Prevent

Doormats and floor rugs are the biggest help in keeping both your carpets and your hard floor surfaces clean. I recommend using two mats per door – first, a durable rubber or straw-like mat outside the door to capture large debris, leaves and small stones and second, a cotton, nylon or wool rug indoor to absorb moisture and provide a place to remove shoes after entering the house.

Protect

If you entertain often, anticipate frequent spills or have pets or a lot of traffic in certain parts of your home, I recommend a carpet protector like Scotchgard™. Carpet proctor is automatically applied to carpets when they are manufactured but start to wear off with regular wear and tear. It’s recommended that you get a protector applied every year or so and at least every time you get your carpets cleaned on your high-traffic areas of your home.

Clean Up

When spills happen, the first thing to remember is do not rub but to blot at spills. Rubbing cannot only push the spill deeper into the carpet padding, but can also fray the carpet fibers if you rub too hard. Second, I recommend using white terry cloth towels. If you don’t have them, white paper towels are the next best option.

Here are some of the most common types of spills and the best way to treat them.

Blood – If you have light-colored carpet (tan or grey to white), take a Q-tip and dip it in a bottle of 3% hydrogen peroxide. Dab the Q-tip on the blood spot until the color changes or the spot is gone. Follow with a clean terry cloth or paper towel and blot dry. If you have dark-colored carpet (blue, green, brown or dark grey), use a mixture of one teaspoon 3% hydrogen peroxide with four teaspoons warm water. Follow the same steps as above.

Coffee or Tea – Make a mixture of 1/4-teaspoon laundry soap and one cup warm water. Soak your towel in the solution and dab at the carpet. Continue dabbing for about five minutes and then switch to a mixture of vinegar and water (1/4 cup white vinegar and one cup warm water). Follow with a clean terry cloth or paper towel and blot dry.

Soda, Wine and Sports Drinks – Blot up as much as the moisture with a dry terry cloth or paper towel. Next, if there is color in the beverage, use vinegar and water (1/4 cup white vinegar and one cup warm water) to blot area. Soak your towel in the solution and then place the towel on the spill. Do not pour directly on the carpet or sofa, as you may over saturate the area. Follow with a clean terry cloth or paper towel and blot dry.

Urine or Vomit – Blot up as much as the area with dry towels and as fast as you can.

• If the area is small (less than 6 inches), try the above vinegar and water solution steps.
• If the area is larger (more than 6 inches), dry as much of the area as you can and then sprinkle a small amount of baking soda over the spot to absorb the odor. This is one spot that you need to call the professionals in – Delight Cleaning. If treated improperly, these stains have the ability to spread and may cause irreversible damage to both the carpet and the carpet pad.