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Stains, Mopping, Wiping, Ironing, Cleaning/Questions Answered by Expert Todd Malin
| Subject | Date Asked |
| beer or rum mixed with water on an antique table | 1/7/2012 |
| Q: I have an antique table with a varnish finish. It is dark wood. After removing a vinyl tablecloth ... A: Karen, It's possible that the alcohol ate thru the varnish. Alcohol has a solvent base which is ... | |
| carpet cleaning | 11/14/2011 |
| Q: within the past month i had a very reputable carpet service come to my condo,in which i rent.i ... A: Donna, Without looking at the carpet, I will do the best I can to explain what you might be dealing ... | |
| wine stain | 7/31/2011 |
| Q: I have a wine stain on a cream colored vinyl covering for our boat. It has turned a darker color ... A: Amy, Try white vinegar. Get the corner of a towel damp with the vinegar and then like you're ... | |
| awful smell from new pair of pants | 7/25/2011 |
| Q: but no category seems to cover any thing close to my issue and I noticed you did answer a question ... A: Janelle, Nothing you did should have caused anything to smell, especially if they were not still ... | |
| iodine spillage on cotton shirt | 6/16/2011 |
| Q: on the logo i managed to get a dark black patch about 6 inch diameter. the patch was iodine and it ... A: Jazz, Unfortunately, Iodine is almost impossible to remove. They do make chemicals specifically to ... | |
| Outdoor carpet | 6/9/2011 |
| Q: My father glued indoor /outdoor carpeting on his front steps a couple years ago. It looked nice for ... A: Doing it by hand probably won't remove the mold. Spray some lysol on it which will kill the mold. ... | |
| gloss table | 5/14/2011 |
| Q: i cleaned my white gloss table with bleach and it has left a yellow smear on it.It is faint i have ... A: Pauline, Bleach can change the color of the table. Yellow usually means it has done that. There's ... | |
| towel stain | 5/10/2011 |
| Q: I had a towel come out of the dryer with a white oblong stain. This stain has hardened and became ... A: Andrew, The only thing I can think of that might have happened is the residue from the hair spray ... | |
| Butter on couch | 5/9/2011 |
| Q: Butter was spilt on and has now absorbed into my couch. I have tried cleaning it with some washing ... A: Claire, Butter is oil based, so no water based cleaner will remove it. You need to use a solvent. ... | |
| Laminate floor | 5/6/2011 |
| Q: We had a laminate floor installed a couple of years ago. I was vacuuming and then using a Swiffer ... A: Myra, There's nothing in a swiffer that should cause streaks, unless it removed some of the finish ... | |
| cleaning off-white carpet | 4/6/2011 |
| Q: i clean houses & have a client whose sliding bedroom closet doors left metal shavings on their ... A: Sharon, usually what you're describing comes from the graphite off the doors. You need to use a ... | |
| Fire place flue | 4/4/2011 |
| Q: We have a newly installed stainless steel chimney flue inside our home. We left the protective film ... A: Deveash, Different kinds of plastic act differently when they are heated. Some plastics melt and ... | |
| carpet stain | 3/21/2011 |
| Q: About two weeks ago my son spilled tomato sauce (Chef Boy-Ar-Dee) on our beige Berber carpet. I used ... A: Patricia, A couple things. First, when you use products like Oxy-Clean, it makes it look like the ... | |
| Leather Bed | 2/22/2011 |
| Q: I bought a leather bed a few months ago, and have noticed a strong almost fishy smell coming from ... A: Toni, Very sorry this took so long. I didn't get the question. Cleaning probably won't do much. ... | |
| red dye removal | 1/24/2011 |
| Q: After researching red stain removal Procedures I've used two to get out of the carpet throughout the ... A: The spot dyeing is very tricky. It rarely looks better. I didn't realize you meant the carpet ... | |
| red dye removal | 1/24/2011 |
| Q: After researching red stain removal Procedures I've used two to get out of the carpet throughout the ... A: Lakiiesha, Red dye is very difficult to fully remove, but as you saw it can be partially removed. ... | |
| red wine on linen | 12/30/2010 |
| Q: We try oxy clean for red wine stains in bright white linen but it's not work well. So how to do it. ... A: Yolande, If oxy clean didn't work, try a solution of vinegar & water. Put 3 tablespoons of white ... | |
| Cleaning sofa | 12/23/2010 |
| Q: How do I clean my Hella Jongerius sofa. The model is called Polder. Kindly, Tellef Ogrim Oslo A: Tellef, To answer this, I need more info. What material is the sofa? If it's something that can ... | |
