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Through the years our clients have trusted us to answer some of their toughest carpet stain questions. We have compiled them here, along with our solutions. We hope you will find them helpful.

How should I care for carpet treated with Scotchgard protector?
Through a schedule of daily and weekly vacuuming. Daily vacuuming should include all heavy traffic areas to keep dirt from accumulating and eventually working down deep into the carpet. Weekly vacuuming of the entire carpet should be done by moving the vacuum several times over the same area. Another helpful hint would be to move furniture periodically to get at the dust and items found under an behind furniture, on some Berber carpet suction only vacuuming is recommended use caution here as not to snag carpet pile.

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

Step 1:
- Use a spoon or dull knife to remove solid materials. For liquid spills, blot up with a white towel or paper towel.
-For large stains, work from the outside of stain to the center to prevent spreading.
-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, luke warm water to rinse.
-Cover the spot with an absorbent white towel or paper towel and apply pressure.
-Repeat rinsing and blotting until all traces of he 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 vinegar with 2 cups of water.
-Apply vinegar solution, rinse and blot as outlined in Step 1.

How do I remove Special Water-Based Stains, such as Coffee, Tea and Urine?
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.

How do I remove Greasy Oil-Based Stains?
(Butter, Chocolate, Cooking Oil, Cosmetics, Crayon Furniture Dye, Furniture Polish, Glue, Gravy, Grease (black), Hand Cream, Ink, Lipstick, Margarine, Mascara, Mayonnaise, Nail Polish, Oil, Oil Paint, Ointment, Peanut Butter, Rouge, Salad Dressing, Spaghetti, Wax*, Gum*, Varnish)
*Freeze and remove solid materials before using cleaning fluid.

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 fivers 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.

*Please understand that we offer this cleaning advice as information only, based on our experience, and can not guarantee the success or effect of these methods on your particular stain. Barrows carpet accepts no liability for supplying the above information. Use these tips on your fabrics at your own risk.

If you would like Barrows Carpet to do the dirty work for you, give us a call or send us an email to get your free estimate today.
 

Services We Offer

  •  Water Damage restoration 
  •  Pet Odor Removal
  •  Professional Application of 3M ScotchGard™
  •  Professional Application of DuPont Teflon™
  •  Floor Stripping, Sealing, Waxing, and Buffing 
  •  Carpet Cleaning
  •  Upholstery Cleaning
  •  Professional Oriental Rug Cleaning
  •  Janitorial Services
  •  Tile and Grout Cleaning (residential and commercial)
  • Non Slip Tile and Tub Treatments
     

Our Service Areas

Hillsborough County: Odessa, Lutz, Tampa.

Hernando County: Spring Hill, Brooksville. 

Our Service Areas

Pinellas County: Tarpon Springs, Palm Harbor, Clearwater, Largo, Dunedin, St. Petersburg, Oldsmar, Pinellas Park, Ulmerton.

Pasco County: Hudson, Holiday, New Port Richey, Port Richey, Dade City, Trinity, Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills, Bayonet Point, Aripeka, Elfers.