Why Do Stains Keep Coming Back?

I often hear about issues with problem stains that keep reappearing. There can be a few different reasons for this. The single biggest cause of why stains keep coming back after being removed is detergent residue in the carpet. It could be residue from the original stain, the stain ‘wicking’ back up. Possibly the stain was removed but residue detergent remains. It could also be caused by over wetting the carpet causing a different stain. Most of these issues are fixable.

Wicking

Wicking occurs when some of the original stain remains in the base of the carpet. The capillary action of the carpet drying draws the stain towards the top of the fibre. It ‘wicks’ to the top of the fibre. Occasionally it could be necessary to clean a carpet a couple of times to remove all the residue stain. This would be especially advantageous if it’s a massive stain that requires a lot of work. Ideally not wetting the carpet too much is preferable.

Detergent Residue

Detergent residue is possibly one of the biggest reasons the ‘stain’ reappears. Often the cleaning of the stain is successful. Subsequently the detergent residue in the carpet will dry sticky. The result is the detergent attracting soil that can look very much like the original stain. If you feel there is residue detergent the best thing is to wipe over the affected area with clean water and a colourfast cloth. It might take a few attempts but often this is easily rectified by simply removing the detergent.

 

Water Stains

Water stains can sometimes be challenging to remove, especially if the carpet has some age. The breakdown of the cellulosic backing of the carpet can wick through the carpet and dry on top. This is caused by overwetting and care should be taken when attempting to remove problem stains not to over wet the carpet. Also, drying the carpet as quickly as possibly is important. If water stains are attended to quickly they can be cleaned easily.

Spot Removal

Finally, for general spot and stain removal of upholstered furniture our stain chart will help. Prompt attention to stains is always very important. Especially for food or drink stains. Leaving stains for too long may well make them very difficult to remove. However if your carpet has a number of stains and general soiling, it may be easier and quicker to simply have the whole carpet professionally cleaned.