| Couches | 12/9/2010 |
| Q: I have 2 couches that are in good shape but the armsare terribly stained from certain peoople eating ... A: Janice, Sorry this took so long. Holiday season is a very busy time for my business. Try taking a ... | |
| cleaning adhesive off box spring | 11/29/2010 |
| Q: Is it possible to put some sort of Scotch Guard fabric spray on a silk couch to protect it against ... A: Mary Ann, Take a plain white towel and put some acetone or paint thinner on a corner of it. Then ... | |
| protectant for large silk sectional couch | 11/29/2010 |
| Q: Is it possible to put some sort of Scotch Guard fabric spray on a silk couch to protect it against ... A: Mary Ann, It is possible to do yourself, but I would suggest hiring someone. It has to be a ... | |
| pet urine | 11/20/2010 |
| Q: My 13 year old cocker spaniel urinated on my sofa! I washed the cover but the inside is a thick foam ... A: Mary, You can wash the inside, but not in the washer. Make yourself a spray bottle using a couple ... | |
| Carpet protectant | 11/15/2010 |
| Q: What is a good carpet protectant to apply after shampooing my carpet? I would like something to put ... A: Donn, So sorry this took so long. My computer was being repaired. If you're going to use a ... | |
| Fabric rust stains | 10/26/2010 |
| Q: I hope you can help with a fabric stain question.I was washing various items,underwear,pillow ... A: Michael, White vinegar is the right solution. Have you tried to wash the clothes in the washer ... | |
| linoleum floor | 10/23/2010 |
| Q: Is there anyway to remove pererment marker from a linoleum floor? A: Mary, The only thing that sometimes works is a solvent. So something like acetone or turpentine. ... | |
| Wax on clothes.... | 10/20/2010 |
| Q: Aloha Todd =) I am an Esthetician, so I perform various facials and body waxing to clients all ... A: Christie, The safest way to remove wax is with heat. Put a towel over the wax spot. Then take an ... | |
| pumkin stain | 10/17/2010 |
| Q: I had a pumkin on a marble table and it left a stain. A: Joey, There is acid in pumpkin juice. It can absorb into the marble. This isn't something you can ... | |
| getting bleach spots out of carpet | 10/1/2010 |
| Q: How do I cover or get bleach spots out of carpet without spending a fortune on professional ... A: Melissa, There are a few things you can try. It depends on the color of the carpet. If it's a ... | |
| stain | 9/18/2010 |
| Q: I have split some nail polish remover on my new wooden desk that cost over two-hundred pounds. I ... A: Betha, Unfortunately, the only way to remove nail polish is with a solvent, like nail polish ... | |
| STAIN ON FINISHED WOOD | 8/27/2010 |
| Q: I have a beautiful farm table with a water spot stain, please tell me that you know of something I ... A: Colleen, It depends on what kind of finish is on the table. If there is a finish, you can try ... | |
| removing adhesive stain from leather wallet | 8/27/2010 |
| Q: I just bought a new leather wallet for my husband and wen home, found that the leather pasting was ... A: Sammy, Unfortunately, glue has a solvent in it. Solvents eat thru the color on some materials. ... | |
| carpet stain | 7/20/2010 |
| Q: My 8-month old black lab ate a book which had a lot of black ink in the binding; at least this was ... A: Patricia, The ink probably had a dye in it. It probably won't come out using any normal spotting ... | |
| how to clean carpet | 7/19/2010 |
| Q: daughter broke kerosene lamp on fireplace harth and spilled lamp oil on carpet and brick how to ... A: Jane, Kerosene is removable, but there is really no way you are going to be able to do this ... | |
| Persian wool rug | 7/14/2010 |
| Q: Please help - I have purchased a used persian wool carpet that has cooking oil stains on it, I do ... A: Joy, Oil stains can be removed, but probably not without a cleaning machine. It's best to have it ... | |
| spot remover on wall | 7/13/2010 |
| Q: My friend has oily spots on her painted dry wall. These spots were caused by a child throwing a ... A: Jean, If she used 409 and it didn't work, most likely the chemical in the ball damaged her paint. ... | |
| Spilled Paint | 7/4/2010 |
| Q: My daughter has spilt childrens paint on my carpet, any idea's on cleaning? It could be reactive ... A: Most childrens paints are water based. Your best bet is to rent a machine from a hardware store. ... | |
| wax on carpet | 6/14/2010 |
