Code of Recommended Stain Removers as Listed in Chart

• A. Detergent solution - one teaspoon of a neutral detergent ( a brand used for washing lingerie such as Lux, Dreft, or Vel) and one teaspoon of white vinegar in a quart of warm water.
• B. Paint Remover - should not contain any oil. Lacquer thinner may also be used.
• C. Dry Cleaning Fluid - any common brand used according to manufacturer's instructions.
• D. Rust Remover - (brands such as Erusticator or Rust Go are recommended.
• E. Acetone - common drugstore brand or nail polish remover WITHOUT LANOLIN or lacquer thinner.
• F. Alcohol - rubbing, denatured, or isopropyhl.
• G. Water

NOTE:

If there is no recommended procedure for removing a stain on a specific pile fiber, call a Professional Carpet Cleaner and give him the information pertaining to the staining problem.

So you just bought a new rug? It's beautiful. And I'm sure you couldn't wait to get home with it and roll it out. You probably didn't sweep up the dirt on the floor before you rolled it out, and I'm sure you'll never consider taking your shoes off before you walk on it. And when it snows and there is salt all over the place, you probably don't realize the rug is acting like a sponge soaking up all of that salt and road oil.

In the spring, more rain, more mud, more dirt, more grit acting like sandpaper on the wool in your prized possession. And the moths that you never treated are now hatching, possibly in the back of your rug. Never being one to deprive animals of food, you've provided that moth larve with a veritable foodfest in order to feed the moth larvae until adulthood. When the moth is old enough to fly away, and you see it, the damage is done! You vacuum your carpet and the pile comes out. Initially you think you bought a cheap carpet - but in reality those little, harmless moths that you saw fly away, have eaten the backs of the knots in your carpet. There is nothing holding the pile onto the foundation.

You have a great party! Lots of people, red wine, cheese, dip, shrimp, cocktail sauce. Some doesn't get eaten, some feeds the guests, and some ends up feeding the carpet. You don't even realize this until the next day.

And pets. You love cats and dogs. And they're great house pets, 99% of the time. That other 1%, when they're sick and can't help themselves, they have biological accidents. If they have these 1% of the time, they're going to give your prized possession an alkalyn bath 3.5 days a year! It is the same as dropping a yellow dye on your rug 3 times a year.

In short, if you ever asked how often should I clean my rug, the answer is at a minimum every 3 years. But you should treat spots at home with the remedies I prescribe as soon as the spot occurs.

When you get your rug cleaned, ask the dealer if he has a "beater". This is a mechanized method of hitting the back of the rug with straps in order to remove as much dirt as possible before the rug gets wet. If he doesn't have a "beater", you must insist on the thorough vacuuming of the carpet on both sides before the rug is cleaned.

This issue of removing dry dirt is critical! The dirt acts like sandpaper and wears away the fiber. If it is not removed before getting wet, you now have the doubly difficult task of removing mud! The Carpet and Rug Institute suggests that a "beater" will remove 4-9 pounds of dry dirt from a 9 x 12 rug. That's a lot of dirt!