How to get spots out of carpet?

[Shari]

This is gonna sound really strange. But that's ok. I am.
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I picked up a throw rug from a freecycle network. Didn't care what it looked like or anything else, because it was going to be used in our horse trailer, so it was gonna get horse doo-doo on it, anyway.
***
Got it home, left it on the sidewalk a few days. Then took it to the carwash where I planned to wash it with hot water just to be sure it didn't have any creepy crawlies in it.
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Unrolled it for the first time at the carwash. It is VERY pretty and quite honestly is exactly the area rug I want for our bedroom but can't afford! Even looked at the tag and its from the same place as the one on my "dream list".
***
So now I would like to attempt to salvage it for home use. It has 3 or 4 stains on it. Of course, I have no idea what; they are not colored stains, just darker spots on the lightest part of the carpet. Any suggestions for how to possibly get them out?

 

[flutterby]

Oxyclean. Just follow the directions.

 

[Star*]

I used to co-own a maid service and carpet cleaning bus. What kind of material is the rug made out of? Synthetic/cotton/wool? There should be a tag on it somewhere. IF IT IS WOOL _ STAY AWAY FROM THE CAR WASH.

 

[Star*]

Wait -= reread your post......

Horse poop on it?

Um......why would you wash it then??? Just askin'?

Wet, spray with Mean Green........let soak.......hit with hose......scrub if necessary - rinse.

 

[AnnieO]

Oxy Clean was my thought too.

Depending on what it is... rubbing alcohol, sprayed on lightly, IMMEDIATELY scrubbed up with a brush and cold water.

How bad are they?

 

[Hound dog]

Mean Green is awesome. I thought I was the only one who used that stuff. LOL

Oxyclean is too. But one of the best things I've found for spots in rugs..........is Resolve powder with the scrub brush stuck on the container. husband is a slob. He pays no attention to his ashes when smoking so half the time they drop on the floor and he grinds it into the carpet with his feet. He spills his coke alot too, usually in the same place. Makes for horrid spots. I use the resolve......per directions, sometimes need to reaply depends on the spot.......then shampoo it and it comes out fabulously. (the brush literally scrubs it out)

I've never attempted mean green on a carpet.

 

[AnnieO]

One more thought - Krud Kutter. 1-to-3 with water (water being 3 parts), it takes off nicotine from years of smoking in about 30 seconds flat with light wiping. On DRYwall.

Not Sharpie though. Sigh.

 

[Hound dog]

step where to you find Krud Kutter?? I think I'd LOVE that stuff!!

 

[Shari]

Oh, there's no horse poop on it yet. But that's what I brought it home for. When we go somewhere for the weekend with the horses, we just stay in the trailer, which has a small living quarters in it, but we also use the back of the trailer, as well...I wanted an old junk throw rug to put down when we get there, after we sweep the trailer out...cause...hey, its still a trailer and there's still some poop. So I found this rug, dragged it home site unseen (cause its going in a horse trailer...I don't care what it looks like) and when I unrolled it, I found the are rug I'd have loved to have ordered for my bedroom, sans $700. So its been outside a week or so, but it hasn't been exposed to the poo, yet.

I'm gonna try to clean it.

And find another ol' rug for the trailer!

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[witzend]

Folex Carpet Cleaner. It's what professional carpet cleaners use, and it can be found at Home Depot or sometimes at the grocery stores. Spray it, rub it in with your fingers a little, blot it up.

 

[AnnieO]

Krud Kutter is expensive and worth more than it costs.

I found it at Lowe's and Home Depot and I have seen it at Meijer too...

 

[susiestar]

I swear by resolve. It is amazing stuff. Very gentle also. I have had it get stuff out that the professional carpet cleaners couldn't. For sharpie stains on anything, use rubbing alcohol. Either put the alcohol on a white paper towel and dab, repeat until it is off or put alcohol in a spray bottle and spray lightly, blot with a white paper towel, repeat until ink is gone or no more comes off on the white paper towel.

 

[hearts and roses]

PEROXIDE works great on any protein stain. I use it all the time now on everything -

 

[AnnieO]

Wish this stuff would work on black eyeshadow - on beige carpet.

I've tried it all except Mean Green... But I will try that next!!!

 

[flutterby]

Step - when you find something that works on that (eyeliner in my case - black), PLEASE let me know. I have the exact same problem in difficult child's room. UGH! She'll sharpen her eyeliner and get the shavings all over the floor, then walk on them so it's ground into the carpet.

 

[AnnieO]

Someone suggested that we replace the carpet... YEAH.

 

[Shari]

Yup. Replace the carpet.

Right after she moves out...

 

[hearts and roses]

Step - when you find something that works on that (eyeliner in my case - black), PLEASE let me know. I have the exact same problem in difficult child's room. UGH! She'll sharpen her eyeliner and get the shavings all over the floor, then walk on them so it's ground into the carpet.

Try alcohol or non-acetone nail polish remover, gently. It works.

 

[graceupongrace]

Ammonia & water. Start with a half-&-half solution and increase the percentage of ammonia as needed to get the stain out. The good thing is that this is very cheap, and it won't leave a residue that then attracts more dirt & stains. Good luck!

 

[AnnieO]

The only issue with ammonia is that it will convince cats and dogs that THAT is the bathroom.