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Wear-Dated has an amazing stain removal guide for carpets that I can testify to! Just the other day, my puppy ate an ink pen on our brand new carpet. I followed the guidelines on the Wear-Dated website and the stain came right out!

Here are some general things to have on hand before starting the stain removal process.

1. White paper towels or white terry towels.
2. Hand dish washing detergent that doesn’t contain lanolin or bleach (such as the original Dawn® and Joy® with no special additives). To make a detergent solution, mix 1/4 teaspoon of the detergent with 1 qt. of water.
3. Spray bottle for applying detergents and special solutions.
4. Household ammonia solution of 1 tablespoon of  clear household ammonia per 1/2 cup of water.
5. Isopropyl rubbing alcohol.
6. Hydrogen peroxide.
7. White vinegar solution made up of 1/3 cup of white vinegar, 2/3 cup of water.
8. Spoon and dull knife.
9. Brick and brick paver

Stains that cannot be removed

Acid toilet bowl cleaners, acne medication, alkaline drain cleaners, chlorinated bleaches, hair dyes, iodine, insecticides, mustard with turmeric, plant fertilizers and stains of this nature cannot be removed because they permanently alter the carpet’s color. Call a professional. Typically, professionals address these types of stains by replacing the stained area. If you do not have extra carpet on hand, they might cut a piece from a closet, or some other inconspicuous area and insert it into the area where the spot was cut out.

How to remove a few common stains:

• Beer, coffee, perfume, tea, wine:

Blot with a white paper towel to remove as much of the stain as possible. Then, neutralize with a white vinegar solution. Saturate the spot using a spray bottle and blot to remove excess moisture. After neutralizing, try the following.

Apply a small amount of a detergent solution to the spot (1/4 teaspoon detergent per 1 qt. of water) Blot with a white paper towel to work the detergent into the affected area. If the spot is being removed, continue applying detergent and blotting until spot is completely removed. Using a spray bottle, rinse with tap water, and then blot to remove excess moisture. Next, spray lightly with water, but instead of blotting, apply a pad of paper towels, weigh them down with a brick and allow to dry. If the stain remains, moisten the tufts in the stained area with 3 percent hydrogen peroxide and let stand for 1 hour. Blot and repeat until carpet is stain free. Because light will change peroxide back to water, no rinsing is necessary. Apply a pad of paper towels and weigh them down with a brick. Allow carpet to dry. Remove brick and towels and brush up the pile.

• Berries, children’s drink mix, fruit juice, water-based spots

Blot up as much of the spill as possible with a white paper towel. Use a wet vacuum for a large spill. If the spot has dried, saturate the tufts in the affected area with tap water (do not over wet). After about a minute, blot up the water. If the water proves effective, continue until the spot is completely removed. Blot dry, and apply the paper towels and brick. If it is not completely removed, try the following.

Apply a small amount of a detergent solution to the spot (1/4 teaspoon detergent per 1 qt. of water) Blot with a white paper towel to work the detergent into the affected area. If the spot is being removed, continue applying detergent and blotting until spot is completely removed. Using a spray bottle, rinse with tap water, and then blot to remove excess moisture. Next, spray lightly with water, but instead of blotting, apply a pad of paper towels, weigh them down with a brick and allow to dry. If the stain remains, moisten the tufts in the stained area with 3 percent hydrogen peroxide and let stand for 1 hour. Blot and repeat until carpet is stain free. Because light will change peroxide back to water, no rinsing is necessary. Apply a pad of paper towels and weigh them down with a brick. Allow carpet to dry. Remove brick and towels and brush up the pile.

• Candle wax

For candle wax or other types of wax: Spread brown paper (such as a grocery bag) or a terry cloth towel over the area and iron with the setting on “warm”. The wax will be absorbed into the paper or terry towel. Remove any traces with alcohol or dry cleaning fluid by blotting.

• Chewing gum

For chewing gum: Freeze the gum using an ice cube. Shatter the frozen gum with a knife handle, then vacuum. Some citrus-based products have been demonstrated to break down the stickiness of gum so that it can be removed.

• Nail polish

Remove as much of the nail polish as possible using a spoon or dull knife. Apply a non-oily nail polish remover to a clean white cloth and gently rub (one direction at a time) or blot the spot. Continue until spot is removed. Do not allow nail polish remover to get to the latex backing. Do the following to remove the nail polish remover.

Apply a small amount of a detergent solution to the spot (1/4 teaspoon detergent per 1 qt. of water) Blot with a white paper towel to work the detergent into the affected area. If the spot is being removed, continue applying detergent and blotting until spot is completely removed. Using a spray bottle, rinse with tap water, and then blot to remove excess moisture. Next, spray lightly with water, but instead of blotting, apply a pad of paper towels, weigh them down with a brick and allow to dry. If the stain remains, moisten the tufts in the stained area with 3 percent hydrogen peroxide and let stand for 1 hour. Blot and repeat until carpet is stain free. Because light will change peroxide back to water, no rinsing is necessary. Apply a pad of paper towels and weigh them down with a brick. Allow carpet to dry. Remove brick and towels and brush up the pile.