- After thoroughly vacuuming your area rug or carpet, spray the self-dry carpet cleaner on the stain until damp, brushing the stain the way you'd brush a dog, to help lift the pile and stubborn spots. Leave to dry thoroughly and vacuum the area. Repeat the process if the stain still shows after one application.
- Swedry is one such self-dry product that comes with a brush and a tube of accelerator for heavily stained areas around your home. One treatment costs around $23 and will treat between 25 and 75 square feet of stain. The Host dry-cleaning system (see Resources) is a totally dry cleaning product that allows you to walk on the treated area immediately after application. Environmentally friendly, Host is recommended by top housekeeping pros.
- CarpetMate dry-cleaning compound is said to clean in 30 minutes, and the round shape of the compound particles allegedly make it easier to vacuum than with similar products on the market. Pre-vacuum your carpet prior to using this self-dry product; after the stains have all been removed, the company stresses that you cannot "over-vacuum" your carpets. Loose soil is easier to remove by vacuuming regularly than deep-down soil.
- Even deep, "shiny" stains in your carpets may be removed via several applications of self-dry product. Heavy-traffic areas need special attention, and should be treated as soon as you notice the effects of heavy use. Overnight application of self-dry carpet-cleaning products is useful for areas that are used constantly during the day.
- Having guests take off their shoes when in the house will cut down on greasy, oily stains that are stubborn and difficult to remove without several self-dry applications. As soon as a "red" stain happens, clean it up immediately. Don't rub the stain in further; blot it up with paper towels--lots of them. Don't scrub the stain; simply apply your preferred self-dry carpet-cleaning product and watch the stain disappear like magic.
