Quick Tips for Cleaning Red Wine Spills

August 7th, 2009

It’s one thing to not cry over spilled milk, but it’s an entirely different thing to hold back tears when a full glass of red wine leaves its mark on your white carpet! What can you do to remove red wine stains from your carpet, area rugs or clothing?

The First Response

When red wine is spilled onto your carpet or clothes, white wine can be your true companion. White wine will neutralize red wine and will make it easier to lift the color off of your carpet or clothing. Simply pour white wine over the stained area and very gently blot the liquid up with a thick towel (be very careful not to rub as this will force the stain into the carpet or clothing fibers). Once you have the majority of the spill blotted up, take your favorite carpet shampoo or clothing stain remover, whichever the case may be, and clean as you would if the wine stain were a bit of dirt on the carpet or clothing.

A Host of Tried and True Stain Removers

A few other red wine stain removers include: club soda, salt, Scotchgard’s Oxy Carpet Cleaner and a must-have product called “Wine Away.”

Club Soda

Club soda can be poured on the stain and the carbonation will help to lift the stain from the carpet fibers while the salt acts as a buffer to keep the stain from setting.

Oxy Carpet Cleaner

Scotchgard’s Oxy Carpet Cleaner works well to lift stains and provide a stain protector to the area of the carpet it was used to clean.

Salt – who knew?

Salt can be poured on the spill to keep the wine from setting until you figure out which method of clean up you would like to go with.

Wine Away – Stain Remover

Wine Away has been tested and recommended by the Good Housekeeping Institute and is even endorsed by Gourmet magazine. It is truly a wine world wonder that every red wine lover should have stowed in their cleaning cabinet.

Finally, whatever you do, don’t let the spill sit for long before taking action, the longer it sits the more difficult it will be to lift the stain from your carpet or clothing.

Red Wine Stains with Red Wine Away

Wine Away red wine stain remover has been revered by media critics worldwide for the past 12 years.

Critics from Food & Wine, Gourmet, Cooking Light, Washington Post, InStyle, Good Housekeeping and the Queen of Clean tout its “amazing” stain removal ability…and we think that says more than telling you it works!

Wine Away removes most red wine stains from carpet and fabrics without the use of bleach or phosphates. It has a fresh citrus scent and is safe to use around children and pets.

How to Clean Coffee Stains from A Carpet

August 7th, 2009

You’re walking around with a cup of coffee and suddenly you trip and spill it all over your floor. Let’s face it, coffee stains are unsightly and can make your carpet look old and dirty. Don’t worry! You can clean that mess right up. Follow these steps to rid your carpet of that stain.

Instructions
  1. Blot the area with a clean, white cloth to absorb all the liquid you can. Blot from the outside of the stain in to avoid spreading the stain.
  2. Mix 1 teaspoon clear, mild liquid dish washing detergent with 1 cup lukewarm water.
  3. Sponge the area with the detergent solution. Blot again with a clean, white cloth.
  4. Mix 1/3 cup white vinegar with 2/3 cup lukewarm water.
  5. Sponge the area with the vinegar solution. Blot with a clean, white cloth.
  6. Sponge the area with clean water. Blot with a clean, white cloth.

Simple Tips on How to clean a mattress

August 7th, 2009

You should always keep four basic steps in mind when getting ready to tackle mattress cleaning. The sooner you can work on the stain the better. If you start cleaning when the stain happens you have a good chance of removing it. Check your mattress tags for cleaning information before attempting any professional strength cleaners. Always try the basic, simple cleaning methods first.

You should first address the cleaning of the stain or spill, then work on removing it, followed by addressing the odor and the last step is to allow the mattress to dry completely. Using about a quarter cup of mild, natural detergent powder and just a scant cup of warm water you can mix this into a solution to clean almost every mattress stain.

Simply dampen a clean, white cloth with this mixture and wring out your cloth completely. First use this damp cloth to blot the stain. Next you will rub the cloth in a clockwise circle beginning at the interior of the stain and expanding outward. Use a clean and slightly damp sponge to rinse over the area and then blot it with a towel to get it as dry as possible. Allow the area to dry for up to 8-24 hours before reapplying bedding covers.

You can also use many natural, organic cleaners on most mattresses. Baking soda or fabric sheets are great to use to neutralize odors on a mattress. Mattress pads are wonderful to use all the time on your mattress to keep it clean. These should be changed and washed every week. Using these mattress cleaning ideas will help you keep them in great shape.

Quick Carpet Cleaning Tips

August 7th, 2009
  • Test your carpet before starting any scrubbing, extracting or spotting cleans. Some carpets can be sensitive to acidic cleaners and some to alkalis and can lose their dye.
  • Always clean up spills and accidents as they happen. Most dirt can be removed if attended to quickly. Only when it left to react does it become a ’stain’.
  • Never rub or brush spots; always work from the outside in and then soak it into a paper towel or cloth.
  • Do not overuse any carpet chemicals, or you will be left with residue in the carpet that cannot be vacuumed.
  • Wool carpet is ideal material as its texture and resilience means that it is easily cleanable, harder to dent and harder to get soiled.