How to Remove Stains From Oriental Rugs

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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Coffee, soda, wine, nail polish and pet urine are all likely candidates for rug stains. You've probably encountered at least one of these stains on your rugs in the past. Removing spills and stains from plain carpeting is difficult enough, but stains on Oriental rugs require special removal methods.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

White towel
Distilled white vinegar
Water

Step1

Remove as much of the stain from your Oriental rug as soon as possible. If you wait too long, the stain will set, making it harder to remove and possibly damaging your rug.

Step2

Press the stain with a soft, white, absorbent cloth such as a towel or napkin. Keep blotting until you've soaked as much of the liquid as possible.

Step3

Dilute the spill with water. Use enough to wet the stain but not to soak the rug.

Step4

Continue blotting with a white cloth to remove as much of the diluted stain as possible.

Step5

Use a solution of 1 tablespoon of distilled white vinegar per 1 cup of water to dilute pet urine stains. As with other stains, keep blotting until you remove as much of the liquid as possible.

Step6

Consider taking your rug to a professional Oriental rug cleaner as soon as you can if you just can't get the stain out yourself. You want to preserve your rug as best as you can.

Tips & Warnings

Once set, pet urine begins to change the chemical composition of rug dyes, so try to check your Oriental rugs often if your pet frequently urinates on your floors.
If you notice an old stain on your Oriental rug, vacuum first before removing the stain in the same way as you would a new stain.
Don't rub stains on Oriental rugs, as this only spreads them around. Remember to blot instead.
Don't use spot removers made for wall-to-wall carpeting on Oriental rugs. They'll damage the rug's wool pile.
Don't use urine removers containing enzymes on Oriental rugs, as they feed on wool.