As hard as we try to take good care of our homes, stains inevitably happen from time to time. Whether there’s a stain on your carpet, your walls, or even your couch, there are solutions for every classic household spill.
Carpet stains
Vinegar is one of the most versatile household products—excellent for stain removal in laundry and, as it turns out, carpets. For a light stain on the carpet, mix two tablespoons of salt in a half a cup of white vinegar, spread the mixture over the stain, and allow it to dry. Then, vacuum the area. If the stain is bigger or darker, mix two tablespoons of borax into the salt and white vinegar mixture, and follow the same procedure.
If the stain came from dirt or is deeply embedded in the carpet, mix one tablespoon of vinegar with one tablespoon of cornstarch and rub the mixture into the stain with a dry cloth. Leave the stain alone for two days, and then vacuum the spot on your carpet.
Painting your house and notice paint spilled on the carpet? If you catch the spot before it dries, you can mix one and a half teaspoons of vinegar with one and a half teaspoons of laundry detergent and two cups of water. Sponge away the paint and rinse the area with cold water.
Wall stains
If you’ve ever had crayon on your wall courtesy of a young artist, dip a damp rag in baking soda and lightly scrub the area. You can also put toothpaste on the area and scrub it with a rag or brush to remove the crayon stain.
If your walls have scuff marks from moving furniture or bumping into the walls accidentally, you can fill a bowl with warm water and soak a cloth in the water. Then, put a drop of liquid dish detergent on the cloth and scrub the area. If this still doesn’t work, you can mix up baking soda and water to make a paste and use that to wipe the scuff away.
Couch stains
We all love snacking during our favorite TV shows, but it’s easy to fall into a panic when you spill food or a drink on your couch. But there’s no need to stress. First, you need to check the cleaning tag on your couch to see what methods are appropriate for the fabric. “W” means you can clean the material with water. “S” means you cannot use water and need to buy a solvent-based cleaner. “WS” means you can use water or a solvent-based cleaner on the sofa. Unfortunately, “X” means you can only vacuum the fabric. Don’t clean the couch in a way that the tag doesn’t recommend. This could further damage the couch.
If your couch tag has “W” or “WS”, you should first vacuum the couch. Then, mix two cups of distilled water with one tablespoon of dishwashing liquid and one tablespoon of vinegar. Dip a microfiber cloth into the mixture, and then carefully blot the stain. Then, dampen a microfiber cloth with only distilled water. Finish off the process by blotting the area with a dry microfiber cloth and then pointing a fan on the affected area so that it completely dries.
The next time you spill something, have no fear. There are quick solutions for just about every stain on any surface of your home.
