CARPET CARE

Carpet Care and Maintainence
Stain Removal Procedures

CARPET CARE AND MAINTAINENCE

Your new carpet is an investment in your home, and because it is forced to endure more wear than just about anything else in your home, regular care is required for longevity.  Good carpeting can give you many years of service if properly maintained.  We recommend the following to extend the life and appearance of your carpet.

• Vacuum heavy traffic areas such as hallways, stairs, and entryways twice a week.  For best results, use a vacuum clear with a beater bar or rotating brush and with a strong enough airflow to penetrate carpet backing.

• Vacuum other areas weekly.

• Obtain a professional hot water extraction carpet cleaning every eighteen months.  The professional cleaning is required to maintain your carpet warranty, cleans soil particles and oily dirt that cannot be reached by vacuuming alone, and reinforces the integrity of the carpet fibers so they stand up as if new.  Please refer to the manufacturer’s literature you received when you purchased your carpet, or check with your sales consultant to clear up any questions you might have on how often you should have your carpet cleaned.

• As you would with an oil change or any other car maintenance, keep a record of all receipts for your regular professional cleanings.  This will help you down the road, should there be any questions on a claim.

• Use mats or runners at all home entrances and on uncarpeted areas adjacent to carpet will reduce soil and moisture in traffic areas.  Regularly clean mats or any other rugs placed over carpeting.

• Use furniture coasters to distribute the weight of heavy items, especially for furniture with wheels.  Take care when moving furniture with wheels by putting a protective barrier between the wheels and the carpet.

• Keep drapes and blinds closed during hours of direct sunlight.

STAIN REMOVAL PROCEDURES

Despite regular vacuuming, you may have to spot clean your carpet.  Although different stains and stops require a different solution and removal method, some general gound rules apply.

• Treat all stains immediately upon discovery. The more time that elapses before treatment, the more difficult a stain will be to remove.

• If your carpet is a LEES for Living carpet with Ultra 25 stain protection warranty, contact 3M at 1-800-352-6789 before you attempt any of the listed stain removal methods.

• Always work from the outer edge of the stain towards the center to avoid spreading. 

• Do not add moisture.

• Contact your sales consultant for any questions on the latest cleaning tips and instructions from your particular carpet.

Please consult the following chart and methods from the Carpet and Rug Institute to treat your specific type of stain.

	Method
Type of Stain	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H
Asphalt/Tar	X
Beer		X
Berries		X				X
Blood		X
Butter/Shortening	X
Candle Wax				X			X
Candy (sugar)		X
Catsup/Mustard			X			X
Chalk								X
Charcoal					X
Chewing Gum	X			X
Chocolate		X
Coffee/Tea		X				X
Cooking Oil	X		X
Crayon	X	X
Dirt		X	X
Dyes (blue, black, green, red)						X
Excrement		X
Foundation (makeup)	X	X
Fruit drinks/soft drinks			X			X
Furniture Polish	X
Grass	X				X
Grease (auto, food)	X
Glue (white)		X	X
Glue (hobby)	X				X
Ice Cream		X
Ink (marker, pen, India)	X					X
Lipstick/Mascara	X
Mayonnaise		X
Mildew						X
Milk		X
Mixed Drinks (liqueurs)		X				X
Mud		X
Nail Polish					X
Newsprint	X
Paint (latex)		X
Paint (oil)	X
Papier-Mache		X
Pet food			X			X
Play-Doh	X
Shoe Polish	X					X
Urine (dry or fresh)		X
Vomit			X
Wine (red)						X
Wine (white)		X
Unknown	X	X

 

Solutions

 

Method A

1.       Apply a DRY CLEANING SOLVENT* onto a damp towel

2.       Blot, do not rub or scrub, as the carpet may fuzz

3.       Repeat solvent application as above, do not apply directly to carpet

4.       Blot, do not rub or scrub, as the carpet may fuzz

5.       Apply water with a damp towel

6.       Blot dry with weighted pad of paper towels

Method B

1.       Scrape or Blot excess spill

2.       Apply DETERGENT SOLUTION* onto a damp towel

3.       Blot, do not rub or scrub, as the carpet may fuzz

4.       Apply WHITE VINEGAR (undiluted) onto a damp towel

5.       Blot, do not rub or scrub, as the carpet may fuzz

6.       Apply water with a damp sponge

7.       Blot dry with weighted pad of paper towels

Method C

1.       Scrape or Blot excess spill

2.       Apply DRY BAKING SODA

3.       Scrape and Vacuum

4.       Use damp sponge to rinse remaining baking soda, careful not to over-wet

5.       Blot, do not rub or scrub, as the carpet may fuzz

6.       Apply DETERGENT SOLUTION* onto a damp towel

7.       Apply water with a damp sponge

8.       Blot dry with weighted pad of paper towels

9.       Apply DRY POWDER CLEANER*

10.   Vacuum

Method D

1.       Scrape or Blot excess spill

2.       Freeze with ice cubs

3.       Shatter with blunt object like the back of a large spoon

4.       Vacuum chips away before they melt

Method E

1.       Apply NAIL POLISH REMOVER (non oily type) to a cotton swab to apply to the spill

2.       Use clean white paper towel to pick up softened material

3.       Push toward the center of the spill to avoid spreading the stain

4.       Repeat Above

Method F

1.       Scrape or blot up excess spill

2.       Apply DETERGENT SOLUTION* through use of a damp towel

3.       Blot, do not rub or scrub, as the carpet may fuzz

4.       Apply WHITE VINEGAR (undiluted) onto a damp towel

5.       Blot dry with weighted pad of paper towels

Method G

1.       Scrape off excess material

2.       Cover with brown paper

3.       Apply warm iron until the material is absorbed.  Be sure paper is large enough to cover the stained area.  Take care never to touch the iron to the carpet as the fiber may melt

4.       Change paper or rotate to clean area and repeat until all material is absorbed

Method H

1.       Vacuum away as much as possible

2.       Loosen the remaining material by tapping with a scrub brush or toothbrush

3.       Vacuum

4.       Apply DRY CLEANING SOLVENT*

5.       Tap with brush to work powder into carpet tufts

6.       Let powder dry for one hour

7.       Vacuum

8.       Repeat

* All of these products are available from any of our showrooms.  Please check with your sales consultant for details.

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