Tag Archives: Carpet

How to Clean Up Blood Spills on Carpets

One of most daunting cleaning challenges of all is blood spills on carpeted floors. One key issue is sanitizing the carpet as quickly as possible.  A blood stain that is allowed to set may never be removed. Blood can harden on carpeting and become crusty which makes it very difficult to clean.  Whenever possible respond as fast as you can to clean up blood on a product.

 

It is also important tot use the right commercial solution to clean a carpet. Bleach can damage or destroy a carpet. It is best to clean these areas using cleaners approved by the carpet manufacture. Be sure to choose a product that has antimicrobial properties to help clean it as thoroughly as possible. It is also recommended that you wash the carpet thoroughly three to four times to a day.

 

Using the right products can make all of the difference when it comes to removing blood. Make sure that you are using a cleaner that is intended for use on carpet. If you use a cleaner meant for floors or fabrics instead of carpet then you may not get the results that you want.

 

Yet another way to get the stain out is to rent a steam cleaners. These machines, which can be rented at most grocery and carpet stores can sanitize the carpet fibres and remove any remaining blood.  This is especially recommend if you suspect that the blood that was spilled was infected with pathogens in any way.

 

Make sure that you put on disposable gloves and create a barrier around the spill so that it cannot be tracked around the home. Once the area is isolated spray it with a manufacturer approved cleaner and then let it sit for about fifteen minutes. This gives the disinfectant the time it needs to sanitize the carpet.  This is important because if the proteins are left in the carpet then they can carry disease as well as be a fertile ground for mold.

 

You should then take paper towels or an absorbent powder like resolve and blot up as much as fluid as possible. You should then use a wet-dry vacuum to help extract any reaming water, cleaning fluid and blood.

 

After you have done all this you need to repeat it all again at least three times. Let the disinfectant sit on the stain and do it’s job for it at least twenty minutes.  After you are done repeatedly cleaning the blood stain at least three times then place portable fans near the stain to help the moisture dry.

 

Finally be sure to dispose all gloves and rags and thoroughly sanitize any equipment used to clean the blood of your carpet.

 

Strategies for Cleaning Different Surfaces

Here are some recommendations for cleaning up different types of spills on different services.

 

Carpet – Soak up as much of the stain as you can with paper towels. Do not press on the spill too hard with the towels or the spill could seep into the underpadding of the carpet. You can also try using powder or flakes sprinkled on the carpet to absorb the spill. Vacuum this up and if necessary try to use a mild enzymatic cleaner on the area and then let the carpet air-dry.

 

Concrete – Unfortunately concrete does absorb odors, especially from pets. To prevent damage to the floor clean it up as soon as possible. Then ay paper towels soaked in an enzymatic cleaner on the concrete and leave it there for an hour or two to absorb any odors.

 

Cork floors are very absorbent but will remain in good shape if you can clean up the spill fast. Use an enzymatic cleaner to help lift a bacteria out of the cork layers. Citrus cleaners and Windex can also work well on a cork floor. Never use bleach as it will eventually degrade the floor or stain it.

 

Stone floors are usually uneven and filled with holes or seams that can harbour bacteria or mold that produces smells. Saturate the area with cleaner and mop up any exces. Do not use bleach or peroxide on these floors.

 

Tile floors usually clean up quite well with any type of cleaner. If it is a dark stain use a cleaner with a bit of bleach in it. Be aware that some enzymatic cleaners can yellow tile or floors.

 

Cleaning a wood floor is the most difficult. If the floor is heavily varnished it is sometimes just as easy to clean a wood floor as it is a tile floor. However if the floor is is old with a lot of cracks and seams or a parquet floor then the spills and stains can reach deep beneath the floorboards and cause odors to prevail.  The result will be a lingering mold or ammonia smell combined with rotting wood.

 

Upholster or fabric really does tend to retain stains and smells from spills or pet accidents.  The trick is to blot up as much of the spill as possible as soon as you can. Enzymatic cleaners work best for combatting this type of problem as well. No matter what kind of cleaner you are using on fabric upholstery be sure to do a test patch first or the colors of your fabric may run.