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Have unsightly stains taken over your carpet?
You’re not alone.
A good many of us have looked down in horror to find a spilled glass of holiday Merlot, a present from the household pet, or paint from the kids’ artwork.
It seems everything we try to protect our carpet from ALWAYS ends up there.
The good news is there are steps YOU can take to improve stains and banish spots.
First, call in the professionals.
Professional carpet cleaners are your best option in fighting the dirt, grime, spots and stains that are collecting on your carpet and area rugs. Their powerful, stain-fighting methods will almost always make your carpet look like new – even after the messiest holiday party.
Second, if professional carpet cleaners are booked solid for a while, take matters into your own hands.
Start spot cleaning yourself with these tricks of the carpet cleaning trade.

Use a clean white cotton cloth or plain white paper towels. Once you have removed the liquid, rinse the spot with water and blot again until dry. Repeat if necessary to remove more of the stain, but don't scrub the area, or you may damage the carpet and set the stain in more permanently.
For semi-solids, such as peanut butter, pudding and such, scrape and lift gently with a spoon. Rinse the remaining spill out and blot dry.

Apply a cleaning solvent to a cloth first then work it in from the outside of the stain to the center, so you don't spread the spot. The procedure is to apply the cleaner, extract (blot), rinse, extract, and repeat until you can't get out more of the stain.
Always extract solvents completely, and dry the carpet quickly when you are done. If there is any stain remaining deeper down in the carpet, quick drying prevents it from wicking up to the surface.

One of the most useful tools for removing carpet stains is a shop-vac. With a wet/dry vacuum cleaner you can quickly suck up spills, but more importantly, you can repeatedly flush the area with water and suck it out. This is much more efficient than blotting with a cloth, and less likely to cause damage to the carpet.

If you’re in a pinch and don’t have a store-bought cleaning solution handy – make your own!
Here are few tried and true solutions that really work!

• 1/4 teaspoon of non-bleach detergent (or white vinegar) mixed with 32 ounces of water.
• 1 tablespoon of ammonia mixed with 1 cup of water (do not use on wool or wool-blend carpet)
• One part chlorine bleach to five parts water, but only on solution-dyed carpets, such as polypropylene. Bleach will harm other types of carpets; check with the manufacturer if you are unsure what type of carpet you have.

Even if you don't have any mishaps, you should always have your carpet thoroughly cleaned every 12 to 18 months.
Hire a pro to do this dirty work for you and you’ll enhance the look of your carpet for many, many years to come.