How do I lift it without making it worse?
It depends on what kind of accident it is. The rule underneath all three is the CRI's: work from the outside in, and never scrub. Its care advice warns that "bristles and scrubbing can damage carpet", leaving fraying and a changed texture.
| Accident | How to lift it | Then |
|---|---|---|
| Firm | Pick it up whole with a bag or paper towel, lifting straight up | Detergent solution on the faint mark left behind |
| Soft or loose | Scrape toward the centre with a rounded spoon, as the CRI says for semi-solids; blot the rest | The full solution order below |
| Dried, found later | Break up and lift off the dry crust; do not wet it first | Detergent solution, then work down the list |
What is the CRI's order for feces?
The CRI's Spot Solver entry for feces lists the solutions in this order, which is different from its order for urine:
- Detergent solution: one quarter teaspoon of liquid dish detergent per cup of lukewarm water.
- Spot removal kit from a carpet store, following its directions exactly.
- Vinegar solution: one cup of white vinegar per two cups of water.
- Warm water to rinse.
- Ammonia solution: one tablespoon of household ammonia per cup of water, tested on a hidden spot first.
- Call a professional if a mark is still there.
Stay with each solution while it is still lifting colour onto the white cloth. Rinse between solutions; the CRI is clear that residue left in the pile "may attract soil".
Is it a hygiene problem as well as a stain?
Treat it as one. Wear disposable gloves, put the solids and the used paper towels straight into a sealed bag, and wash your hands when you are done. Keep children and other pets off the spot until it has been cleaned and has dried. A household disinfectant made for hard surfaces can bleach or damage carpet, so read its label before it goes anywhere near the pile, and never combine bleach with the ammonia on the CRI's list: Transport Canada's CANUTEC warns that mixture "creates chloramine vapours".
Why is there still a brown mark?
Either some of it is still down in the pile, or the dye has been changed. Soil that is still there keeps coming out onto the cloth, so keep going. A mark that no longer transfers anything has usually changed the colour of the fibre itself, and no cleaning reverses that; the home carpet cleaning page sets out which marks come out and which do not.
When does it need more than a spot clean?
When it was a large or very loose accident that soaked in, when it happened in the same place more than once, or when a smell remains after the mark is gone. Like urine, liquid that reaches the pad keeps giving off odour; the urine guide and the pet odour service explain what can and cannot be reached. Puppy households usually need the whole carpet done more often too; see how often to clean carpets.
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Tell us which rooms, how many stairs, and about any pets or stains. We reply within one business day, by phone or email, and the quote is agreed before anyone starts.