Quick Tips for Removing Acidic and Alkaline Rug Stains

Image: Retro Renovation

Don't let the chemistry fool you. Removing acidic stains and alkaline stains is pretty simple.

Mom taught us a thing or two about fighting stains and cleaning up messes. Here are some quick tips for removing rug stains that are either acidic or alkaline in nature. Chemistry 101, meet the power of Mom.

Remember: you want an alkali to neutralize something that is acidic and an acid to neutralize something that is alkaline.

Stain Type
Alkaline Urine (dog or cat)
Beer

Image: Rug Master

Secret Weapon: A mild acid such as white vinegar
Mix water with vinegar in equal portions. For example, one cup of water and one cup of vinegar. It's best to put this mixture in a spray bottle, as you don't want to drench your rugs. Also, a vinegar cleaner is a pretty powerful, natural cleaner to have around your home.

Instructions:
Blot up the original spill and rinse with warm soapy water. Should the stain persist, spray on the the rug. Blot the spot with a clean, dry towel. Repeat until the stain is removed.

Stain Type
Acidic Food Stains (such as tomato based foods)
Cough Syrup
Vomit
Soy Sauce
Brightly Colored Mixed Drinks or Juices

Image: First Choice Carpet Cleaners

Secret Weapon: An alkali cleaner such as ammonia
Mix water with the ammonia. The typical dosage for ammonia as a cleaner is 1 tablespoon to 1/2 cup of water. Always use ammonia in a well ventilated area.

NOTE: Ammonia can damage wool fibers, so it's best not to use ammonia on wool rugs. You can either test a small corner of the rug, or use a heavily diluted formula, very sparingly.

Instructions:
Apply the ammonia solution with a spray bottle. Blot out the excess moisture with a clean dry town. Repeat until stain is gone, or improvement stops. At this point you can switch to a hydrogen peroxide mixture detailed here.