While regular vacuuming and deep cleaning can help prevent dirt from settling into carpets, sometimes spills or accidents happen. A carpet spray that can tackle stains and smells is a handy tool to have on hand for emergency situations. These cleaners are usually much more effective than powder deodorizers, and they’re not as messy. They can also be used as pre-sprays before a carpet or rug is cleaned, to help lift dirt and oils and make the carpet cleaning process more efficient.
A good carpet spray should be able to remove many common food and beverage stains, including red wine, coffee, tea, soda, and dark-red dyes from natural foods like beets and berries. It should also be able to break down fat molecules and lift oily stains that are usually very difficult to remove using water alone. Most importantly, a good carpet cleaner should be safe for both children and pets.
Carpet Cleaning Pre-Sprays for Tough Stains and Heavy Traffic Areas
While there are a wide variety of carpet sprays on the market, it’s important to keep in mind that some can permanently set in-fiber stains if they come into contact with them. For this reason, it’s best to use a carpet-specific spray cleaner that doesn’t contain bleach or other harmful chemicals. Some of the cleaners that we tested, like OxiClean’s product, use sodium percarbonate and other ingredients that are on the EPA’s list of safe chemical ingredients to remove tough stains and odors. They’re also colorfast, so they should not damage or discolor the fibers of your carpet or rug.