Carpet Cleaning 101 · General Home Cleaning Tips ·Oct 31, 2022

How to Get Old Stains Out of Carpet

In today’s fast-paced world, there is not always time to tend to things as they happen. Because of this, a lot of people are left scratching their brains to try and figure out how to get old stains out of a carpet.

While this might seem like a tedious and impossible task, we can guarantee you that with our products and some simple home DIY tips, we will have your old carpet stains out in no time.

In this article, we will be giving you tips on how to remove old, tough stains from your carpet, as well as how to clean an old and stained carpet.

What this article covers:

How to Get Old Tough Stains out of a Carpet
How to Get Old Dirt Stains out of a Carpet
How to Clean an Old, Stained Carpet

How To Get Old Tough Stains Out Of A Carpet

Step 1: Choose The Correct Stain Remover

If you are struggling to get an old tough stain out of your carpet, then our carpet cleaning chemicals are just what you need.

We have a wide variety of stain removers that you can use to remove old tough stains from your carpet. You need to choose one that is best suited for the type of stain you have.

The general rule of thumb is that if the stain is organic and natural, you need to use an oxidizing agent to get the stain out, and if the stain is synthetic, you need to use a reducing agent to get it out.

We have both of these available. Examples of oxidizing agents that we have are Rave Spotter, Urine Stain & Odor Remover (USOR) Unchained, and Pure O2 Sweet Breeze Odor & Stain Remover. An example of a reducing agent that we stock would be X-Brown Premium Browning and Reducer.

We also have stain removers that are targeted at certain stains. For example, to get rid of animal urine or vomit stains, we would recommend Urine Stain & Odor Remover (USOR) Unchained.

If you are wondering how to get nail glue out of a carpet or how to get ink out of the carpet, then our Pig Out Stain Remover will do the job.

Figuring out how to remove rust marks from your carpet is as easy as can be with our Rust Out stain remover which is specifically targeted at rust stains.

Additionally, we also have a stain remover targeted at removing red stains, called Red Action. Butter or blood stains can be combated with our Pure O2 Sweet Breeze Odor & Stain Remover.

Making sure you are able to remove that tough old stain from your carpet largely comes down to using the correct stain remover. So, once you have chosen this, you are ready to get going.

For the purpose of this article, we are going to choose our Rave Spotter to give you an idea of how to remove one stubborn and tough small stain from your carpet.

Step 2: Gather Your Equipment

Now that you have chosen what stain remover you’d like to use, you need to source the rest of the required.

Luckily when using Rave Spotter, there are not many other additional products or equipment that you will need. The only other thing required is a cloth.

Step 3: Apply The Rave Spotter To The Stain

Spray the Rave Spotter onto the stain so that the stain is completely covered and saturated.

Step 4: Blot The Stain

Use the cloth to blot at the stain and try and break it down slightly. It is important that you don’t rub the stain, as this could make it worse.

After blotting, the carpet should still be moist and not completely dry.

Step 5: Let The Rave Spotter Sit For A While

Let the Rave Spotter sit on the stain for a few minutes until it is dry. There is no need to rinse it off of the carpet, but you can do so if you would prefer.

How To Get Old Dirt Stains Out Of A Carpet

While any of our stain remover products are more than capable of removing old dirt stains from carpets, you can also make use of natural home remedies to remove old dirt stains from your carpet.

Luckily dirt stains aren’t as potent and tough as some other stains can be, and they will be much easier to tackle than getting rid of bleach stains on a carpet.

For this reason, it is not a necessity that you use our products for this. But keep in mind, they are the most effective.

We are going to talk you through two great natural ways to remove old dirt stains from a carpet.

Dishwashing Detergent

Dishwashing detergent, mixed with warm water, is the easiest way to get rid of water-soluble stains, such as dirt.

Step 1: Mix The Solution

Mix dishwashing detergent with warm water. The ratio used should be one teaspoon of dishwashing liquid to one cup of warm water. Use this to guide you based on how much liquid you need.

Step 2: Remove Any Remaining Dirt

Even though this is an old stain, there might still be some remnants of dirt left on the carpet.

Make sure all of this has been removed by giving the carpet a quick vacuum or shake.

Step 3: Apply The Mixture To The Carpet

Spray the mixture onto the carpet, and let it sit for a few minutes.

