Chocolate. Know that sinking feeling when you find a lump of
chocolate pressed into the carpet? Don't worry – it can be removed
and here's how to get it out in a flash.
Note: The process outlined works for white, milk, and dark chocolate.
!! Steps !!
Act quickly. Take action as soon as possible after the chocolate has
been rubbed into the carpet. As with most stains [1], the longer you
leave it, the tougher it will be to remove.
Scrape up excess chocolate [2]. Remove as much chocolate as you can
with a clean non-serrated knife. Be gentle, so as not to damage the
carpet fibres.
Place the removed chocolate onto a paper towel [3].
* Grass, sisal and wool carpets need extra care Check the
carpet type [4]. Different carpets react to stain removal
techniques in different ways. Using the wrong removal method could
cause the stain to become permanent or leave a worse mark than the
stain itself. Carpets made of natural materials such as grass,
sisal or wool can be severely damaged by liquid treatments. If
you're in any doubt as to your carpet's suitability, contact a
professional carpet cleaner.
Do a patch test. Before applying any solution to your carpet, you
should always do a patch test. Choose an out of the way area of the
carpet and apply a small amount. Wait a few minutes to ensure that
problems don't develop. If your carpet starts to go brown or lighter
in colour, immediately rinse the solution with cold water. Do not
continue and call a professional.
Apply surgical spirit. To dissolve the fat in the chocolate, use
surgical spirit. Put on some rubber gloves and then apply surgical
spirit to a white cloth. Lay the cloth over the stain.
Use the back side of a spoon pressed onto a cloth and use
massage-like strokes to work solutions into your carpet. This will
help you to avoid damaging the carpet fibers.
* Massage the stain through the cloth with the spoon. When the
surgical spirit is thoroughly worked into the stain, remove the
cloth.
Mix a detergent solution. Now make a detergent solution by mixing a
quarter of a teaspoon of a mild carpet shampoo (or colourless
detergent) with a litre (33.8 fl oz) of warm water. Stir.
Apply the detergent solution. Do a quick patch test [5] as outlined
above. If it's safe to continue, dampen the whole cloth in the
solution and lay it over the stain.
Blot the area dry. Blot [6] the area by pressing some dampened
kitchen towel onto the stain patch to remove excess liquid and to
lift the stain.
If any chocolate remains, try making an alkaline [7] solution.
Before starting, make sure that the room is well ventilated, so that
you don't breathe in too much ammonia. Keep your rubber gloves [8]
on.
* Add one teaspoon of household ammonia [9] to one cup of warm water
and stir. Remember to carry out the patch test. If safe, soak the
cloth in the solution, lay it over the stain and massage the stain
through the cloth using the spoon [10] as before. Then gently blot
the area dry with some kitchen towel. Repeat the process until as
much of the stain as possible has been lifted.
Neutralise any remaining alkaline using vinegar [11]. Add one part
white vinegar to four parts warm water in a small bowl. Pour the
mixture into the spray bottle.
* After patch testing the mix on a small hidden area of carpet, work
the vinegar and water mixture over the stain using a spoon as
before. Carefully blot the area using some kitchen towels,
removing any excess liquid. The stain should now be removed. If it
isn't, repeat.
Rinse. Spray [12] the patch with water to rinse away any remaining
solution.
Dry. To ensure that the stain is completely lifted and any remaining
dampness [13] is removed, stack a few pieces of kitchen towel over
the stain. Cover with a heavy weight, such as a book.
If the weight is coloured or porous, put a plastic bag between it
and the kitchen towel. This will protect the weight and prevent the
item and to prevent dye from leaking into the carpet.
Wait. Leave the weight on the damp patch, ideally overnight. In
the morning, remove the weight, plastic bag, and paper towels from
the stain. The stain should now be completely gone, but if by any
chance it is still visible when you remove the weight, it's time
to call in the professionals.
!! Tips !!
* Ask children and others to eat their chocolate over a plate; try
to avoid the chocolate mess in the first place. Always keep
serviettes handy when eating chocolate.
!! Warnings !!
* Take care with carpet cleaning products. There are many good
carpet cleaning products on the market but they're not stain
specific and may include ingredients which are not applicable to
your stain and could do more harm than good. If you do intend to
use them, read the instructions and ingredients with great care
and be absolutely sure that they will work for your situation.
* Wear protective clothing when cleaning.
!! Things You'll Need !!
*
* Some mild non-alkaline detergent with no bleaches
* Some household ammonia
* 1 sponge
* Some clear household vinegar
* Some warm water
* 1 blunt knife
* 1 teaspoon
* 1 bowl
* 1 spray bottle
* 1 pair of protective gloves
* Several white clothes or white kitchen towel
* A heavy weight, for example, a book
* A clear or white plastic bag
* Some surgical spirit
!! Related WikiHows !!
* How to Clean a Rug [14]
* How to Remove Blood Stains [15]
* How to Remove Mold Stains from Wood Floors [16]
* How to Remove Rust Stains from Paint [17]
* How to Clean Grease Stains on Leather [18]
!! Sources And Citations !!
* Original source of article, Videojug,
http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-clean-chocolate-from-a-carpet
[19]. Shared with permission.
!! Article Tools !!
* Read on wikiHow
*
Links:
------
[1] http://www.wikihow.com/Category:Carpet-Stain-Solutions
[2] http://www.wikihow.com/Overcome-a-Chocolate-Addiction
[3] http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Damp-Paper-Towel
[4] http://www.wikihow.com/Image:Choccarpet3.png
[5] http://www.wikihow.com/Patch-Test-Skin
[6] http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-a-Rug
[7] http://www.wikihow.com/Choose-the-Best-Method-of-Water-Treatment
[8] http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Pair-of-Gloves
[9] http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Soapy-Ammonia-Cleaning-Solution
[10] http://www.wikihow.com/Hold-a-Spoon
[11] http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Your-Own-Vinegar
[12] http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Homemade-Cleaning-Spray
[13] http://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Leakages-or-Dampness-in-Your-Building
[14] http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-a-Rug
[15] http://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Blood-Stains
[16] http://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Mold-Stains-from-Wood-Floors
[17] http://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Rust-Stains-from-Paint
[18] http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Grease-Stains-on-Leather
[19] http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-clean-chocolate-from-a-carpet
0 comments:
Post a Comment