Carpet cleaning myths revealed!

1. “Use baking soda and vinegar to clean your carpet.”
💥 Not ideal!
While it fizzes and looks impressive, the reaction doesn’t clean deep stains. Worse, it can leave behind powdery residue that clogs your vacuum or discolours fibres over time.

2. “Salt pulls out red wine stains.”
💥 Partly true, but risky.
Salt may absorb moisture initially, but it can also set the stain permanently if not followed up with proper cleaning.

3. “Scrubbing a stain gets it out faster.”
💥 Big mistake!
Scrubbing can spread the stain and damage the fibres, causing permanent fuzzing or matting. Blot, don’t scrub!

4. “Use dish soap to clean carpet stains.”
💥 Bad advice.
Dish soap isn’t designed for carpets—it foams heavily and leaves sticky residue that attracts more dirt unless rinsed thoroughly (which most DIYers don’t do).

5. “Baking soda works for everything.”
💥 Not really.
Baking soda can help with some fresh stains, like beer or wine, but it's not a universal cleaner. It won’t work on older, oily, or protein-based stains.

6. “Bleach will remove stubborn stains.”
💥 Absolutely not!
Bleach can permanently damage or discolour carpet fibres, especially if they're nylon or wool. It’s meant for white porcelain, not textiles!

7. “You can use laundry detergent on your carpet.”
💥 Nope.
Laundry detergent is made for clothes—and it leaves behind a residue that builds up in carpet fibres and attracts grime.

8. “Sprinkle carpet powder every week to keep it fresh.”
💥 Not a long-term solution.
Frequent use of deodorising powders can cause build-up in the carpet and vacuum, and can even lead to odours getting trapped deeper over time.

9. “Let mud dry before cleaning it up.”
💥 It depends.
Dry mud is easier to vacuum—but if it contains red clay or is mixed with oils, waiting can set the stain. Sometimes, it's better to act quickly.

10. “Pour white wine on red wine stains to remove them.”
💥 False!
While this sounds clever, white wine won’t neutralize or clean red wine—it just adds more liquid and can spread the stain. Use a clean cloth to blot and follow with a proper stain remover (or call a professional)

11. “Red wine is impossible to get out once it sets.”
💥 False—if treated correctly.
Modern carpet cleaning solutions and professional methods can often remove even older red wine stains. Timing helps, but “impossible” isn't true.

12. “White wine 'cancels out' red wine like a colour corrector.”
💥 Nope.
That’s colour theory gone rogue! Wine is acidic and adding more acid doesn’t “balance” the stain. It’s a myth that makes a mess.

13. “Lemon juice removes tough carpet stains.”
💥 Careful!
Lemon is acidic and can bleach or weaken carpet fibres, especially in sunlight or on wool. It might lighten the stain—and the carpet.

14. “Hairspray removes ink or wine stains from carpet.”
💥 Old myth, outdated advice.
Hairspray used to contain alcohol that could help with ink—but modern formulas are full of oils and polymers that just make a sticky, worse mess.

15. “Corn starch lifts greasy carpet stains.”
✅ Partly true—but not a full solution.
Corn starch can absorb oil, but it won’t clean the stain. It needs to be vacuumed and followed by a proper stain removal process.

16. “Use hot water for all carpet stains.”
💥 False!
Hot water can set protein-based stains like blood, milk, or egg. Cold water is better for those. Know your stain!

17. “Soak the stain to get it out.”
💥 Dangerous!
Over-wetting can soak into the underlay, cause mould, or create browning. Always blot and use minimal moisture unless you're using professional extraction equipment.