#HarvestCleaning: 5 Steps to a Spotless Carpet

Harvest season is here! All the more reason to gather some lists on how you can prepare for your Thanksgiving gathering and how you can clean up the mess afterwards. As our way of saying thanks to our customers, here are 5 easy steps to get rid of those food and drink stains.

 Find green cleaner
The best kind of cleaner is one that is eco-friendly and has not been tested on animals. If you’re looking for a DIY, vinegar, detergent, and water is a great solution that can get rid of those holiday stains - everything from cranberry and gravy to wine and coffee.

Test product
You want to pre-test your solution before you pour the solution on the entire stain. Put a few drops of formula on each color in the textile and, using your white-absorbent material, hold it against each color, count to ten, then examine the results. If the dye has bled into the absorbent material, or if there has been a change in the colored area, call a professional ASCR member cleaner for advice.

Work on stain inward
Avoid leaving a ring on your furniture or rugs by working from the outer edge toward the center of the stain. Bonus tip: blot frequently as opposed to rubbing or brushing.

Let dry
This is the step where you need to have a little patience. Some stains respond slowly and that’s OK - let the solution do its magic. If once it’s dry, you don’t see the desired results, contact a textile specialist.

Call pro
Some stains are just too big or difficult to remove on your own. That’s where the help of a professional comes in handy.

At Triple S, we offer professional cleaning services, including rug, carpet, upholstery, and tile cleaning. We are a family owned business with over 50 years of experience and are here to help you keep your home looking and feeling Clean, Fresh, & Bright!

Triple S has three main plant locations:

Stamford Plant | 400 West Main Street
Norwalk Plant | 337 Westport Avenue
Stratford Plant | 1800 Stratford Avenue

March Madness: Spot Removal Tips

It’s basketball season, and you know what that means - friends making food and drink stains on your carpet! Whether you spill beer or grease on your carpet during the next NCAA basketball game, here’s what to do:

Beer
STEP 1. First, mix one teaspoonful of white neutral detergent (a mild liquid dishwashing detergent containing no strong alkalies or bleaches) with a cup of lukewarm water.

STEP 2. Mix one-third cup of white household vinegar with two-thirds cup of water.

Ketchup
STEP 1. Mix one teaspoonful of white neutral detergent with a cup of lukewarm water.

STEP 2. Mix one tablespoon of household ammonia with one half cup of water.

STEP 3. Mix a solution of powdered enzyme laundry detergent following label or box directions. Allow the solution to remain on the stain for the length of time recommended by the manufacturer.

Grease
STEP 1. First, apply a small amount of dry cleaning solvent or alcohol (you can purchase at your local grocery, drug and hardware store). Use a small amount to prevent possible damage to sizing, backings, or stuffing materials. Bonus tip: avoid gasoline, lighter fluid or other flammables.

STEP 2. Next, mix one teaspoonful of a mild liquid dishwashing detergent containing no strong alkalies or bleaches, with a cup of lukewarm water.

STEP 3. Mix one tablespoon of household ammonia with a half cup of water.

STEP 4. Lastly, mix one-third cup of white household vinegar with two-thirds cup of water.

Repeat the steps until the stain dissolves. To prevent even worse stains, make sure you blot up spills as soon as you spot them, avoid over wetting the area, work form the outer edge toward the center of the stain, and have patience - the stain should dissolve.

If those spot removal methods don’t do the trick, call the textile experts at Triple S! We have the tools and equipment to help you make your carpets look Clean, Fresh, & Bright again! Triple S is a family owned business with over 50 years of experience.

We have three main plant locations:

Stamford Plant | 400 West Main Street
Norwalk Plant | 337 Westport Avenue
Stratford Plant | 1800 Stratford Avenue

Christmas Tree Stain Removal Tips

We sure do love the smell of holiday pine from Christmas trees, but sometimes they can leave a mess behind. If you've already removed your Christmas tree only to discover stains on your carpet, here's what to do: 

First thing to know is that there are three different types of stains:

• Sap from your tree
• Dye from tree skirts
• Dirty water stains from leaky tree stands

Second thing to know is how to remove these stains:

Sap - Moisten a white towel with rubbing alcohol. Blot the sappy stain and continue until sap is completely removed.

Dye - Blot with rubbing alcohol and a white towel until no more color transfers to the towel. Then, use a diluted mixture of mild liquid detergent and blot. Avoid rubbing, as this can distort the fibers in your carpet. Any dye remaining? You may need to call a professional carpet cleaner.

