Carpet Stain Removal Guide

Learn the best DIY tips and tricks from the experts removing those tough stains everyday!

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The Stainguide

This guide is a collection of practical DIY carpet stain removal tips and advice from our senior carpet cleaning technicians.

Use of this guide is at the owner’s sole discretion. Some of these cleaning tips might apply to some fabrics. Alberta Carpet Cleaning is not responsible for any potential damage that might occur if the material is incompatible with the cleaning tip or if the steps were not appropriately followed.

Types of stains and their removal steps

Below you will find some of the most prevalent stains we have encountered and the recommended steps to take on each using commercially available products. Keep in mind these might not give the same results as professional carpet cleaning or upholstery cleaning

DIY Carpet Stain Removal Guide

Home carpet stain removal is an important part of maintaining your carpet looking great. Use these tips to treat spots or spills as soon as possible when they happen.

Important Stain Removal Tips

NEVER USE BLEACH. Bleach can remove lots of stains, unfortunately, it will also remove the color from your carpet.

ACT QUICKLY. The older the stain, the more difficult it is to remove. Absorb liquid with a clean white towel or paper towel and scrape up solid material. Work from the outside spot toward the center to avoid spreading it.

TEST SOLUTION FIRST on a portion of the fiber or the carpet that is not normally visible.

BLOT GENTLY BETWEEN STEPS AND NEVER RUB! Rubbing or aggressive blotting can cause a stain to spread or penetrate deeper. A clean white towel or paper towel allows you to see when you are no longer absorbing the spot or stain.

BE PATIENT! Repeat the procedure several times until no more residue shows on your towel.

About the solutions in this guide

Ammonia Solution: One tablespoon of household ammonia(Sudsy) to half a cup of lukewarm water.

Detergent Solution: One teaspoon of laundry detergent(Tide) to one cup of lukewarm water.

Enzyme detergent: Use any laundry detergent that contains enzymes. Mix as detergent above.

Non-Oily Nail Polish Remover: Use undiluted as directed.

Unscented Hair Spray: Great on ink and small tar spots.

Vinegar: Plain undiluted white table vinegar.

Thank you for visiting our DYI stain removal guide

Hope you enjoyed our journey through the world of DIY carpet stain removal, it's important to remember that the effectiveness of these methods can vary based on the type of stain and carpet fabric.

While this guide, The Stainguide, offers a wealth of practical advice and steps for tackling some of the most stubborn stains using commercially available products, the outcomes can differ. Whether you're dealing with a fresh spill or an old, set-in mark, patience and the right approach can make a significant difference.

Remember to always test a small, inconspicuous area of your carpet before applying any treatment widely. And remember, for those stains that resist your best efforts, professional carpet cleaning services are just a call away.

Lisa Hagen
Lisa Hagen

Left us a 5 star review

Roy was friendly, fast, efficient and the carpets look and smell so much better! We needed service quickly and they fulfilled this request without hesitation.

Roy did a very thorough cleaning of our upholstery. Excellent job.

Very happy with the carpet cleaning. Knowledgeable, efficient and friendly service.

Cleaner arrived early, was super friendly and got every single stain out of our rugs. Highly recommend!

I had the furnace cleaned and within an hour the carpet team came in. It was great to hire just one company to do both jobs.

Alberta carpet cleaning is the most courteous and professional company I have ever had to my house. I was debating ripping up our carpets just due to high traffic and age but they made them look new again. Everyone I dealt with was highly professional and helpful. The little bootees that the technician wore as well as the corner protectors were so thoughtful. Their prices were less than I had been quoted at other places.

My sofa required cleaning. Booking the appointment was quick and easy. They kept me up to date on estimated arrival time and called when they said they would. The cleaner arrived within the time window and was very courteous. The price was a more than estimated but the additional charges were well explained. My sofa looks great! Thank you Alberta Carpet Cleaning.

Justin was a very pleasant and respectful young man.My wife had a couple of comments to make to him and he listened very attentively.Thanks again Justin I would certainly recommend you and Alberta home services for carpet and chairs cleaning.

Very pleased with carpet cleaning!! All around great service and price.

