STAIN & SPOT REMOVAL GUIDE
Please keep in mind these are only suggestions to help minimize a stain and always do a spot test in a discrete part of your carpet or fabric to make sure the treatment does not damage or stain carpet further.
In the event that the treatments below do not work keep the area damp until one of INTEKs' trained technicians can arrive. We will do our best to remove the stain as best we can, however, since every stain is different there is no guarantee.
BLOOD: 1.) Apply cool detergent solution, blot. 2.) Apply cool ammonia
solution, blot. 3.) Apply enzyme detergent, blot. 4.) Rinse thoroughly with
water, blot until dry. 5.) If stain remains, apply rust remover or oxalic
acid solution. 6.) Bleaching with 3-5% hydrogen peroxide may be necessary.
BUTTER AND MARGARINE: 1.) Apply dry-cleaning solvent, blot. 2.) Apply
detergent solution, blot until dry. 3.) Apply vinegar solution, blot. 4.)
Rinse with water, blot until dry.
CANDLE WAX: 1.) Scrape away as much wax as possible with spatula or dull
knife. 2.) Apply dry cleaning solvent. 3.) Apply POG, blot 4.) Apply
dry-cleaning solvent, blot. *Refer to general recommendation for hot iron
treatment of wax.
KETCHUP & TOMATO SAUCE: 1.) Apply cool detergent solution, blot. 2.) Apply
ammonia solution, blot. 3.) Apply enzyme detergent, blot. 4.) If stain
remains, bleach with 3-5% hydrogen peroxide or sodium perborate. 5.) Rinse
thoroughly with water, blot dry.
CHOCOLATE: 1.) Scrape away as much as possible with spatula or dull knife.
2.) Apply cool detergent solution, blot. 3.) Apply ammonia solution, blot.
4.) Apply vinegar solution, blot. 5.) Apply enzyme detergent, blot. 6.)
Rinse thoroughly with water, blot until dry.
COFFEE: 1.) Apply detergent solution, blotting frequently. 2.) Apply vinegar
solution, blot. 3.) Cover with dry towels until dry.
CRAYON: 1.) Apply dry-cleaning solvent. 2.) Apply POG, blot. 3.) Apply
dry-cleaning solvent, blot. 4.) Apply detergent solution, blot. 5.) Rinse
with water, blot until dry.
FOOD COLORING: 1.) Apply detergent solution, blotting frequently. A dried
stain of food coloring will most likely spread when wet. Repeat until color
is no longer transferred to towel. 2.) Apply ammonia solution, blot. 3.)
Rinse thoroughly with water, blot until dry.
FURNITURE STAIN: 1.) Apply dry-cleaning solvent. 2.) Apply POG, blot. 3.)
Apply dry-cleaning solvent, blot. 4.) Apply detergent solution, blot. 5.)
Rinse with water, blot until dry. Unfortunately, a furniture stain is nearly
impossible to remove completely.
GRASS: 1.) Apply amyl acetate if available to remove chlorophyll, blot. 2.)
Apply enzyme detergent, blot. 3.) Rinse with water, blot. 4.) Apply ammonia
solution, blot. 5.) Apply vinegar solution, blot. 6.) Rinse with water, blot
until dry. Bleaching or professional stripping may be necessary.
INK (Ballpoint): 1.) Apply dry-cleaning solvent. 2.) Apply POG, blot. 3.) If
stain remains, apply rust remover or oxalic acid solution.
INK (India): Apply dry-cleaning solvent. 2.) Apply POG, blot. 3.) Apply
dry-cleaning solvent, blot. 4.) Apply detergent solution, blot. 5.) Apply
ammonia solution, blot. 6.) Rinse with water, blot until dry.
JAM & JELLY: 1.) Apply detergent solution, blot. 2.) Apply vinegar solution,
blot. 3.) Rinse with water, blot. 4.) Apply enzyme detergent, blot. 5.)
Rinse with water, blot until dry.
LIPSTICK: 1.) Scrape off excess with spatula or dull knife. 2.) Apply POG,
blot making sure not to reapply stain into fabric. 3.) Apply dry-cleaning
solvent, blot. 4.) Apply detergent, blot. 5.) Apply ammonia solution, blot.
6.) Apply vinegar solution, blot. 7.) Rinse with water, blot until dry. Try
to avoid wet cleaning on wool. Use POG and dry-cleaning solvents as long as
possible.
