How to clean carpets after Christmas

When celebrating Christmas, spills on carpets in Chester and North Wales homes can make them look stained and dirty. Amongst the most common issues for carpets at Christmas are fallen pine needles from Christmas trees and spilt wine. Fortunately, these can easily be dealt with.

Pine needles

Pine needles can become embedded in the carpet pile. To remove them, Henry Paterson, the Senior Operations Executive at house cleaning specialists Housekeep, recommends first using a dry foam carpet shampoo that is left on overnight to dissolve the sap adhesive that sticks pine needles to the carpet. Then, brush the carpet and vacuum it to remove the needles. If any stubborn needles remain, press on them with the sticky side of duct tape to lift them up.

Wine

Spilling wine is a hazard at Christmas. Ideally, as soon as wine has been split, you should blot the spillage with a paper towel or a dry cloth. For white wine, use a mixture of warm water mixed with a tablespoon of white vinegar and a tablespoon of washing up liquid. Apply a little of this solution at a time with a clean cloth and the stain should disappear.

Perhaps the best way to remove red wine stains is using WD40. Apply WD40, then blot the stain to remove it, before using a steam cleaner to clear up the WD40.

A quality carpet should last many years and survive many Christmases – provided it is cleaned regularly. If stains or spills are promptly treated, they will not cause irreparable damage.