| Q: Help! When lifting a candle from the mantel to blow it out I spilled wax on the carpet!! Can I get ... A: Kelly, You have a couple options. One is you can take a towel, put it over the wax and then run an ... | |
| Cork Floor Stain | 6/12/2010 |
| Q: We had some weights sitting on a cork floor. They have left a rust stain. Do you know how this ... A: Rust can sometimes come out using something acetic. Try to put a little vinegar on a towel and ... | |
| Leather Cleaner | 6/10/2010 |
| Q: I have this nice tan leather ottoman that has stains/marks on it, I tried alcohol but nothing seems ... A: John, Don't use alcohol, the solvent is not good for the leather. Hardware stores usually have a ... | |
| Red soda pop on white vinyl boat cushion | 6/1/2010 |
| Q: How to remove a red soda pop stain on a white vinyl boat seat? A: Jean, Red pop has red dye in it. No cleaning product will remove it until the dye breaks down. ... | |
| Removing spray sunscreen stain from grey vinyl boat seats | 6/1/2010 |
| Q: We just bought a new boat. First time out our youngest child sprayed sunscreen on her legs. It is ... A: Candace, It's possible that there's a dye in the sunscreen. But sunscreen does have an oil base, ... | |
| moth balls | 5/29/2010 |
| Q: I have a small camper we use in the summer that has been plagued with mice getting in. Last year I ... A: Don, The moth balls absorb into everything, so washing everything down is the right thing to do. ... | |
| glue stains on carpet | 5/26/2010 |
| Q: Yesterday we had a new furnace installed in our home. The installer spilled some blue glue on our ... A: Karen, You might be able to get a professional to spot clean the carpet without doing the whole ... | |
| Stain on leather couch | 5/23/2010 |
| Q: I some how got a spot of hair color on our very light leather couch over the weekend. I do not know ... A: Linda, Sorry I don't have a good answer for you. Hair color is dye and dye doesn't come out, ... | |
| black ceramic tile floor | 5/14/2010 |
| Q: I have black ceramic tile floor in my kitchen, hallway, and dining room. It never looks good even ... A: Belinda, It sounds like the finish of the floor is either not sealed or sealed poorly. If you've ... | |
| modeling clay from dryer | 5/4/2010 |
| Q: Help! My son left his modeling clay project in his pocket and it went through the dryer. It melted ... A: Debbie, Wow. For the clothes, I would try putting them one at a time in the freezer. Leave them for ... | |
| Makeup Stain on Wood Dresser | 4/9/2010 |
| Q: I'm cleaning my daughter's room and found what appears to be makeup or powder stains on the top of ... A: Susan, There could be some solvent in the makeup or maybe she used a solvent to try to remove the ... | |
| hard water | 3/18/2010 |
| Q: I have been living in my own home for a little over a year. When I first moved in, the bathtub was ... A: Kristina, There are lots of products that are made for these types of stains. Some work some ... | |
| Fingernail polish remover spill | 3/16/2010 |
| Q: My daughter spilled fingernail polish remover on my new black shiny kitchen table. There is a place ... A: Teresa, Your daughter must keep you busy. Fingernail polish has a solvent in it that removes ... | |
| Memory Foam Mattress | 3/16/2010 |
| Q: My daughter has had several accidents on my mattress and I clean it with a clorox spray and water ... A: Teresa, Probably the bleach wore down the fabric. The only thing you can do is to cut open the ... | |
| Mattress Stain | 3/11/2010 |
| Q: During our move, gear oil was spilled on the side of our mattress. How can I remove the stain and ... A: Susan, Oil has to be removed with a solvent. That can be acetone or paint thinner or something in ... | |
| Repair a hole in my leather sofa | 2/28/2010 |
| Q: My lovely niece decided to find a way to put a pencil into the side of my leather sofa. I tried a ... A: Janell, Masta Plasta is OK, but it's really just a decorative patch. It doesn't exactly match the ... | |
| nail polish on carpet | 2/23/2010 |
| Q: What is the best way to remove nail polish from an acrylic pile area rug and how? A: Susan, Nail polish is very difficult to remove without a professional, but if you want to try ... | |
| Punch on Berber | 2/21/2010 |
| Q: Malin, We had new berber carpet installed, (and the kids know there's no food or drink allowed on ... A: Karen, Red Hawaiian Punch is the problem, not the berber. Berber usually cleans OK. It has some ... | |
| spot cleaning on 100% polyester sofa | 2/20/2010 |
| Q: I have a completely new 100% polyester sofa. I know I should vacuum it regularly, but I am ... A: Liza, First, almost all furniture has an "S" code. They do this because it's almost impossible to ... | |
