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Carpet Care & Maintenance With Damien from Terra Flooring

Carpet can be a budget-friendly option when it comes to flooring, depending on the style and composition of the carpet chosen. We think bedrooms are a great spot for carpet, keeping it well clear from the main spaces of the home to try and reduce any chances of stains and spills that are bound to happen with day-to-day living.


Damien from Terra Flooring has kindly passed on some of his industry tips and tricks for all things carpet cleaning. So if you ever find yourself stuck (or something stuck on your carpet) refer to this blog for some guidance.

A contemporary master bedroom with dark carpet.
The master bedroom of our Shea Residences Project, styled for sale


Removing Cordial From Carpet


With Summer around the corner, we think this sticky coloured drink is going to be a popular one for all of the social events that always seem to happen coming into the end of the year. As much as we like to try and keep mess to a minimum, kids (and some adults) will be kids so having a plan in place for spills is key. Damien recommends the following:


"First, always gently blot the stain with a dry white towel. Never rub the stain as this can make it more difficult to remove the carpet stain entirely and could lead to saturation to the carpet pad.

You can try a mixture of white vinegar, Dawn dish soap, and water in a spray bottle. Use 1/4 cup of white vinegar, 1 tbsp. Of Dawn dish soap, and fill with water. Spray area liberally and let soak for 5-10 minutes and then proceed with blotting with a clean, dry towel until stain removed.

Some carpet stain removal products can be of great benefit for combating many types of carpet stains. You can try Britex carpet stain remover from Woolworths, If the stain is a stubborn one, use these as directed and then repeat with the vinegar spritz method until the stain has vanished. (Be sure to test a small area of the carpet to assure there will be no reaction or negative impact from using any of these substances)."


Removing Pet Stains From Carpet


For most, it doesn't feel like "home" without a furry friend. If you're anything like us, our pets are allowed everywhere we are: on the sofa, bed - you name it! With this, however, comes all the extra fur, grub and toilet accidents that can happen (especially when they're puppies). With these cases, Damien suggests to:


"First, clean up the initial mess. If there is debris on the carpet, pick it up with gloves and dispose of it. If it is wet, simply use the blot method to soak up the moisture without smearing or rubbing. Blot repeatedly until the carpet is almost dry to the touch, and carpet stain removed.

In the event the stain has already dried on the carpet fibers, the best way to treat this type of carpet stain is to moisten it. Then apply a carpet stain cleaning product specially formulated for pet stains ( we recommend Britex carpet stain remover from Woolworths To neutralize the odor and spot, you may need to try several different tactics. Try using white vinegar (you may also substitute white vinegar for white wine) to perform this action. Simply mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with a quart of warm water and spritz on the stain. Allow the vinegar spray to soak for several minutes and then proceed with the blot technique until the stain is gone and the spot is dry.

Another method that can rid pet stains effectively from carpet is to mix a quart of water with a stain-fighting laundry detergent in a spray bottle, then spray it on the spot. Allow this mixture to soak for a few minutes, then blot, rinse with warm water, and repeat as necessary."


Removing Coffee Stains From Carpet


Coffee: liquid gold! Looks rich and velvety in a mug, but is terrible on carpet, making it look absolutely filthy if not treated. For all you coffee fiends out there, Damien recommends doing the following:


"Dry the spot by blotting with a dry white towel. If there is a substantial amount of spillage, make sure you are not spreading the stain even more by changing cloths as they become saturated with the beverage.

Try the mixture of vinegar, water, and a gentle, non-bleach detergent first with the spritzer method, rinse, and repeat.

Several products are sold in such stores as Woolworths, Target, Coles, and other chains that sell specific cleaners for this type of carpet stain. Always perform a patch test to assure no damage from chemicals will present themselves. Use as directed and beware some chemicals are harmful to the skin, so wear gloves as a precaution when using these stain removing products.

There are certain types of carpets, such as Polypropylene, that will respond safely to a carpet stain treatment of water and bleach. You can prepare a mixture of 1/4 cup of bleach to 1 cup and a 1/4 of water in a spray bottle. Soak with the mixture, blot, rinse with warm water, and repeat until the carpet stain disappears."


Removing Blood Stains From Carpet


We tried to come up with something witty as an intro paragraph, but it verged on being creepy, so we're just going to leave you with Damien's tips for this one:


"There is a lot of anxiety associated with blood stains on clothes and carpets. However, the much-dreaded occurrence of this accident is not as bad as it appears. With blood stain removal, you need to treat the stain as promptly as possible. As with all stains, the faster you act, the more effective the carpet stain removal method will be. There are many ways to remove carpet stains that are caused by blood. Rest assured, you can be certain that after you perform the following tips, the spot will be removed to the fullest extent. Here are some methods to remove blood carpet stains:


When treating blood spots on carpets, always use cold water instead of warm or hot water. This is important because blood coagulates with heat, and cold will prevent the blood from permeating into the carpet fibers.


Fill a spritzer bottle with two tsp. of a grease-fighting, liquid dish detergent such as Dawn and cold water, then spray on the stain. Liberally moisten it so that the carpet stain is entirely soaked. Then use a paper towel or a dry white cloth to blot the spot so that the blood is transferred to the cloth. Rinse with cold water and repeat if necessary.


OxiClean® is bleach-free, and with its abilities to oxygenate most carpet stains, it is ideal for bloodstains. Although OxiClean® needs warm water to be diluted, you can use cold water and mix as well as possible. Apply on the blood-stained carpet using a bottle or by dropping some on the spot. Blot until dry, rinse, and repeat if necessary.


Bear in mind, removing blood stains may take persistence and a combination of all these steps. After several tries, your carpet should look like new again."


Removing Ink Stains From Carpet


Firstly, why are you using a pen and not a laptop or computer keyboard? Here's Damien's suggestions:


"Dampen a clean white cloth with isopropyl alcohol (the higher the percentage of the active ingredient, the better it will work), and then proceed by dabbing the wet cloth on the ink-stained carpet. Be careful not to rub or scrub! This could cause the ink spot to spread. Let it stand for a few minutes and then use a liquid friendly vacuum to remove the excess moisture.


You may need to treat the carpet stain with the alcohol again. Also, some hair sprays work, nail polish removers, and other things that contain high contents of alcohol (even white wines and vinegar may be used.)


When using any of these chemicals, rinse with water, then blot or vacuum dry until spot is dry.

Be sure to always perform a test on an inconspicuous area of the carpet to make sure these cleaning solutions will not lead to further damage to certain types of carpeting."


You'll have Damien from Terra Flooring to thank for all your gorgeous, plush, (hopefully) stain-free looking carpet. If we've all learned one thing, it's to always spring to action as soon as the spill/accident has occurred!

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