Tel: 01962 458428 or 07564010847

Stain removal

Stain removal is part of the carpet and rug cleaning process. However, some stains require specialised treatment as they would not react to a general prespray or spotter most carpet cleaning processes use.

As part of our seven-step carpet cleaning process, we treat each and every stain individually, but even this cannot guarantee complete removal.

In fact, the truth is nobody can claim or guarantee to remove every stain completely. It all depends on what caused it, the fibre type, how old the stain is, if it has been previously treated with any other solutions and the carpet cleaning technicians' skills.

Having said that, we have been trained to deal with any types of rug and carpet stains, from tannin spots to wine stains and even pet urine stains and odours or dye bleeding (colour run) in oriental rugs.

Tannin stains (tea and coffee) require an acidic treatment, which is at the exact opposite spectrum on the PH scale than the alkaline treatment one would use for general carpet cleaning. Most of the dirt in carpets is acidic, so in order to remove it, carpet cleaners use an alkaline prespray.

One needs to know that tannin stains only react to acidic solutions in order to treat them effectively.

Without this knowledge, the general alkaline prespray on alkaline tannin stains would do nothing but make the stain even more evident! 

But things get even more complicated when different variations come into play. For example, if the coffee /tea that caused the stain contained milk or sugar, these would also need specific treatment.

Stains on wool and natural fibres are the most difficult to remove as these fibres have microscopic dye pockets and are very absorbent therefore prone to permanent dyeing.

We can deal with them: we extract as much of the foreign dye as possible with specific treatment.

If any dye remains, we use a reducing or oxidizing agent and steam to further reduce it - this is a highly skilled method that requires hours and hours of practice to give satisfactory results!

Our expertise goes even further: we are able to deal with deeper stains like dog or cat urine stains and most importantly, with the bad odours they cause.

This requires specialist equipment because urine penetrates not only the carpet pile but also the carpet backing and very likely the underlay and subfloor. 

Normally, in order to treat it effectively, one needs to lift up the carpet and depending on the contamination level to replace the underlay, but we can do this without disturbing the carpet with the help of a specialist device used in flood and restoration work.

Because we have the right equipment and knowledge, we can treat urine contaminations in carpets, underlay and even subfloors without lifting the carpet!

Read more about urine stain treatment on our blog 

Why Brio Carpet Care?

Unfortunately, the carpet and oriental rug cleaning industry is not regulated in the UK, which means there is no minimum requirement to become a carpet or rug cleaner. Anybody can buy a cheap domestic carpet cleaner and start offering carpet or rug cleaning services, putting the public at risk.

Yes, there are client risks in carpet cleaning: if the carpets are left wet for 24 hours or more, mould and mildew can develop. If an untrained cleaner attempts to clean a mouldy surface, millions of invisible to the naked eye mould spores will be released into the air, becoming a health hazard. There are also risks of shrinking the carpets, risks of contamination if an untrained carpet cleaner attempts to clean a pet urine stain, risks of damaging a hand-knotted rug and many others...

A quick search on Yell shows there are 364 yell registered companies offering carpet cleaning services in Hampshire! Yes, 364 only on yell...who knows how many more not registered. Or, for example, 147 carpet cleaners in Southampton, 110 carpet cleaners in Winchester, 59 carpet cleaners in Basingstoke and 37 carpet cleaners covering Alresford.

Things get even more complicated if you are looking for a specialist oriental rug cleaner. Most carpet cleaners offer rug cleaning services as well but the only recommended process for cleaning handmade rugs is the full immersion cleaning process which requires a dedicated workshop with specialist drying equipment, or what we call a rug spa. Less than 1% of carpet cleaners have the knowledge, equipment and the premises needed for full immersion rug cleaning.

So, how do you choose? How do you know who is a real professional in an unregulated industry?

The National Carpet Cleaners Association has actively sought the introduction of minimum standards in carpet and rug cleaning since 1968 and is the only independent UK trade body recognized by Government as an authority in the carpet and rug cleaning industry. 

We are active members of NCCA (membership number 3201), so we have been trained by industry leaders, passed their rigorous examinations, had insurance documentation checked and are now accredited and recommended by them.

Even more, as of January 2018, Brio Carpet Care is in the process of getting the TrustMark accreditation, the only Government approved trading scheme, guaranteeing good trading practices, good customer services and technical competence.