Step 4: Blot The Stain Away

While the carpet is still wet, use a cloth to blot at the stain until it has disappeared. Try not to rub it, as this could make it worse.

Vinegar And Baking Soda

If the old dirt stain is stubborn, you might need something else a bit stronger to get it out. Vinegar and baking soda are a great combination to remove tough stains on a carpet.

Keep in mind that this combination also works brilliantly if you are trying to figure out how to get grease stains out of your carpet, or how to get cooking oil out of your carpet.

Step 1: Sprinkle Baking Soda Onto The Carpet

Sprinkle a layer of dry baking soda onto the stain and let it sit while you prepare the vinegar mixture.

how to get set stains out of carpet

Step 2: Mix Your Vinegar Solution

Vinegar is quite a strong and corrosive substance on its own. So, it is best to dilute it before spraying it directly onto your carpet.

Mix one cup of white vinegar with one cup of water. Pour this into a spray bottle along with a few drops of dishwashing detergent.

Step 3: Spray The Vinegar Onto The Baking Soda

Spray the vinegar onto the stain and baking soda. This will cause the baking soda to foam for a little while. Let this sit on the carpet for a few hours until it hardens.

Step 4: Remove The Hardened Baking Soda

Once the baking soda and vinegar have hardened, break up the mixture with your hands.

Use a vacuum cleaner to remove the excess. The stain should be gone from your carpet now.

How To Clean An Old, Stained Carpet

If you have a carpet that is old and stained, you want to deep clean the whole thing and try and remove as many stains as possible. This is different from targeting a small stained area as we did previously with the Rave Spotter.

Additionally, if you have an old, stained carpet, the chances are that the stains aren’t just from one source. So, because of this, you want to use a stain remover that removes as many different stains as possible.

For this reason, we would recommend using our Pure O2 Sweet Breeze Odor & Stain Remover. This stain remover is great for a variety of stains including, coffee, tea, feces, vomit, and blood. It is also a great natural brightener and will leave your old, dull, stained carpet looking as good as new once you are done with it.

Step 1: Make Sure That You Have The Right Tools

Deep cleaning an old and stained carpet can be quite an ordeal, and you want to make sure that you are fully prepared when you start the process.

This means that there are a few things that you will need to ensure that you have before you get started. This includes the following:

Pure O2 Sweet Breeze Odor & Stain Remover
A carpet rinse
A carpet prespray
Our Rotovac 360I carpet cleaning machine
A carpet cleaning head for your Rotovac 360I

Step 2: Apply The Pure O2 Stain Remover To Your Entire Carpet

First, you have to mix the Pure O2 with some water as specified on the bottle. We would recommend mixing it in a large bucket. This is because this product releases oxygen which creates pressure. So it is not something that you want to happen in a sealed container.

Once you have mixed the Pure O2 with water, spray it all over the carpet so it is properly saturated. Let this product sit on the carpet for a few minutes before following the next step.

Step 3: Lather The Carpet With The Prespray

Next up, you want to apply your prespray of choice to the carpet. You will likely also have to mix it with water before application, so make sure you follow the mixing instructions provided.

Once you have made up your prespray mixture, spray it over the entire carpet.

Step 4: Agitate The Entire Carpet

Now it is time for the Rotovac 360I to come in handy. Use this machine to help you agitate the carpet, remove the stains, and leave it looking bright and fresh.

What it means to agitate a carpet is simply to loosen up the carpet fibers and release any residue that may be stuck in these fibers.

how to get rid of old carpet stains

Agitating the carpet is a very important step in the cleaning process, and is what ensures and enhances the removal of stains.

Step 5: Rinse The Carpet

Last but not least, it is time to rinse the carpet. It is best to do this with one of our carpet rinses, and not just water. This is because rinses are normally acidic, which helps to neutralize the alkaline properties of the stain remover you have used.

This ensures that there is no product or chemical build-up, prevents any yellowing or browning, and boosts the color and brightness of the rug.

This is especially what you want for an old, stained carpet. They are a lot more effective than plain water is, and will leave your carpet in an incredible shape afterward.

Conclusion

As you can see, removing old stains from carpets is a piece of cake when you use our products. And, more importantly, when you use the correct stain remover that correlates with your type of stain.

Stains on your carpet are not something that you need to worry about anymore. In just a few steps, our products will have your carpet looking even better than when you first bought it, no matter how tough and old the stain is.

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