Alberta Carpet Cleaning is very professional and well run. The technician arrived on time, did a great job of cleaning the rug and furniture, and was very polite and pleasant. I would definitely use them again in the future

Great Job by the technician (Roy) that came out. Worked hard and the results were wonderful! He managed to get an old butter (dog puke) stain out! It did take 24 hours for the detergent smell to be gone and for the carpet to feel fully dry. But 10 hours after the wash it was damp enough to quickly run across it into the bed, but we waited 24 hours. Will definitely do this again! $320 for stairs, landing, hallway and 3 rooms with deodorizer. Great price!

Great and friendly service. The cleaning uncovered a deeper stain that showed up the next day and Alberta Carpet Cleaning came back to resolve it without charge or issue. 5 stars!

They did a great job cleaning our carpets. They were on time and worked quickly and efficiently.

Quick. Efficient. CLEAN! Mike is a wonderful gentleman. Thanks AB Carpet Cleaning!

Worked with Mike to get our basement carpet cleaned and it was great. He’s very knowledgable and approachable, gets the job done right and in time!

Carpet looks great, good customer service, and on time!!

Justin was courteous and did a great job. The office was great keeping me updated on his arrival. I've used Alberta carpet cleaning several times. They are my go to choice for carpet cleaning.

Excellent service and I’m very happy with the cleaning of my carpet and stairs.

Great service! Carpet was sent out for thorough deep cleaning and came back looking great. Also quicker than estimated. Thank you!

Just got my area rug back!! Beautiful again! I’ve been using Alberta Carpet cleaning for my area rugs for years! They have never disappointed! They do excellent work!

Alberta Carpet Cleaning phoned to confirm my appointment the day before, they called the morning of to confirm the time they would arrive and showed up within that parameter

Extremely professional in every way. Explained the options without being pushy. The carpets look great. 👌

Mike was very thorough and our carpets looked wonderful when he completed the cleaning. The only negative comment would be their process for confirming appointments is inefficient. I was contacted two days before the day of the cleaning as a reminder, then the day before, and then bright and early (7:15 am) the morning of the appointment. I would suggest that a reminder the day before would be sufficient and during that conversation, a time of arrival could be scheduled to eliminate the early morning phone call

Would definitely recommend this business and Salim who cleaned my carpets. He did an awesome job.

The VERY best! Great guys-and very happy- which makes me happy! My carpets are amazing ⭐️

Very easy to work with, easily reachable and accommodating. From the person who booked me and stayed in touch until the arrival of the technician to the actual technician who was easy to coordinate with and get what was needed to be done. Highly recommend them. I filled out the form online and was contacted right away and got an appointment within 24hrs, which was amazing because I just had to google carpet cleaning service and went with what came up first. The first company said appointment within 24 hrs which was wrong because it took them 24hrs to only contact me and an appointment that was 2 week out. I went back to Google search and went with the second business which was Alberta Carpet Cleaning and they were prompt! Happy to say I totally got lucky with just following my options only and that this company clearly keeping the promises they advertise online on their website. Great work to the admin and the technician!

Mike did a real good job on our basement carpets which now look better than they have in awhile. As he predicted the carpets were dry in around 8 hours which indicates a good operator and good equipment. Definitely will use this Company again

Did our carpets upstairs and down, and furniture - everything looks great!

I have previously rented a machine to clean my carpets and couches by myself, but the quality does not compare to the excellent job that Salem did today. He was professional, and made the effort to do an exceptional job. It looks so much better than when I try to do it myself! I am very happy with my experience.

My carpets are cleaned beautifully. I was given all information on cost and choices up front and clearly. The cleaner was professional and efficient and was able to get specific stains out for me. All went very well. Thanks

Mike did a great job on our carpets. He made sure to explain everything first. The office was great in keeping us informed of when to expect Mike. While it was just a little later than the 8 am - 12 pm window the office kept us informed which we appreciated.

Justin, showed up right on time and they did a great job cleaning my carpets. Thanks again!

We are pleased with the job that was done and would recommend Alberta Carpet Cleaning to friends and family.

I have nothing but good things to say about Alberta Home Services. They were on time & did a great job of my carpets! They look great!

I was considering buying an expensive carpet vacuum but my wife convinced me to get this company to do it. It was amazing. I recommend getting it done with ‘sanitation added’ to the regular cleaning as well! Completely rejuvenated our upstairs carpeted area!