If you have kids, you know that their messes can quickly overtake every inch of your home. When it comes to the state of your flooring, little ones can also make their mark in more ways than one. The good news is that there are steps to take to get clean floors when you have kids, which involve carpet cleaning and other helpful tips.
Whether you are a parent of an infant or a teenager, the following carpet cleaning tips can help you keep your sanity (along with clean carpet).
What Carpet is Best for Kids?
If you’re considering getting new carpet, you’ll definitely want to think about the family members in your household. This will make it easier when it comes to cleaning up messes and eventually getting your carpet cleaned.
Below, we will discuss some of the best types of carpets for kids that are easy to clean and maintain.
Nylon Carpeting
Carpeting made from nylon is a popular option for homes with kids. It is also a great option when you want soft carpet underfoot, along with a beautiful aesthetic and long-lasting durability. This is one of the most popular materials for carpeting on the market today.
Nylon is also a good option because it is durable and resists abrasion, while also cleaning easily as long as it was previously treated. If you have violin carpeting, you should clean it at least every 12 months.
Modular Carpeting
Another type of carpeting for kids to consider is modular carpeting. This type of carpeting is engineered in squares that are individually installed. This kind of carpeting is ideal for places like playrooms or kids’ bedrooms, where stains might be prevalent.
In the worst-case scenarios, you can simply throw away squares where stains cannot be removed. However, modular carpeting is usually a short-term option. Most people will not install modular carpeting with the intention of keeping it for many years to come.
Avoid High Piles and Fluffy Carpets
While you may be able to get away with a high pile fluffy rug in a teenage girl’s room, it is not necessarily the best option for kids. This is because carpet with high piles, or fluffiness and texture, is prone to track dirt and dust.
If you are worried about dirt and keeping the carpet clean in the kids’ room, steer clear of high pile carpets.
Stay Away from Natural Fibers
Meanwhile, you also do not want to use carpets with natural fiber in a kid’s room. Wool carpet can be great with many benefits, but it is expensive with very porous fibers. This means that it is easy to stain and hard to keep clean.
Get Your Carpet Treated
You probably know about the benefits of using Scotchgard on furniture. It helps to resist stains and makes it easier to clean up.
Getting your carpet treated has the same effect, allowing the carpet to remain beautiful without the hassle of stains. Carpet cleaning companies can typically apply this treatment to your carpet, ensuring that it stays beautiful between cleanings.
Not to mention, it is the perfect option for homes with kids. You won’t need to worry as much about the mess spilled on the floor, whether it is grape juice or a bowl of spaghetti.
Speaking of messes on the floor, one of the biggest woes that parents face is cleaning up those messes. A stained carpet might feel like the end of the world, but you can luckily reduce or even eliminate the stain by acting quickly.
Treating Carpet Stains with Kids
If you have kids, you probably have at least one stand on your carpet. In this guide, we will show you how to treat and even remove carpet stains that happened with kids.
Below, these are some of the most common carpet stains with kids.
Grape Juice
Maybe the sippy cup lid wasn’t screwed on tight enough or your tot accidentally knocked over their big kid cup. Either way, grape juice can easily produce an unsightly stain on your carpet.
Luckily, you’re able to remove the grape juice stain, especially if you can get to it quickly. You can do so by using the following method:
- Mix 1 tablespoon of liquid dishwashing detergent
- Add 2 cups of water
- Take a clean white cloth and spot the stain with the detergent solution
- Keep blotting until the liquid is absorbed
- Repeat steps 3 and 4 until the stain disappears
You can also tell that the stain is by the condition of the cloth. The white cloth will eventually turn red or purple from the grape juice.
If this approach does not remedy the situation, you can also try the following:
- Mix 1 tablespoon of ammonia with 2 cups of water
- Blot the stain with the ammonia solution
- Keep blogging until all liquid is absorbed
- Blot again with cold water until dry
If you decide to go the route of mixing an ammonia solution, remember to never mix bleach and ammonia together. This creates hazardous fumes that can be quite dangerous.
Marker Stains
When your kid’s art project accidentally crosses over to the carpet, you might be left with a bright stain of marker ink ranging from purple to green and everything in between.
If this is the case, don’t panic. We have a remedy to help remove marker stains!
- If the market stain is wet, try to blot some of the color up with a clean cloth before the stain absorbed into the fibers
- If the stain is dry, take a generous amount of dish soap and a clean wet cloth to blot the stain
- Using either of these methods should allow the stain to blot away
Another do-it-yourself option is to resort to a stain remover. You’ll want to shake it well and apply to the stained area of the carpet. Allow the solution to sit for at least one minute, blotting the area clean with a cloth.
If you are dealing with permanent marker stains on your carpet, there is a remedy for this also. Simply take a can of oil-free hair spray and pour it onto a clean white cloth. Take the cloth and firmly dab the permanent marker stain. Keep repeating this process as necessary until the stain is no longer visible.
Spaghetti Stains
What kid doesn’t love pasta? Unfortunately, spaghetti stains are common on carpet when you have kids. If you are dealing with a bright red spaghetti stain on your carpet, this advice is for you.
- It’s best to tend to the stain immediately, blotting up as much as you can until you are left with only the stain and no excess moisture.
- Take one teaspoon of dishwashing detergent and one cup of water. Use a combination and apply it to the carpet with a clean white towel.
- Work the solution into the carpet starting on the outer edge and working away and words were the stain.
- Racist and by dabbing add water and blocking it until it is dry.
Still dealing with stubborn spaghetti stains on your carpet? Another option is to try to remove it with a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution. If you decide to go this route, make sure you test it in an unnoticeable area of your carpet. This is because hydrogen peroxide may change the color of your carpet, making the same look even worse than before.
When you test the inconspicuous spot, allow it to dry. If the color of your carpet remains unchanged, this means that it is safe to move forward with using hydrogen peroxide.
Acrylic Paint Stains
Acrylic paint stains come in a huge variety of colors, making them attractive to kids of all ages. If your kiddo is becoming the next Picasso and spills some acrylic paint on the carpet, don’t panic. While it is tough to get this type of stain out, it’s not impossible.
However, know that you will need to take different approaches depending if the carpet stain is fresh or old.
If the acrylic paint stain is wet, take a microfiber cloth or sponge and blot away as much of the paint as you can manage.
If the acrylic paint stain is dry, You will want to carefully scrape it away with an object such as a razor. The remaining pain can be loosened up from the carpet fibers by using rubbing alcohol and a microfiber cloth. Acetone is an option, but it can seriously discolor or even ruin your carpet. Proceed with caution if you decide to go this route.
With both wet and dry acrylic paint stains in the carpet, you’ll want to mix up a homemade cleaning solution. Use equal parts of dish soap and hot water, dabbing the mixture on the stain with a microfiber cloth or sponge. Work from the outside edges and move into the center, which helps to avoid spreading the spilled paint around. If the stain is very stubborn, you can directly pour dish soap right onto it.
Get Your Carpet Professionally Cleaned
In a perfect world, these do-it-yourself approaches would remove carpet stains from your kids. The reality is that it can be quite tough to get these stains out of the carpet. When this is the case, Hydra Clean Northwest is here to help. Contact us now to schedule an appointment for professional carpet cleaning, making your flooring look brand new once again.