Why Do Carpet Stains Keep Coming Back?

Despite our best efforts, we’re all bound to spill something on our carpet at some point. When it does happen, there’s no need to panic! Although cleaning carpet stains and spills might seem tricky, all you need is the right technique to ensure your carpet remains fresh and odor-free.

However, there are cases where the stains might return, especially if the spill wasn’t cleaned properly and quickly. For many homeowners, this issue can be extremely upsetting. This article will discuss what causes carpet stains to reappear and some tips to prevent this from happening. Let’s dive right in.

Wicking

Spills can cause wicking if they seep into the carpet’s padding or backing and eventually make their way to the floor. Even if it appears that you’ve cleaned up the mess, the liquid has soaked deeper and deeper into the fabric, making it difficult to reach and remove. When you scrub the carpet, you might be only cleaning the surface. In the meantime, the backing or underpad absorbs the spill. This concealed stain can be pushed back to the surface. 

Tips:

• If your carpet isn’t waterproof, make sure that spills are cleaned up quickly. One of the usual reasons for a smelly carpet is the growth of mold and germs underneath due to moisture from spills.
• If you used water to clean the stain from the carpet, make sure you extract it because the underlay can absorb the excess moisture. The stain can return to the carpet’s surface when the water evaporates.

Re-Soiling

Despite your best intentions, you may have unwittingly left some traces of the carpet cleaner you used to remove a spill or stain from your carpet. Dirt and other debris might be drawn and held in place by the residue resulting in a new stain that looks like the original one. This is especially true in areas with a lot of foot activity.

Clean carpets frequently attract dust and soil because of residue. Unfortunately, vacuuming is unlikely to remove the dirt accumulated because of this. It might seem like the same stain is reappearing, but it’s actually because of new dirt adhering to the residue on your carpet.

Tips:

• Remember to get rid of every trace of the spill or stain. If any liquid stays in the carpet fibers, it may become sticky and draw other debris to the affected area, giving the impression that the original stain reappears.
• Do not overdo it with cleaning products. Stains, dirt, and debris can be drawn back into carpet fibers if you use excessive cleaning agents or stain remover or fail to remove them completely from the carpet’s surface.
• If you’ve used water to clean a room, you should wait until the carpet is completely dry before entering the area and using wheeled baggage or wheelchairs. Wet carpets are bound to accumulate dirt tracked in by shoes and wheels, resulting in stains. 

The Bottomline

One common question among homeowners is, “why do carpet stains keep coming back?” Stains often reappear on your carpet because of wicking or re-soiling from residue. The good news is that following the pointers in this article will make it much easier to keep this from happening.

If you’ve followed the steps outlined above and the stain on your carpet persists, a professional carpet cleaning company like Carpet DryClean can help. Our experts are well-versed in removing stubborn stains.

With our dry cleaning method, your carpet will be spotless in no time! Call us at (919) 878-0748 to request a service today.

Or, you can opt-in to do it yourself by using our in-home “Spotless” carpet cleaning snow. Learn more about it here.