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Finding stains when cleaning a home

Posted: 13/04/2010

Stains can be a complete nightmare when cleaning a home but as we all know, accidents will happen.  In these instances the faster you act the better chance you have of removing the offending stain.

Firstly, for any liquid stain on any surface, try to soak up as much of the liquid as possible working from the outside to the inside to stop the stain from spreading.  Once you have completed this step it may look as though the stain has already been removed but don’t be tempted to leave it at that.  If left untreated, most stains will reappear and become more difficult to remove.  Always treat any stain with a product designed for that surface.

Never scrub at a stain as this will work it deeper into the material and make cleaning a home much more difficult.

Spilling red wine on a carpet or sofa can seem disastrous but with the right know-how it doesn’t have to ruin the party. When the wine is spilt soak up what you can with a clean white cloth, then sprinkle salt over the area.  This will absorb the wine and stop it clinging to the fibres.  When the salt has done its job, vacuum it up and then dilute some biological detergent in warm water and sponge the stain.  Then sponge the stain with cold water until it disappears.  Afterwards, shampoo the carpet with a spot cleaner.

Ice cubes can be your saviour when you need to remove certain things from your furnishings.  Chewing gum and candle wax can be cooled with an ice cube and easily scraped away without a lot of hassle. This is also another good reason to refill the ice tray when you use the last cube!

When cleaning a home you may find a stain that you hadn’t noticed before. These should always be treated with more care as you will have to use stronger products to remove the stain.  It is always worthwhile checking with an expert what professional product they would recommend.

For more tips on great tips on cleaning a home come back next week.