Got Soot on Your Carpet! Get them off like it Never Happened

Posted by veena singh on October 6th, 2017

Soot stains can be one of the tricky ones to get rid of. If you have accidentally got soot on your carpet, it can be really difficult to clean it. It is often seen that although most of the soot might get removed, getting rid of the black marks is a little tricky. You might have to put in more than just soap and water. Rather than being a genius or being loaded with resources, you need to follow some tips to release soot stains from your carpet fibre. Here are some tips to help you do some damage control if you have got soot on your carpet.

Pick Up the Chunks

If you see that there are any chunks or bigger pieces of soot, you should remove them before doing something else. To pick bigger chunks, you should use paper towels. This allows you to pick up the chunks without getting your hands dirty or messing things more.

Vacuum

You must use your vacuum cleaner to vacuum the soot particles. But you will not be able to get rid of all the soot with just vacuum. You need to use cornstarch or baking soda to clean well.

Use Cornstarch or Baking Soda

Baking soda and cornstarch are good in removing soot stains from carpet. You must start with sprinkling some baking soda and cornstarch over the stained area. You can also use other absorbent powders for this purpose. Now allow it to set for an hour or so. After it has set for an hour, vacuum the powder with a vacuum cleaner. In case the stained area is near baseboard, you need to use attachments to clean the area in a more precise manner.

Cleaner and Cloth

Once you have vacuumed the area well, you need to moisten a soft and clean cloth or a paper towel with liquid cleaner. It is advised that you use dry cleaning liquid but if you do not have it you can use a lighter cleaner. Slowly blot the stained area with a moist cloth. Now use another clean cloth to remove the stain and excess fluid. Repeat the process till the stain is removed. You must keep in mind that you need to blot and not rub while cleaning.

Rubbing Alcohol to the Rescue

If you are running out of cleaners, rubbing alcohol is another option for cleaning soot stains. Use a clean cloth to blot a little rubbing alcohol onto the soot stains. You must do it carefully so as to avoid spreading the spot. Rubbing alcohol can damage the carpets. Therefore, refrain from using too much or rubbing the alcohol deep into the carpet fibre. After you are done with alcohol, clean the area with some dish soap. Make sure you dilute the dish soap with water and then use a cloth with blotting method to clean the spot.

While there are many DIY methods using cleaning agents, alcohol and hydrogen peroxide, these methods will damage the carpet fibre. Carpet cleaning professionals are not only well trained and experienced in handling such stains but will also save your carpet from getting damage.