To get out carpet stains of specific types, you need to learn the specific steps for those stains. However, there are some general rules for getting out any stains, and some things to try before you get too technical in your efforts. Taking these simple steps may get many things out without the need to get out a specific stain removal guide.

Stain Removal Rule Number One

The most important point is to prevent spills from becoming stains. In fact, until they are more permanent, carpet cleaners refer to them as “spots,” which are generally easily removed, rather than “stains,” which require some special procedures. Rule number one then, is: Act Fast. The longer you wait after something spills on or marks your carpet, the more permanent or difficult to remove it becomes.

Also, don’t believe that there are “stain-proof” carpets. Such a thing has not yet been invented. Many modern carpets are very stain-resistant, but this is not the same a stain-proof. Generally, this just means that the stain will take longer to set, so you have more time to get the spill or mark cleaned up.

To Get Out Carpet Stains

Don’t rub stains or spills into a carpet. You’ll only make it worse. You want to blot it up. This means using white paper towels or a clean white cotton cloth and pushing it straight down on the spot to soak it up. This is the way you get out liquid carpet stains or spills.

With semi-solids, such as peanut butter or jelly, you should first scoop up any excess carefully with a spoon. What if you find the spill hours (or days) later, and it has dried and hardened? Break it up and vacuum first. At this point, whether you have blotted, scooped or vacuumed, it is time to clean up the remaining spot.

Usually, this involves using a liquid solvent (cleaning solution) of some sort to loosen the carpet stain and allow more blotting of it. Try water first, before you move on to other solvents. Water is the universal solvent, the safest to use on almost any stain. If water doesn’t work, then you’ll want to get out that stain removal guide and choose a solvent according to what kind of stain it is.

Whatever solvent you use, here is the basic routine:

Apply the solvent to a clean white cotton cloth and work it into the stain. Start from the outside of the spot and work your way in, to prevent spreading the stain to the surrounding carpet. Extract the solvent by blotting it up, then rinse with a little water and blot that up.

Repeat the process until the spot is either clean or no more stain is being extracted. You can test this by pressing a clean part of the cloth into the stain to see if there still is some transfer. If so, keep cleaning.

Always extract solvents completely. Some solvents, especially the stronger carpet-cleaning solutions, can damage the carpet and even remove the color from the fibers if not completely removed. Blot it up, rinse it and blot up the rinse water, and rinse again.

If you have a shop-vac, use it to get out carpet stains. It can extract the solvent and water quickly, allowing you to more quickly repeat the process. This not only makes it more likely that you’ll fully complete the process, but it also is potentially less damaging to the carpet than a cloth might be.

Finally, when you have gotten out as much of the carpet stain as is possible, dry the area as quickly as you can. You can put some plain white paper towels over the spot with some weight on them to get the last of the moisture out, or you can place a fan where it will blow on the spot for a couple hours. Fast drying prevents any remain stain that is deep down in the fibers from wicking up to the surface where it could become visible again.