We have a coffee stains on the carpet. How do we clean it?
Coffee is one of the most common carpet stains, yet one of the most difficult to remove. Removing the
spot immediately is the best solution, because if it's allowed to remain on the carpet, the oils and dyes
in the coffee will penetrate the pores of the carpet fiber and become a permanent stain.
Here are some tips for removing old coffee spots:
- If possible, extract the area with a portable extractor and hand tool.
- Apply a detergent spotter to the spot, agitate and rinse the area. This removes the oils from the
carpet fiber.
- Apply a tannin spotter, agitate and rinse. This step is necessary because coffee beans are acidic. A
strong, acid tannin spotter is needed to remove the dye stain left from coffee.
- Finally, use a detergent spotter or protein spotter to remove any mild or creamer stains, then rinse
thoroughly.
- If you don't have the necessary spotters and/or equipment, call us!
I removed a spot on the carpet, but now it's come back! What can I do?
Sometimes when we remove a spot, it will reappear upon drying, or over time. This usually happens because
residue from the original spot was not completely removed, or residue from the cleaner that was used was
not thoroughly rinsed.
Sometimes spots will reappear due to "wicking". This means that the spot was not completely flushed out of
the carpet's backing, and wicks back up to the carpet's surface.
If a spot reappears, re-wet it with a small amount of water and place a thick, dry, white cotton towel
over it. Then place an even weight, such as a heavy book on the towel and let it sit overnight. This will
cause the spot to wick up into the towel.
How can we keep our office carpet clean in the winter when snow, dirt, and ice melt gets tracked in
every
day?
Have walk-off mats at every entrance and vacuum them daily. For heavy traffic areas, consider vacuuming
twice per day. Ten vacuum passes over the first 10 feet inside doorways will remove most tracked-in soil.
Did you know that 80% of soil brought into a facility can be trapped within the first 12 feet after
stepping onto a carpeted surface? In other words, if you had a 12-foot mat at your entrance, you'd
eliminate 80% of the soil brought into your office.
Walk-off mats can also reduce necessary maintenance, such as carpet cleaning. By having long enough mats
and performing frequent vacuuming, you can prolong the time between carpet cleanings.
Can using "green cleaning” products help indoor air quality?
Yes, you can limit the impact of chemicals on indoor air quality by using green cleaners. Green cleaners
are defined as environmentally friendly and safe for human usage. When looking for green cleaners,
consider the following:
- Water-based instead of solvent-based products.
- Hydrogen peroxide-based products.
- Products with the lowest possible VOC (volatile organic compounds)
- Products with little or no odor.
What else can we do to improve indoor air quality?
Whenever possible, use mechanical means rather than chemical means for cleaning. For example, use a
microfiber cloth instead of a chemical-based dust control product. Also use a microfiber cloth instead of
a feather duster, which causes dust to become airborne.
Use spray bottles instead of aerosols for applying chemicals if another means is not possible, and make
sure you have proper ventilation when using chemicals. When in a commercial building, make sure
ventilation systems are turned on. Inadequate ventilation allows chemical by-products to be absorbed into
porous items such as ceiling tiles and wallboard.
- Never mix chemicals together
- Make sure to follow recommended dilutions
- Avoid over-wetting absorbent surfaces when cleaning
- Use dust containing equipment such as Hepa-filter vacuum cleaners