| leather couch | 2/19/2010 |
| Q: I got some leather furniture from my inlaws. They are a off-white/light tan color and are pretty ... A: Danny, You can get a leather cleaning solution at most hardware stores. It's like waxing a car. ... | |
| Oil on white vinyl boat seats | 2/5/2010 |
| Q: I have a boat that has white vinyl boat cushions. We had a small oil leak, and some of the oil got ... A: Carrie, For oil spots, you have to use a solvent. Solvents can be acetone, paint thinner or ... | |
| Coffee on White Wool Coat | 1/29/2010 |
| Q: HELP! I just purchased an off-white wool winter coat. (darn-you winter white people!!) And, being ... A: Claudine, Coffee and wool are a bad combo. Coffee is an acid, so it's very penetrating and wool is ... | |
| steam mop on laminate floor | 1/18/2010 |
| Q: I've heard different opinions on whether to clean laminate floors with water or not. Some experts ... A: Elsa, It is safe to use water on the laminate floor and the shark products are very good. You do ... | |
| best vacuum for pet hair clean up | 1/17/2010 |
| Q: I'm not sure you can answer this, but I need a recommendation from an expert. we would like to buy ... A: Karen, The best pet hair vacuum I've seen is the Dyson pet hair vacuum, but that's not under $200. ... | |
| Clean and Care for Leather lounge | 1/15/2010 |
| Q: I would like to know what would be the best thing for me to use to clean and maintain my leather ... A: With leather, it's important to condition the leather on a regular basis. I don't know where you ... | |
| cleaning road salt stain from carpet | 1/10/2010 |
| Q: I live in snow country. I have a road salt stains from our boots on our carpeting. My question is ... A: Norm, Usually salt is not a problem, but sometimes on certain carpets salt can discolor the carpet. ... | |
| upholtstery | 1/5/2010 |
| Q: I have a black stain from the burnt wick of a candle [doesn't look like wax-more like soot]on some ... A: Keith, Soot is very fine which is why it's difficult to remove. You usually have to use something ... | |
| Hardwood floor stain | 12/28/2009 |
| Q: I'm not sure if this is something you can answer but do you know the best way to remove or lighten ... A: Paul, This isn't really my expertise. I do have some experience with wood though. It's not ... | |
| black pastel crayon on sofa | 12/19/2009 |
| Q: My daughter was doing a craft project and got black pastel crayon on the sofa fabric. the fabric is ... A: Barbara, You need a solvent to remove a crayon. This is a very tricky thing to do yourself. I ... | |
| Water Stain on laminate | 12/17/2009 |
| Q: While watering a plant, water leaked out and went unnoticed for several days, leaving a whitish ... A: Rick, Water that that travels through a plant picks up damaging chemicals. It probably discolored ... | |
| water stain | 11/22/2009 |
| Q: i used a little green machine to shampoo my linen sofa and it left water rings. i understand that it ... A: Renee, Water rings on linen are common. In the future make sure you don't just get one area wet, ... | |
| removing stain from suede | 11/20/2009 |
| Q: I spilled liquid laundry detergent on my favorite suede shoes. Is there any way to save them??! ... A: Sharon, The only way to get the detergent out is to rinse the soap out with water. Of course ... | |
| stain removal | 11/13/2009 |
| Q: How can I remove lipstick from our microfibre suede lounge we used a little soda water to lift the ... A: Karen, Usually you need a solvent to remove lipstick. Take a white towel and put some nail polish ... | |
| cleaning laminate floor | 10/29/2009 |
| Q: I have brown laminate floor in my livingroom. I noticed that everytime I clean it with laminate ... A: Elsa, The great thing about laminate floors is you can't really damage them , unless you overwet ... | |
| wood and leather care in the tropics | 10/28/2009 |
| Q: I recently moved to the tropics which means dampness and humidity. I would like to know the most ... A: Kathleen, This website (www.valhalco.com) has some earth friendly wood treatments which I'm sure ... | |
| cleaning laminate floor | 10/27/2009 |
| Q: I have brown laminate floor in my livingroom. I noticed that everytime I clean it with laminate ... A: Elsa, It is OK to use water on a laminate floor as long as you're careful. You have to make sure ... | |
| chemically damaged leather | 10/26/2009 |
| Q: i guess this would kinda be a furniture stain question only its my leather seat in my car. a few ... A: Laura, The problem you have is that the greased lightning took color out of the leather. The only ... | |
