Did you host a Labor Day party or barbeque?  Were you prepared for stains, spills, or any other mishaps that came from having a few dozen people walking through your home with food and drinks?  We’ve got a few great tips for your next hosting experience!

Today we will focus on how to get BBQ sauce out of carpet because that is a likely accident waiting to happen.

First, use a butter knife to scrape as much of the sauce off the carpet as you can. The sooner you catch the stain the better.

Dab some lukewarm water on the stain if it has already dried. Hopefully if someone spills they will tell you right away, but sometimes that doesn’t happen.

Add ¼ teaspoon mild detergent or carpet shampoo to 1 liter of cold water. Stir the solution in a bowl to mix thoroughly.

Before you apply any cleaner to your carpet, test the cleaner in a small patch where no one will see it. Wait a few minutes. If the cleaner discolors or otherwise adversely affects the carpet, remove it immediately with cold water and a sponge. If it ends up causing permanent damage, at least it won’t be right in the middle of the room.

If the cleaner does not affect the carpet, moisten a clean cloth liberally with the cleaning solution, and simply lay the cloth over the stain.

Use the bottom of a spoon to gently press down on the cloth. Gradually work your way all over the cloth, starting on the outside and working your way toward the center in a spiral to prevent spreading the stain. This process works the solution into the carpet without rubbing the stain in or damaging the carpet fibers.

Lift the cloth off the stain and gently spray with warm water.

Blot the stain with a clean cloth.

If the stain is gone, use a hair dryer on a low setting to dry the carpet.

If the stain is not gone, keep the carpet damp and call a professional dry cleaner as soon as possible.

At the end of the day a stain on your carpet is not the end of the world, however, they can be fixed if you follow the steps above. No need to let a little accident ruin your fun of hosting another party.