There are various ways in which carpets can be damaged, and one of them happens to be through stains. While others are easy to remove, some of them are pretty tough and others cannot be completely eliminated — thus the term permanent. All of these are thanks to various spillages and spot-soiling. But the major question that most homeowners ask is, “Are carpet stains permanent?” This article will go over how these stains arise and how to get rid of them.
Are Carpet Stains Permanent?
So, are carpet stains permanent? Carpet stains can become permanent if they are not removed or treated correctly and immediately.
How Do Permanent Stains Come To Existence?
Everyday, there are various spillages and soiling that take place on carpeted floors. But even then, not all of them can lead to lifelong stains. So how come there are so many permanent ones around?
1: The fiber in the carpet has a tendency of sucking-up any liquid within its reach. So once you spill something on it, it quickly draws it in and if you don’t act fast to wipe it off, air-dry or remove, then the liquid will quickly make its way to the tip of the fiber and eventually dry. As it dries off, it forms a great concentration that leads to the formation of a permanent stain. This usually happens with colored drinks, wine or coffee.
2: Secondly, there are also these kinds of spills that contain bleaching elements. So once they get into your carpet fiber, they immediately dye that specific spot, separating it from the rest. This can lead to permanent discoloration of that area or even making it appear recolored, depending on how strong its components are. Sometimes, there is little or nothing you can do about these kinds of spillages. Once it’s out there, you just have to live with it or simply purchase a new carpet.
3: Thirdly, there are also these kinds of spills that act slowly but can cause chemical changes to the fiber of your carpet if left for long. An example of this is staining your carpet with spray paint. You will probably notice no change on your rug immediately they come in contact with the fiber, thus tempting you to ignore it. But if you leave the spot unattended for a few more minutes or hours, then you will start noticing a bleaching effect on the spot. Most of the time, when that happens, there’s nothing much you can do because the damage has already been done and the effects are irreversible.
What About Stain-Resistant Carpets?
The current market might be filled with carpets/rugs with stain-resistant qualities, but that doesn’t mean they are immune to stains. In fact, truth be told, very carpet is vulnerable to stains. But it’s the way you handle the spillage/soils that will determine its effects.
Also, if your carpet doesn’t come with a stain-proof from the manufacturer, then it’s advisable for you to purchase a stain protector separately to ease your mind. Although, when it comes to these ones, you have to ensure you clean your carpet thoroughly before applying.
Take Away
There are various types of carpet stains and every rug or carpet is vulnerable to spills and soiling. But how permanent the stain becomes after a spill, highly depends on your immediate action. So are carpet stains permanent? Yes and no. Yes, because from the information above, it’s clear that some permanent stains could be avoided if removed or air-dried immediately. No, because some spills create irreversible chemical reactions immediately they come in contact with various types of carpet fiber.