MILDEW: 1.) Apply enzyme detergent, blot. 2.) Apply ammonia solution, blot.
3.) Rinse thoroughly with water, blot. 4.) Apply solution of oxidizing
bleach (chlorine or perborate) Do not use chlorine bleach on wool or silk.
5.) Rinse thoroughly with water, blot until dry.
MUD: 1.) Brush or scrape away as much excess mud as possible. 2.) Apply
detergent solution, blot. 3.) Apply ammonia solution, blot. 4.) Rinse
thoroughly with water, blot until dry. 5.) If stain remains, apply POG and
dry-cleaning solvent alternately, blot until dry.
MUSTARD: 1.) Apply detergent solution, blot. 2.) Apply vinegar solution,
blot. 3.) Apply enzyme detergent, blot. 4.) If stain remains, rust remover
(Oxalic acid solution) or bleaching may be necessary. Do not use ammonia or
alkalies.
NAIL POLISH: 1.) Apply dry-cleaning solvent. 2.) Apply amyl acetate if
available or nail polish remover - PRETEST INCONSPICUOUS AREA FIRST. 3.) If
stain remains, apply detergent solution, blot until dry. 4.) Apply ammonia
solution, blot. 5.) Apply vinegar solution, blot. 6.) Rinse with water, blot
until dry.
PAINT (Oil based): Apply detergent solution, blot. 2.) Apply ammonia
solution, blot. 3.) Rinse with water, blot until dry. 4.) Apply POG, blot.
5.) Apply dry-cleaning solvent, blot.
PAINT (Water based): Check label on paint or specific thinner or solvent OR
1.) Apply dry-cleaning solvent. 2.) Apply POG, blot. 3.) Apply dry-cleaning
solvent, blot. 4.) Alternate steps 2 and 3 until stain is removed. 5.) If
stain persists, weight down the stain with towels dampened with dry-cleaning
for several hours to loosen, blot with solvent. 6.) Apply several drops of
detergent solution and work into the stain, blot. 7.) Apply ammonia
solution, blot. 8.) Alternate steps 2 and 3 and 6 until stain is removed.
9.) Rinse thoroughly with warm water, blot until dry.
SHOE POLISH: 1.) Apply dry-cleaning solvent. 2.) Apply POG, blot. 3.) Apply
dry-cleaning solution, blot. 4.) Apply detergent solution, blot. 5.) Apply
ammonia solution, blot. 6.) Rinse thoroughly with water, blot until dry. 7.)
If stain persists, bleaching or professional stripping may be necessary.
URINE: 1.) Blot as much as possible if still wet. 2.) Apply detergent
solution, blot. 3.) Apply ammonia solution, blot 4.) Apply vinegar solution,
blot. 5.) Rinse thoroughly with water, blot until dry. 6.) If stain remains,
apply rust remover or oxalic acid solution. 7.) Bleaching with 3-5% hydrogen
peroxide or sodium perborate might be necessary. Urine stains may cause
permanent dye removal from fibers.
VOMIT: 1.) Blot as much as possible. 2.) Apply enzyme detergent, blot. 3.)
Apply ammonia solution, blot. 4.) Apply vinegar solution, blot. 5.) Rinse
with water, blot until dry.
WINE: 1.) Apply detergent solution, blot. 2.) Apply vinegar solution, blot.
3.) Apply ammonia solution, blot. 4.) If necessary, bleach with 3-5%
hydrogen peroxide or sodium perborate. 5.) Rinse thoroughly with water, blot
until dry. (If all else fails, switch to Chardonnay)!!
SPOTTING SOLUTIONS
AMMONIA SOLUTION - Mix one tablespoon of clean household ammonia with
one-half cup of water.
BLEACH - Use hydrogen peroxide or sodium perborate (present in Snowy or
Clorox II). DO NOT use chlorine bleach.
DETERGENT SOLUTION - Mix one teaspoonful of a colorless, mild detergent or
dishwashing liquid in a cup of lukewarm water.
DRY-CLEANING SOLVENT - Volatile dry spotter or a commercial spotter such as
Thoro, Carbona, Energize, K2R. Use in small amounts...can be harmful in
sizing, backings or stuffing material. DO NOT use gasoline, lighter fluid or
carbon tetrachloride.
POG - Paint, oil and grease remover; available in hardware stores. Use
extremely small amounts with extreme caution!