How to remove soot stains from carpet

One of the worst stains that your carpets can possibly incur is that of soot; and if you happen to smoke or if someone in your household does, then this stain is surely going to be a common one.

Or, if you have a coal furnace at your place, then you need to brace yourself for frequent soot stains. Soot can permanently discolor your carpets, making them unsightly to look at. These stains are particularly bad for lighter colored fabrics.

In such cases, the simple home remedies we shall be providing hereby can come in real handy. These steps can help you to get rid of these soot stains from carpet and restore your carpet to its original state. Just make sure that you make haste, while treating these stains because the sooner you act, the better will the results be. This caution might seem pretty obvious, yet it is of extreme importance. The longer you leave the soot stain on the carpet, the more time will the carbon particles have to get embedded in the carpet fibers and dis-color them for good.

The following method makes use of the miraculous stain-lifting powers of rubbing alcohol and dish soap. Embark upon this method and enjoy a stain-free carpet.

                           

Things that you will require:

· Vacuum

· Wash cloth

· Isopropyl rubbing alcohol

· Paper towels

· Dish soap

· Warm water

Steps that you need to take:

1.   Trying to pick up soot chunks with your fingers or paper towels can be a bad option. You might be wondering why that is so. Well, the answer is pretty simple. When you try to pick up these chunks with your fingers or perhaps with a paper towel; there is a great probability that you end up rubbing the cinders deeper into your carpet.

2.   In such cases, always choose to go for a hand held or upright vacuum. Vacuum’s characteristic suction power will lift the soot cinders right off the carpet; thus the removal of these stain remnants will be made easier.

3.   Once you have vacuumed up the soot cinders, take a wash cloth and dab it with some rubbing alcohol. Blot the stain with this wash cloth. Working the cloth clockwise on the stain can help in its effective removal. You have to be very careful in the application of rubbing alcohol on the stain. Alcohol must not be allowed to seep through the carpet fibers as it can end up damaging the carpet’s backing.

4.   After its application, place some paper towels on the stained area. To ensure effective absorption of moisture by these paper towels, place something heavy on the towels to weigh them down.

5.   If the soot stain is stubborn and still persists despite the rubbing alcohol treatment, then make a cleaning solution by mixing few teaspoons of dish soap and a cup of warm water.

6.   Blot the stain with this cleaning solution.

7.   Afterwards, rinse it thoroughly with clean water to remove all traces of soot, rubbing alcohol and dish soap solution.

8.   Lastly, place paper towels on the stain again and weigh them down with something heavy, so that they can effectively absorb moisture.

 Tips and Warnings

1.   Blot the stain gently with the cleaning solution instead of rubbing vigorously so that the carpet fibers do not get frayed.

2.   Prior to the application of rubbing alcohol on the stain, first check it out on any inconspicuous area of the carpet.