Here's a way for you tohave some fun creating
a neat spotting kit that will give you all the tools that are
necessary to be able to tackle many common household spots and
stains.
Now, very important: MAKE SURE ALL THAT IS
INSTRUCTED HERE IS KEPT IN A VERY SECURE PLACE IN YOUR HOME AWAY
FROM CHILDREN AND PETS.
MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS ALSO VERY CLEARLY
LABELED AND KEPT TOGETHER, AND PREFERABLY IN SOME SORT OF BOX
OR TRAY.
You need to assemble the following things:
1. One large bath towel. You will be using
this for emergency spills.
2. Three smaller towels like the type you
use to dry your dishes. These should be terry cloth and able to
absorb liquids well.
3. Four spray bottles. Get some new unmarked
ones from a hardware store or from a supermarket. This way you
can label them and be able to read the contents as well.
4. One bottle of white vinegar, and make
sure it's the white one, not the read wine one or you'll be sorry
when you use it for spot cleaning.
5. One bottle of clear amonia. Yes, same
here, no lemon type that is coloured.
6. One bottle of hydrogen peroxide. Get the
one that you use for cuts in the brown bottle, not the type to
bleach hair.
7. Rust remover. You can purchase this from
a hardware store usually, but I will tell you that it is also
very dangerous to use, so I will leave this one to you.
8. A dry solvent spotter. You can buy one
of these in a supermarket. This is the type of product that is
like a dry cleaning fluid. Look at the label for this: contains
petroleum distillates.
9. A butter knife or similar blunt tool.
10. A sponge.
11. A pair of manicure scissors.
12. Rubber gloves.
13. A soft brush, like the type to do a baby's
hair.
14. A stiff brush.
15. Three boxes of baking soda.
Now I will tell you what to do with them.
You will need something to label the spray bottles with, like
a laundry marker. Get your four spray bottles. In the first one,
just fill it with plain tap water and mark the bottle "Rinse
water".
Now, get the second bottle and fillit halfway
with warm water and add in just less than a half teaspoon of liquid
detergent... laundry or dish, either is fine. When you have done
that, fill the rest of the bottle with water and label this one
"general detergent".
Next, do the same with the third bottle,
except that you add in five tablespoons of ammonia along with
the detergent, then fill the rest with water. Lable this bottle
"alkaline detergent".
For bottle number four, make the same mixture
for "general detergent", but instaed of filling the
second half of the bottle with water, fill it with white vinegar,
then label it "acid detergent".
You now have four valuable mixtures. One
of the most valuable you will find of these is good old fashioned
water... water, the universal solvent, because it will dissolve
a great deal of what you will get on your carpet.
Now, keep the containers of ammonia and vinegar
in the kit, because you will need them in addition to the mixtures
you have just made.
SOME BASIC INFORMATION:
First of all you will be using your rinse
water to rinse out anything that gets on your carpet, and after
you use other spot removal procedures. This way you can be some
what sure you have left the surfaces free of any residues. An
occasional exception to this rule is when you are spotting oily
stains.
You will be using the alkaline mix to spot
most things that are organic... food, vomit, eggs, milk, blood
etc.
You will be using the acid mixture to spot
some dyes, urine, yellow spots and things like coffee or tea.
You will be using the general detergent just
to give soapiness and lubrication to what you are doing, as well
as use it to remove some spots too that are easier.
You will be using the dry solvent to remove
oily spots like paint, tar, grease, gum etc.
The gloves are to protect your skin in the
event you are working with anything you really do not want to
touch, like gum or urine.
The blunt tool you will using to gently agitate
a spot once the correct solution is on it, as well as like a spatula
to work a liquid into a cloth.
The big towel you will use for large spills,
the smaller ones for working with spots.
The soft brush you will be using if a small
amount of brushing is necessary to loosen a spot. The stiff one
will be usedto help break up solidified spots.
Finally, the hydrogen peroxide you will be
using as a bleaching agent. It's a weak one, and may require multiple
applications over time but it is safe too.
NOW A WARNING.
Befor you use any of these products on your
carpet, test them in an inconspicious area first, and make sure
you read all of the information in these documents so that you
do not make any costly mistakes.