Dirty Water - Blot up all excess water. Clean with a diluted mixture of mild liquid detergent and blot until no more soil is transfer to the towel. To dry, cover with 1 half layer of white toweling and weight it down with a book. The remaining moisture will pick up into the toweling.

Of course, the number one way to be stain-free is to prevent it in the first place! So next year, place a towel underneath your Christmas tree to act as a barrier between your tree and your floor.

For more spot removal tips, visit Triple S on the web. We are your source for top notch professional cleaning services for all your textiles, including carpet! We are a family owned business with over 50 years of experience, ready to help you get rid of Christmas tree stains and other holiday accidents.

Triple S has three main plant locations:

Stamford Plant | 400 West Main Street
Norwalk Plant | 337 Westport Avenue
Stratford Plant | 1800 Stratford Avenue

How to Remove Every Type of Stain

It’s all happened to us at some point or another. We spill a cup of coffee on our favorite shirt or drop a bottle of nail polish on the rug. Whatever the mess may be, there’s almost always a way to clean it up. As your Norwalk professional carpet and upholstery cleaning company, we’d like to provide you with a few expert tips to get rid of every type of stain you can think of.

5 Step Stain Removal

Step 1. Apply a small amount of dry cleaning solvent or alcohol. You can buy this at your local grocery or drug store. Be sure to use small amounts to prevent any possible damage to sizing, backings, or stuffing materials.

Step 2. Mix one teaspoonful of white neutral detergent with a cup of lukewarm water.

Step 3. Mix one tablespoon of household ammonia with a half cup of water.

Step 4. Mix one-third cup of white household vinegar with two-thirds cup of water.

Step 5. Mix a solution of powdered enzyme laundry detergent following label or box directions. Allow the solution to remain on the stain for the length of time recommended by the manufacturer.

Common Stain Removal Tips

Chocolate - Follow steps 2, 3, 4, & 5

Nail polish - Follow steps 1, 2, 4, & 5

Wine - Follow steps 2, 4, & 3

Grease - Follow steps 1, 2, 3, & 4

Crayon - Follow steps 1 & 2

Oil based paint - Follow steps 1, 2, & 3

For more stain removal tips, click here.

Triple S is your source for top notch professional cleaning services. We are a family owned business with over 50 years of experience, ready to help you get rid of any and all accidental stains!

We have three main plant locations:

Stamford Plant | 400 West Main Street
Norwalk Plant | 337 Westport Avenue
Stratford Plant | 1800 Stratford Avenue

How to Remove Coffee Stains from Everything

If you’re an avid coffee drinker, chances are you’ve spilt (on your favorite shirt, couch, or floor) a number of times. Lucky for all of us who love a morning cup of joe, there are tips and tricks to help you clean coffee stains off of all these surfaces and more!

Next time this happens to you, don’t panic! Here’s how to fight those stains and get back to your daily routine:

Shirt - Use the basic rules of spot removal. Put a few drops in one area of the shirt, count to ten, then examine the results. Next, work from the outer edge and work your way towards the center of the stain. After some time and patience, your stain should be removed thoroughly.

Couch - The same rules apply for couch cleaning, except you’ll want to know which solutions you can use for which fabrics. For many fabrics, you can use a little liquid dish soap and cool water. However, you might want to apply a ProSeal fabric protector to protect your furnishes against accidental spills. Click here to learn more.

Carpets - Your carpet was probably a large investment, so it’s important to clean them with the utmost care. First, apply a small amount of dry cleaning solvent or alcohol, but be sure not to over-wet. Mix one teaspoonful of white neutral detergent with a cup of lukewarm water. Mix one tablespoon of household ammonia with a half cup of water and one-third cup of white household vinegar with two-thirds cup of water. Lastly, blend a solution of powered enzyme laundry detergent following label or box directions.

For more tips on how to quickly remove accidental coffee spills, click here.

Triple S a family owned business with over 50 years of experience and is ready to help you rid stains and spills from your upholstery and carpets! We have three main plant locations:

Stamford Plant | 400 West Main Street
Norwalk Plant | 337 Westport Avenue
Stratford Plant | 1800 Stratford Avenue

How to Remove Paint from Drapes

Looking to repaint your home? Before you pull out the paint brush, make sure you’re prepared to keep your fabrics clean! It’s important to remove drapes before painting your walls to prevent stains, but just incase you’ve already got a headstart without removing them, here’s how you can get them looking fresh again:

Step 1. Scrape off wet paint. Before any paint gets absorbed into the fabric of your drapes, scrape it off using a knife. Careful not to push the excess paint into deeper layers of the fabric as this will be very difficult to remove!

