Removing Oily Stains and Spills From Sisal and Jute
Welcome to Katie on the Spot, where we delve into the world of cellulose fibers such as sisal, seagrass, and jute. No matter how careful you are, you’ll eventually spill things on the carpet. Oftentimes, we spill our drinks, such as water or milk, but other times we drop some food from our plates or maybe even some cooking oil from the bottle onto our carpets. Or maybe it’s not even you, maybe you have kids or pets that make keeping a clean carpet challenging.
Removing oil from a carpet may sound like a Herculean task. After all, one of the best cleaning agents is water, and it’s well-known that oil and water don’t mix. Luckily, it’s not as tricky as it seems.
Hi! My name is Katie. I know how daunting cleaning oil stains and spills from a carpet can be, especially when you have pets and kids. That’s why in this blog post, we’ll cover how to remove carpet-based oil stains, the materials you need to do so, and some important tips to help prevent you from accidentally damaging your carpet.
3-Step Process To Clean Oily Spills
The first thing you should do is remain calm. There’s no need to stress over a spill, as it’s unlikely to leave any lasting damage, especially if you get to it quickly. The faster you take care of a spill, the more you’ll be able to remove it from the carpet, preventing it from staining.
Make sure that in the back of your mind, you have a quick action plan and list of materials you’ll need in case of a spill so that when it happens, you’re prepared to handle it as quickly as possible.
Build Your Cleaning Kit
Keeping a set of carpet spill cleaning tools with your general cleaning supplies will not only make the clean-up go smoother, but it will also reduce the stress you may feel about staining the carpet. Build a kit consisting of the following items:
- Some clean, white rags
- Powder stain remover
Remove the Spilled Item
Now that you have these items, it’s time to start working on the spill. First, remove the item that was spilled. For a liquid spill, use one of the clean white rags to soak up the liquid. You’ll want to gently dab the oil without pushing on it. Pushing it could cause the liquid to spread, increasing the size of your stain.
Ensure the cloth you use to wipe up liquids is clean and white. White rags are less likely to have dyes, which could harm the carpet or create a stain of its own, and a dirty rag would just make the spot you’re trying to clean messier. Also, there’s no need to get your towel wet. As mentioned above, oil and water don’t mix, so dampening your towel before absorbing the oil could make the cleanup more tedious and time-consuming than it needs to be.
Treat the Remnants
Once you’ve removed the item, it’s time to clean up the liquid that has already begun soaking into the carpet. This step is pretty simple; just spray the powder stain remover onto the carpet and let it dry. How much spray you should use depends on the severity of the spill. The more that’s spilled, the more you should spray. Remember that the more you spray, the longer it will take to dry. How large the mess is will also determine how often you need to use the powder spray.
If you’d like to prevent your white rag from becoming stained, you can also spray some of the powder spray onto it as well. Once the spray dries on the rag, toss it into the next load of laundry, and it should come out of the dryer spotless.
Watch the Process
If you’d like to watch this process in action, you can do so here:
What if the Stain is Still There?
If using the process listed above didn’t completely remove the stain, then it’s time to assess the situation. If the powder didn’t help much at all, you may need to try a different one. We have one in our store that you could try. It has the absorbent properties you’d expect from a powder spray and a solvent to help break up the stain and make it easier to clean.
If it helped, but there’s still a stain, try using your preferred carpet cleaner on it. Follow the instructions it provides on the bottle for the best results. If this doesn’t help, don’t use any harsh chemicals, bleach, or other cleaners that weren’t meant for carpet. Doing so could cause irreparable damage to your carpet. If you’ve tried everything and the stain won’t come up, then contact a professional carpet cleaner.
What Happens Once the Spray is Dried?
Once the powder spray has dried, use a damp white cloth to blot away the spray. Don’t rub, as this could push the stain back into the carpet, defeating the purpose of the steps you’ve already taken. After you’ve blotted away all of the spray, assess the stain and decide whether or not you need to use more powder spray, try your carpet cleaner, or call a professional.
Cleaning any spill on your carpet can be a hassle, but removing oil from the carpet can be quite the challenge, whether it came from a cooking mishap or the garage. Sometimes, avoiding a stain isn’t possible, but you can reduce or even prevent one from forming by keeping a cool head, having a list of materials and steps in mind beforehand, and acting fast.
Happy Spotting!
-Katie