The Maintenance Program

Basic Stain Removal Supplies and Procedures

There are some basic chemicals that should be kept on hand for immediate/daily treatment of stains and spills:

A neutral, general-purpose detergent spotter
A mild solvent, such as mineral spirits
Household vinegar (white only)
Household ammonia (non-sudsy)

Consult our Stain Removal Guide to determine which solvent type is best for removing specific stains.

Basic procedures for removing common spills and stains are to:

Gently scrape and remove any solid residue with a bone spatula, spoon or knife.
Begin working at the edge of the stain or spill toward the center and do not rub. Blot with a clean, white paper towel or cloth to remove any excess liquid.
If the nature of the stain or spill is unknown, first use clean, warm water or a general-purpose detergent spotter. Use gloves and apply the general-purpose detergent spotter to a clean, white cloth. Apply the cloth to the stain or spill with pressure. Blot to transfer the stain or spill to the cloth and continue blotting until all residue is transferred. Do not rub or brush the cleaning agent into the carpet.
Rinse with a minimal amount of clean water, blot with a dry, clean white cloth until all excess moisture is absorbed.
When dry, the carpet should be thoroughly vacuumed to restore the pile.

Please note: The information in this Stain and Spill Removal Guide is offered without charge to INVISTA customers. It is intended for use by persons trained in the cleaning of carpets at their own discretion and risk. INVISTA does not guarantee favorable results or assume liability and the information provided in this guide is not intended as a license to operate under nor a recommendation to infringe any patent of INVISTA or others covering any carpet cleaner or cleaning method.