| cat urine | 10/22/2009 |
| Q: Our 12 year old female cat (who was fixed years ago) urinated many times in our hallway. It is ... A: Michelle, Cat urine smell can be very difficult to remove. You have done everything right so far. ... | |
| hardwood floors | 10/14/2009 |
| Q: I was going to purchase a Shark steam cleaner to do my prefinished hardwood flooring. It is ... A: Carole, One of my clients has the shark and likes it, but I've heard from other people that it's ... | |
| carpet shampooers | 10/14/2009 |
| Q: What carpet shampooer can I buy that not only cleans but is rated the best for drying the carpet?(or ... A: Donna, The brand is not important. What you want to look for is the p.s.i. and the "lift". These ... | |
| wood stain | 10/4/2009 |
| Q: Have pumpkin juice on a cherry wood table,believe it haS varnish on table. Have white cloudy stain. ... A: Kay, If it's a whitish spot, the acid from the pumpkin juice probably damaged the varnish. The ... | |
| stain on vinyl flooring | 10/3/2009 |
| Q: I saw a similar question on this site, maybe you can help me. We have very generic white and black ... A: Karen, Is there a wax finish on the floor? Sometimes wax finishes will yellow from being covered ... | |
| newsprint stain on wood | 9/29/2009 |
| Q: I have an antique pine coffee table. Newspaper was put on it to protect it in storage. I'm left ... A: Jean, It depends on what kind of finish is on the table. It's going to be very difficult to remove ... | |
| sunscreen stain removal | 9/26/2009 |
| Q: I would like to know how to remove a sunscreen stain off an armrest of a loungesuite made from ... A: Isabel, It depends if it's like suede or if it is suede. You should not use water on suede, but if ... | |
| gum | 9/24/2009 |
| Q: I left some gum in a pocket of my 100% cotton shirt, and washed the shirt. The shirt is redish in ... A: Steve, The best way to remove gum is to freeze it. Since it's cotton, you can put the shirt in the ... | |
| sunscreen stain removal | 9/23/2009 |
| Q: I would like to know how to remove a sunscreen stain off an armrest of a loungesuite made from ... A: Isabel, Microfibre is very cleanable. Take a clean white rag or towel, get it damp with warm or ... | |
| Car Sear Water Stain remover | 9/19/2009 |
| Q: Have a 2009 Subaru. The back seat has fabric and has little rain water stain, next to window. Is ... A: This is how you get rid of a water ring. Take a spray bottle and fill it about 1/4 up with white ... | |
| Haircolor stain | 9/16/2009 |
| Q: my daughter got black haircolor on my exspensive yellow wool rug. I don't believe there is anything ... A: Kelly, You're right there's not much you can do. Dye and wool is a bad combination. There are a ... | |
| How to get a towel imprint out of the finish on my dining room table? | 9/15/2009 |
| Q: I set a hot pot on top of a folded towel on my dining room table. When I tried to remove the towel, ... A: Gina, I wish I had a good answer for you, but generally the only way to remove something like that ... | |
| Sticky stuff on carpet | 9/10/2009 |
| Q: We removed double sided foam tape for the carpet in our office and it has left behind pieces of the ... A: April, The only way to remove the stick residue is to use a solvent. This is a very easy thing for ... | |
| bath towels | 9/8/2009 |
| Q: Can you tell me any way that I can remove grungy dirt stains from my wash cloths and towels? I have ... A: Patricia, First thing to try is to leave the towels soak in the washer for about 30 minutes before ... | |
| cat pee on leather | 9/5/2009 |
| Q: My male cat peed on the sides of all my smooth leather sofas. I have cleaned the leather with ... A: Jan, I wish there was a better answer for you. Cat pee and leather is a bad combination. If ... | |
| Cigarette smoke stains | 9/1/2009 |
| Q: We purchased a home and the white woodwork (gloss finish) is stained yellowish from nicotine smoke. ... A: Bea, The only way to get rid of the marks is to re-paint over them. The nicotine penetrates the ... | |
| Wet black leather wallet stained cream carpet | 8/20/2009 |
| Q: G'day from AustraliaI Todd, hHad a bit of a surf around the site but couldn't find a similar issue: ... A: Christie, If the dye came off the wallet, you probably won't be able to get it out. Here's ... | |
| Removing body oil | 8/16/2009 |
| Q: We have a cherry headboard as a part of our bedroom set. Body oils from top of our heads and even ... A: Mary, You have to use a solvent to remove oil. It's really difficult to remove if the oil has ... | |
