, tea or urine stains.

  • Mix 2 tablespoons of non-bleaching, non-sudsing household ammonia with 1 cup of lukewarm water.
  • Apply ammonia solution, rinse and blot as outlined in Step 1.
  • Do not dry with paper towels. Proceed to Step 3 to neutralize the ammonia solution.

Step 3

  • Mix 1 cup of white vinegar with 2 cups of water.
  • Apply vinegar solution, rinse and blot as outlined in Step 1.

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Greasy, Oil-based Stains

Step 1

  • Use a spoon or dull knife to remove solid materials.
  • For these stains, use a citrus solvent applied directly to a white cloth. Dampen the carpet fibers in the stained area with the cloth. Avoid saturating the carpet.

Step 2

  • For large stains, work from the outside of stain to the center to prevent spreading.
  • Blot up liquid spills with a white towel or paper towel.
  • Mix a solution of 1/4 teaspoon of clear hand dishwashing detergent with 1 cup of water. Stir gently.
  • Apply detergent solution directly to a white cloth. Dampen the carpet fibers in the stained area with the cloth. Avoid saturating the carpet.
  • Wipe gently. Turn cloth frequently. Never rub, scrub or use a brush. This may damage carpet fibers.
  • If necessary, use your fingertips to work the solution to the base of the stain.
  • Wet the stained carpet fibers with clear, lukewarm water to rinse.
  • Cover the spot with an absorbent white towel or paper towel and apply pressure to blot.
  • Repeat the rinsing and blotting procedures until you are sure all traces of the detergent have been removed.
  • If the stain is gone, place an absorbent white towel or paper towel over the area cleaned, and weigh towels down with a heavy, color-fast object, such as a weighted plastic wastebasket.
  • Change towels or paper towels until carpet dries.
  • If stain remains, proceed to Step 3.

Step 3
Do NOT use on coffee, tea or urine stains.

  • Mix 2 tablespoons of non-bleaching, non-sudsing household ammonia with 1 cup of lukewarm water.
  • Apply ammonia solution, rinse and blot as outlined in Step 1.
  • Do not dry with paper towels. Proceed to Step 4 to neutralize the ammonia solution.

Step 4

  • Mix 1 cup of white vinegar with 2 cups of water.
  • Apply vinegar solution, rinse and blot as outlined in Step 1.

Back to top of page

Special Water-based Stains

Step 1

  • For large stains, work from the outside of stain to the center to prevent spreading.
  • Blot up liquid spills with a white towel or paper towel.
  • Mix a solution of 1/4 teaspoon of clear hand dishwashing detergent with 1 cup of water. Stir gently.
  • Apply detergent solution directly to a white cloth. Dampen the carpet fibers in the stained area with the cloth. Avoid saturating the carpet.
  • Wipe gently. Turn cloth frequently. Never rub, scrub or use a brush. This may damage carpet fibers.
  • If necessary, use your fingertips to work the solution to the base of the stain.
  • Wet the stained carpet fibers with clear, lukewarm water to rinse.
  • Cover the spot with an absorbent white towel or paper towel and apply pressure to blot.
  • Repeat the rinsing and blotting procedures until you are sure all traces of the detergent have been removed.
  • If the stain is gone, place an absorbent white towel or paper towel over the area cleaned, and weigh towels down with a heavy, color-fast object, such as a weighted plastic wastebasket.
  • Change towels or paper towels until carpet dries.
  • If stain remains, proceed to Step 2.

Step 2

  • Mix 1 cup of white vinegar with 2 cups of water.
  • Apply vinegar solution, rinse and blot as outlined in Step 1.

Back to top of page

 

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