Spot removal is one of the most important yet trying facets of commercial carpet care. Some spots are just hard to remove-especially if you don't know what the spot is, and particularly if you use the wrong chemical. The truth of the matter is that while some spots are more challenging than others, with the right chemistry, the right products and the right procedure, spot removal is only as difficult as you make it; and doing it correctly can be incredibly rewarding as you single-handedly help return a carpet to its original beauty.

This article will give you a quick lesson in proper spot removal by:

• reviewing the right way to approach spot removal;
  
• identifying some of the most common stains and how to remove a few of them; and
  
• providing a place to turn for help.
  

First and foremost, the right approach to spot removal involves discarding the standard (and typically correct) carpet care rule that acid chemicals clean alkaline soils and alkaline chemicals clean acid soils. When it comes to spot removal, this rule doesn't apply in all situations. Instead, the rule for spot removal is to identify the stain, use the right chemical and procedure to clean it, and then remove the chemical from the carpet.

"In my opinion, the biggest problem with stain removal is a lack of patience," said Mark Kling, vice president of sales and marketing with DSC Products, a chemical manufacturer and distributor in Muskegon, Mich. "People don't want to take the time to identify the stain, to read the directions on the chemical bottle, or to properly apply and remove the chemical."

Additionally, the right approach to stain removal involves having the right tools and using the right technique. To properly remove stains from your carpet, ensure you have a basic spotting kit. This kit should include-at a minimum-a handful of different chemicals, including an alkaline spotter, an acid spotter, a non-volatile solvent, and an enzyme; a mini-spotter that allows you to easily rinse the stain and flush the chemical; a neutralizer to balance out the spotter; a tamping brush that allows you to beat the carpet instead of scrubbing it; clean towels; and a spotting guide.

"Even a basic spotting kit will ensure that you are prepared for virtually any stain you encounter," said Kling.

Stains come in all shapes, sizes and colors, but the most common stains encountered in the care of commercial carpets are coffee, gum, ink, red dye, urine or other biological stains, and re-occurring stains (those unforgiving stains that just keep wicking back up).

Taking a closer look at coffee, it's very important to realize that coffee goes onto a carpet hot, which means it warms the carpet fibers as it deposits its dye and stains the fibers. Coffee tannins actually get in between the twists and crimps of the carpet, and the heat aids in this process. Similarly, heat helps remove a coffee stain. To remove a set coffee stain, heat the stained area with steam or hot water. Once the carpet fibers are warm, use an acid-based detergent or tannin spotter to break up the molecules that are holding the stain together. The right detergent will help break apart the binding of the sugars and creamers that often hold the stain to the carpet. Use a tamping brush if the stain is concentrated. Otherwise, flush and extract both the detergent and the stain.

"The key to removing a coffee stain is repetition," said Kling. "Coffee has a lot of dye of in it, and that dye is what makes it so difficult to remove. Repetitive applications of heat, chemical and extraction ensure that you remove as much of the stain as possible when the stain is fresh."

If it is not cleaned properly the first time, and particularly if it went through the carpet backing onto the sub-floor, a coffee stain can become a re-occurring stain-it can wick back up every time the stain is cleaned. One of the easiest ways to handle a re-occurring stain is to apply an encapsulating chemical to the stain so that when it wicks back up the stain is captured in the encapsulation process and can be easily vacuumed away. Alternatively, after applying heat and detergent and properly flushing, place a weighted terry cloth towel on the stain. The stain will wick up through the carpet and into the towel, leaving the carpet spot-free.

Gum is another issue for carpet care professionals. And while most professionals still use the old "freeze, crack and tear" method to remove it, there's an easier way. "There are some really great gum softeners available that break down the gum and take the stickiness out of it. They're easy to use, and the gum comes off clean. Again, with the right chemistry, the right products and the right procedure, spot removal of any kind can be quick and easy," said Kling.

No one expects you to be able to identify every kind of stain and know exactly how to treat it to remove it completely. That's why spotting guides exist. Tennant Company and DSC Products assembled a spotting guide that lists 75 different types of stains and the appropriate procedures for cleaning those stains. Don't know what your stain is? Tennant and DSC Products even have a procedure for that.

"Spot removal is an art," said Kling. "And a spotting guide makes that art as easy as painting by numbers."

To learn more about proper spot removal contact Tennant at 1-800-553-8033 and reference code DN 05 W041. Click here to obtain a copy of the spotting guide.