Step 2. Wash with detergent. Mix liquid dishwashing detergent with cold water. Dip a clean white cloth into the solution and work it into stains. The best technique is to press and twist your drapes firmly into the paint spot so it saturates.

Step 3. Rinse. Next step is to dip another cloth into clean water and blot to rinse out the detergent. Are all the paint spots gone? If not, apply some more detergent and rinse it out once more. Repeat this process until you are free of stains.

Step 4. Blot remaining stains. You’re almost done! For drapes that are non-washable, blot any remaining spots with acetone. For washable fabric, apply a pretreating stain remover to the remaining stains.

Step 5. Have a professional cleaning. Some paint is too tough to remove without professional cleaning. If stains dry before you get a chance to wash them or detergent isn’t having an effect, take your drapes to your local cleaner.

Call the specialists at Triple S for a professional cleaning today! Our Take-Down and Re-Installation Service can help you protect your fabric while you repaint your home! Our trained professionals will remove your draperies and make sure they are thoroughly cleaned and then pressed, sized, and returned to you with new pins, exact length and perfect hemlines. Call our experts before your next paint job and leave the work to us!

Triple S has three main plant locations:

                                                Stamford Plant | 400 West Main Street
                                                 Norwalk Plant | 337 Westport Avenue
                                                Stratford Plant | 1800 Stratford Avenue

Expert Tips for Preventing Permanent Fabric Stains

Afraid of spills and accidents? While your answer may be yes, that’s no reason to avoid that beige carpet you always wanted.

Oils often adhere tenaciously to fibers, building up and becoming a physical part of the fabric - but DON’T PANIC! By taking immediate action, this can be easily avoided. See below for our expert tips on spills and spot removal:

1. Blot up spills. Using a clean white absorbent material, immediately soak up the spill.

2. Pre-test spot removal formulas. Before using a new formula, test a small amount on a not-so-noticeable area of the fabric. Put a few drops of formula on each color in the fabric and examine the results. If dye has bled into the absorbent material and cause a color change, call a professional ASCR member cleaner for advice.

3. Do not over-wet. Problems can arise from using large amounts of formulas. Work with small amounts of formulas and blot frequently. Avoid rubbing or brushing the fabric.

4. Work from the outer edge toward the center of the stain. For best results, follow this essential rule.

5. Have patience. Some stains respond slowly.

Need further assistance maintaining clean fabrics? Call the specialists at Triple S! We have three main plant locations:

Stamford Plant | 400 West Main Street

Norwalk Plant | 337 Westport Avenue

Stratford Plant | 1800 Stratford Avenue 

For more cleaning tips and updates, connect with us on social media! 

How to Remove Fresh Pet Urine Stains on Your Carpet

You love your cats and dogs but you're probably not fond of the urine stains they accidentally leave behind on your carpet. The good news is that if you catch the urine stain while it's still fresh, not dried into the carpet, you can follow these few steps to clean it right up.

The most important thing is that you dilute the urine and get it out of the carpet.

1. Use water to blot the spot with a white absorbent material. Your best bet would be a cotton towel. Continue to wet the towel with more water and blot until no more urine is being removed. 
2. Only at this point can you now use your store bought bacteria-enzyme pet urine remover to clean out the remaining urine or odor. 
3. If you don't have a pet urine remover, use the following as a back up:
1. Clean the area with a diluted neutral detergent. 
2. Take a tablespoon of household ammonia to a 1/2 cup of water and blot until no more urine is removed. 
3. Neutralize with 1 part white vinegar to 2 parts of water and blot the area. 
4. Blot up any remaining moisture by pressing or padding the area with the absorbent white towel and weight it down. Allow to dry for 6 hours. 

Important Notes:

• Always test your spotting solution in an inconspicuous area.
• Urine stains may cause permanent dye removal from fibers.
• Urine could have penetrated the carpet and may have contaminated your under padding. Cutting and replacing this section of pad is best.
• If you need help, you can find a IICRC certified carpet cleaner in your area by going to www.iicrc.org.

Triple S Carpet & Drapery Cleaners is located in Connecticut with three main plant locations:

Stamford Plant | 400 West Main Street

Norwalk Plant | 337 Westport Avenue

Stratford Plant | 1800 Stratford Avenue

For cleaning tips and updates, connect with us on social media!

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