To Deal with Stains

You Should... Act immediately before the spills or stain spreads too far or penetrates the fibres. Scrape up as much as possible with a spoon or palette knife (i.e. a blunt edge). Always work towards the center of the spillage to avoid spreading. Blot up liquids with a clean cloth, towel or kitchen paper. Use plain warm water to dampen and blot the spill without rubbing. Keep spill or stain moist with a little water and keep a damp cloth spread over the area until help arrives. Cover gloss paint with cling film or polythene to prevent drying.

You Should NOT... Lift the carpets or roll them up. Rub the stain. Always blot it up. Try to dry out by applying heat. Use solvents, detergents, turpentine or other solutions.

Know what kind of stain you are working on as well as the type of fabric or surface it is on so you can choose the best product.

Blot up spills with clean, white, absorbent slightly damp material (a towel is best). Do not use clothes with colours in them, as the dyes may transfer to the carpeting when you are trying to absorb the staining material.  Always work from the outside of the stained area towards the middle of the stain.  This will ensure that you do not spread the staining material any further.

Always blot the area with a towel - Do not rub or brush the stain.
Doing so can damage the carpet fibres or your upholstered materials.  Remember to work from the outer edge of the spot towards the centre to prevent rings or spreading of the staining material.

Test all fabrics and carpets before cleaning by spraying a small amount of Chem-Dry Professional Strength Spot Remover or Chem-Dry Grease & Oil Remover on a hidden area (under a sofa cushion, on an area of carpet under or behind a piece of furniture.), blot gently with a clean dry and observe for 10 minutes. Make sure there is not carpet colour removal onto the cloth and that, when dry, there is not a visible discolouration in the area you cleaned.

Do not over wet. Use small amounts of the spot removal agents and blot frequently. Let the solution dwell on the stain for 30-60 seconds before you try to remove it by blotting.  The solution needs time to break down the stain for easier removal.

Work from the outside edge of the stain to the inside to keep the stain from spreading.

Remove solid built-up materials with a rounded tablespoon, spatula, or the edge of a dull knife.  Do not get too aggressive with the removal process as you may damage the carpet fibres.  again, work from the outside of the stained area towards the middle of the stain.

Rinse. The final step is always to gently rinse the area with water, then absorb all the remaining moisture with absorbent towels.  Do not skip this step as over-damp or wet carpets can start a whole new set of problems by promoting mould and fungi growth if left too wet for too long.

Be patient. Some stains respond slowly. All spots and stains cannot be removed from every fabric due to differences in fibres, dyes, constructions, finishes, composition of the stain, length of time the stain has remained on the article, etc. Some stains require professional treatment.  We understand that you want to fix the problem yourself in order to save money. Sometimes you need to call a Chem-Dry professional before you damage your carpet or upholstery investment!

Call Chem-Dry for expert spot & stain removal if these efforts do not work.
Have a Chem-Dry Professional apply our Protectant with every cleaning to give you the best chance for removing stains.

Stubborn Stains and Spills
There are some spills and stains that are impossible for the householder to deal with.
The Chem-Dry professional has the know-how, equipment and solutions necessary to remove most stubborn stains. We therefore recommend that in the event of such an emergency the following procedure will minimise damage.