Carpet Cleaning

[tsantoro]

Any recommendations for carpet cleaning products or methods for cleaning or stain removal. I have Champagne colored carpeting in my IS250.

[TOGWT]

Stains:

The first thing you should do upon discovering a stain is to act immediately. Don’t wait because heat and/or time will just cause the stain to set in deeper, which will make it much harder to remove. You should always test the cleaning product on an inconspicuous area first to make sure you won’t be incurring further damage.

When the inevitable happens, remove as much of the stain as possible by blotting, not rubbing with paper towels, etc). Try not to let the stain `set' for too long before you remove it. Within a day or two, most spills will set and permanently stain your upholstery or become very difficult to remove

Even without fabric protection, you would be amazed at how easy it is to clean up most stains with nothing more than a neutral detergent (Woolite or Dreft) and water. A neutral (or balanced) detergent will not bleach fabric or remove fabric protection.

Heated water breaks down water-soluble soiling faster as it reduces overall chemical usage because it reduces the surface tension of the fibre. Heat acts as a catalyst promoting quicker reactions between chemicals and the soil thereby minimizing dwell time. To remove stains the surface tension that bonds them must be released, then the stain encapsulated and held in suspension to be removed. When cleaning a stain, try detergent and water first. If this does not remove the stain, then try a stronger type cleaner (303'M Cleaner & Spot Remover) once fabric is clean apply a fabric protection (303TM High Tech Fabric Guard)

I’m repeatedly asked which product is the best interior cleaner. There is no one-product answer, as the so-called all purpose cleaners (APC) do not remove every stain, different stains require different solvents to remove them.

Between these four cleaners you should be able to remove 99% of stains occurring in a vehicle and around the home –

a) 303™ Rug / Upholstery Cleaner & Spot Remover

B) P21S Total Auto Wash

c) Woolite® Heavy Traffic Carpet Foam

d) Hoover Deep Cleansing Carpet/Upholstery Detergent

Classifying stains-a) Organic stains- these include proteins and fats, body oils, mould yeast, bacteria, bugs and carbohydrates. Most of the stains found in the vehicle interior are of an organic nature and require an alkaline type cleaner. Some organic stains (i.e. blood, vomit, urine) should be removed with an enzyme type cleaner and a disinfectant applied to the area

B) Non-Organic stains- mostly found on the exterior of the vehicle, hard water scale (calcium) lime deposits, Road tar, grease and oil film, and require an acidic type cleaner.

c) Petroleum soils - substances that do not contain water, nor are they miscible, these soil types include, motor oils, and crease and road tar, and require a solvent type cleaner.

Stain Types-a) Water Soluble Stains- These stains can be dissolved in cool water or loosened with water based cleaner, coffee; soft drinks, cocoa and chocolate are good examples.

B) Oil soluble stains- These are stains that are comprised of oily or greasy substances, which include cooking, oil from fried foods and suntan oil.

c) Combination Stains- These stains contain both water based and oil-soluble properties. Cleaning these stains require treatment with a petroleum solvent followed by water based cleaning solution.

d) Unidentifiable Stains- Sometimes stains cannot be identified. Treat these stains like a combination stain. Clean with a petroleum solvent followed by water based cleaner.