Spills and stains are an everyday story for a carpet. As a homeowner, you might find yourself dealing with them every now and then & get them out of your carpet. But when the same stain that you just cleaned a few days ago reappears, it becomes even more scary to deal with it.
Well, there are reasons behind the recurrence of carpet stains, most importantly, some wrong cleaning practices that make them reappear. So, if you are wondering why the stains on your carpet keep coming back even after cleaning, read on to know what causes this and how you can prevent that.
2 Major Reasons Why Carpet Stains Reappear After Cleaning
1. Wicking
Wicking is a major reason, and often an unknown one, behind carpet stains recurring after cleaning. Wicking usually happens when stains, especially liquid spills, seep deep inside your carpet and stay unattended or are cleaned incompletely.
When you clean them, you just work on the surface level of your carpet, and the stain settled into the depth remains the same. Now, when the visible part on the carpet’s surface dries after cleaning, the hidden moisture/stain inside the carpet starts to wick back to the surface.
That makes the stain reappear even when you’ve cleaned it up some time ago.
2. Soiling
Another issue that makes the carpet stain appear again is the soiling. Soiling is a common carpet cleaning problem that occurs when you clean a stain and the residue of the cleaning is left behind. This residue can be some leftover cleaning solution which then starts to attract soil and dirt.
That is, soiling happens when stains are not cleaned thoroughly and when the residue is not rinsed out properly from the carpet after cleaning. When that sticky residue traps dirt, it re-soils your carpet in the same spot you just cleaned. That makes it appear as if the stain has come back.
How Can You Prevent The Stains From Reappearing?
Now, you know what makes a stain reappear on the carpet even after cleaning. It is often an incomplete cleaning that leads to this recurrence. Here are some tips and carpet cleaning dos and don’ts that can help you prevent stains from reappearing.
Don’t let the spills seep deeper
When spills enter deep inside your carpet, it becomes even more difficult to clean. That’s what makes them wick back up. So, clean the stains as soon as they happen without giving them a chance to get into the backing and sit deeper.
Clean the stains thoroughly
When cleaning a stain, don’t just focus on the surface stain. A stain can spread a few inches wider inside your carpet which is not visible, especially when removing pet stains from the carpet. So, be sure to clean the stains thoroughly to get them out from the depths.
Never leave moisture behind
During and after a spot cleaning, use water sparingly and do not leave even a bit of moisture behind in your carpet. Besides causing mold, this wetness can also be a reason to make the stain reoccur. So, dry your carpet thoroughly after cleaning.
Don’t overuse cleaning solutions and use residue-free ones
Don’t use the cleaning solutions in excess as this can leave a sticky residue behind, leading to stain recurrence. Make sure to clean and rinse well after spot cleaning to remove it all. If possible, use residue-free ones to avoid leaving a residue behind.
Summing Up
Carpet stains reoccur due to wicking and re-soiling. These are often a result of wrong or incomplete cleaning practices. However, by knowing these causes and following the above-mentioned tips, you can prevent carpet stains from reappearing. Make sure to clean the stains well in the first place so they never come back again, letting your carpet stay spotless for long!!