Avoiding Valentine's Day Carpet Disasters

February 14th is a day we set aside to celebrate love. However, no one loves to find that Valentine’s Day festivities have resulted in carpet stains. To help you avoid any Valentine’s Day disasters, STAINMASTER® carpet offers some simple cleaning solutions perfect for keeping that day special.

CLEANING SOLUTIONS:

For chocolate, champagne and wine:
Detergent Solution
Mix 1/4 teaspoon mild liquid dish soap with one cup of warm water.

Vinegar Solution
Mix two tablespoons white vinegar with four cups warm water.

For lipstick:
Dry Cleaning Fluid Solution
Use non-flammable dry cleaning fluid or a liquid spot remover from the grocery store or hardware store. (Note: Do not apply dry cleaning fluid directly to carpet. Apply first to a cloth and use the cloth to apply the fluid to the stain.)

Detergent Solution
Mix 1/4 teaspoon mild liquid dish soap with one cup of warm water.

For nail polish:
Non-acetone Nail Polish Remover
Use diluted with water.

BASIC CLEANING STEPS:

1.	Scoop up and blot as much of the spill as possible.
2.	Vacuum any dry particles.
3.	Prepare suggested cleaning solutions, beginning with the first one listed.
4.	Pretest the cleaning solution on an inconspicuous spot of carpet to ensure it does not discolor or damage the carpet.
5.	Apply the cleaning solution to the stain area. Work from the outside of the stain toward the center.
6.	Allow the cleaning solution to remain on the spill for at least five minutes.
7.	Blot with a clean white cloth until no more stain transfers to the cloth. Do not rub the stain area or you might damage the carpet fibers.
8.	Rinse with cold water. Be sure all cleaning solution is removed from the carpet.
9.	If you can still see the stain, repeat the process until either the stain is removed or the stain no longer transfers to the cloth.
10.	If the stain remains, try the next solution on the list and follow the same protocol above. If the stain persists after trying each of the solutions, contact a professional cleaner.
11.	Once the stain is removed, place layers of white paper towel on the site to absorb any moisture. Weight down the towels with a non-staining glass or ceramic object. You can let them sit overnight
12.	When the carpet is dry, vacuum to restore the texture.
13.	Have your carpet professionally cleaned every 24 months, as required by the STAINMASTER® carpet limited warranty.

1 Greeting Card Association
2 http://people.howstuffworks.com/valentine.htm
3 Society of American Florists, data collected by Ipos/AFE Consumer Tracking Study, 2004
4 FamilyResource.com, “Interesting Chocolate Statistics” by Criss White
5 http://www.sciencenews.org
6 Chocolate and Candy Trivia, www.candyusa.org/chocolate/history.asp favorite flavor.

DID YOU KNOW?

• An estimated one billion Valentine’s Day cards are sent each year, making it the second largest card-sending holiday after Christmas.¹

• 85 percent of all Valentine’s Day cards are purchased by women.²

• 175 million roses were produced for Valentine’s Day in 2004.³

• Americans eat an average of 10-12 pounds of chocolate a year.⁴

• Chocolate is the food most commonly craved by women.⁵

• According to recent surveys, more than 50 percent of adults prefer chocolate to other flavors, making it America’s favorite flavor.⁶