No carpet is stain proof, but since many are stain resistant, you have time to act.

If you are not certain of how to clean a stain it's almost always better to contact a professional. If you want to proceed on your own, be careful, work slowly and use the following general quidelines.

1. Remove as much of food spills as possible by scraping the carpet gently with a spoon or a dull knife.
2. Absorb wet spills as quickly as possible by blotting repeatedly with white paper or white cloth towels. Always blot; never rub or scrub abrasively, as a fuzzy area may result. When blotting, work from the outer edge in toward the center of the spot to avoid spreading the spill.
3. Remove the stain using one of the cleaning items from the checklist below.
4. Rinse the cleaned carpet area with water to remove detergent residue that may become sticky and cause rapid re-soiling.
5. Absorb any remaining moisture by placing several layers of white towels over the spot and weighing them down with a heavy object. This step is necessary even when the carpet doesn't seem particularly damp.

Have your spill kit ready!

You should use the following items for handling spills on your carpet. It's important to use only the items listed, because many other household cleaners contain chemicals that may permanently damage your carpet.

• White cloths or white paper towels
• Detergent solution
  Mix mild liquid detergent with water (no more than 1/4 teaspoon of detergent to 32 ounces of water). A clear, non-bleach liquid dishwashing detergent such as Dawn, Joy, or clear Ivory is recommended. Do not use detergents that are cloudy or creamy because they may leave a sticky residue.
• Vinegar solution
  Mix 1 part white vinegar to 1 part water.
• Ammonia solution
  Mix one tablespoon of ammonia to one cup of water. (Do not use on wool or wool-blend carpets.)
• Non-oily nail polish remover
• Chewing gum remover (freeze or solid type)
• Spot Remover
  Use spot removers designed specifically for grease, oil, or tar, such as Carbona or Energine.