Having kids and/or pets can be hard on your home, especially your floors. Since it’s not possible to go with concrete flooring throughout the house to avoid stains and spills entirely, it’s important to know how you can clean up those stains when they do occur. Here are some home hacks that will help you clean up some of the most difficult carpet stains.

Clean Carpet Hack #1: Treat Stains Right Away

The longer you let mud, drinks, food, or other stains sit on the carpet, the more likely they will become a permanent part of your floor. While it can be tempting to leave it for later, try to clean up any stains immediately when you see them. Start with a towel to blot any of the excess liquid or dirt, then use soap and warm water or a mild carpet cleaning solution and continue to blot around the stained area. As much as possible, don’t rub the stain but just blot it and scrub in small sections to avoid spreading the stain or grinding it in deeper. For stickier messes, like chewing gum or peanut butter, put ice on the area to freeze the mess and make it easy to pull it out of the carpet instead of rubbing it in deeper.

Clean Carpet Hack #2: Keep Carpet Cleaner Handy

Don’t wait until you have a stain to find a good carpet cleaning solution. Purchase one today so you have it on hand whenever the mess happens—with kids, that can be any day at any time. Be sure to choose a mild carpet cleaner and test it in a small area of your home that’s out of the way (like a closet) to make sure it won’t damage the carpet before you use it in a large room or a highly visible section.

Clean Carpet Hack #3: Be Proactive at Avoiding Stains

If you’re planning to remodel or re-carpet your home, think about stain resistance in advance and purchase carpeting that comes with some stain protection. Focus on synthetic carpet materials, such as nylon or polyester, because they absorb less moisture than natural fibers like wool, so stains don’t soak in. You can also talk to the salespeople when you buy the carpet to get it treated with a stain-resistant coating before or immediately after installation. This added layer of protection can go a long way at keeping your new carpet looking new.

You can also be proactive by requiring everyone to remove their shoes before coming inside and trying to keep food and drinks away from carpeted areas.

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