| pollen stains on vinyl boat seats | 8/13/2009 |
| Q: A: Christina, Make a solution of water and non-bleaching liquid laundry detergent in a 16oz. bottle. ... | |
| Painting carpet | 8/12/2009 |
| Q: I have a 100% wool carpet that I would like to add a darker blue color over a light gray color on ... A: Jacki, In a word, no. This is not a good idea to do yourself unless it's an old rug and you don't ... | |
| rubber automobile floor mats | 8/11/2009 |
| Q: Hot butter leaked out of the seafood container sitting on the floor of the car. It is now ... A: Patti, Butter is oil, so water based cleaners won't do anything. The problem with using a ... | |
| melted spot on iron | 8/9/2009 |
| Q: My iron seems to have some of the teflon worn in one area. When I'm ironing the clothing melts to ... A: Mary, First, you need a new iron. If the teflon is worn, the heat is not being distributed ... | |
| Black Spots on Clothes | 8/4/2009 |
| Q: I have been washing and ironing my own clothes for a couple of years now and have not encountered a ... A: Robert, My first thought is that the iron is causing some minor burns to the fabric. But if you ... | |
| Soy Baby Formula Stain on Microfiber Sectional | 8/2/2009 |
| Q: ..we have a light colored microfiber sectional which has several circular stains from which we can ... A: Lee, Sorry this took so long to answer. I forgot to put the vacation date in. Microfiber is ... | |
| Sterilizing kitchen counters | 7/30/2009 |
| Q: I don't know if you have the answer for this, but here goes. We just had a pest control service who ... A: Anita, It depends on what kind of counters you have. If they have been sealed with something, then ... | |
| butter stain | 7/28/2009 |
| Q: Butter stain on dining room chair upholstery. HELP. Thanks...sooooooooooo much. A: Betty, Since butter is oil based, you have to use a solvent to remove it. This can be tricky. ... | |
| Mould on wooden celing | 7/28/2009 |
| Q: I recently noticed green mould on my wooden bathroom ceilings (which are an oak finish). What can I ... A: Peep, You're best bet is to use something like lysol to kill the mold. It may discolor the wood, ... | |
| Carpet cleaning | 7/27/2009 |
| Q: In trying to decide what's the best technique for cleaning a soiled carpet. Its hard to decide based ... A: Clayon, There are two basic carpet cleaning methods. Wet cleaning or dry cleaning. Wet cleaning ... | |
| Spray Painted Rug | 7/26/2009 |
| Q: I got a light spray paint stain on my wool area rug, and didn't see it until it was dry. How can I ... A: Logan, This is really tricky. You need to use a solvent like acetone or paint thinner to remove ... | |
| remove paint | 7/22/2009 |
| Q: I have paint spots on a desk & want to remove the spots without hurting the desk finish. Thank you. ... A: Jerry, It's very difficult to remove paint from wood without harming the finish. There are a few ... | |
| Faded leather couch | 7/18/2009 |
| Q: whats the best thing to use to restore the color to the cushions on our leather couch? It's a medium ... A: John, The first option is to call wherever you bought the sofa and ask if they sell a restoration ... | |
| Cleaning tea from ottoman | 7/18/2009 |
| Q: I spilt some tea on my beige carpet and ottoman. I put water on the carpet and ottoman immediately ... A: Marcia, If it dries and there's still a stain, put some vinegar and water solution on the spot. ... | |
| water stains on terra cotta | 7/12/2009 |
| Q: I care for a large indoor pool, with many trees and plants throughout. Over the years, white water ... A: Burl, Is there a finish on the tile? If you wax the tile or use some other finish, the white ... | |
| Alcohol spots on brick | 7/11/2009 |
| Q: I sprayed a large plant in my foyer with regular rubbing alcohol to try to control aphids. The ... A: Betty, White spots usually indicate some finish has been removed. If it wasn't the pledge that was ... | |
| stain removal | 7/11/2009 |
| Q: my granddaughter spilled some red kool-aid on my carpet its light colored please help A: Kathy, Red Kool-Aid is red dye. There is no way to easily remove it. If it's in an area that gets ... | |
| color bleeding | 7/3/2009 |
| Q: i was wahing a load of darks and didn't realize that a pink dish cloth had sneaked in. Now I have ... A: Sarah, Wish I had a better answer for you, but dye is dye and bleach is bleach. The bleach spot ... | |
| Raised rough spot on polished granite | 6/29/2009 |
| Q: Todd. My polished granite counter has a small, raised rough spot. I can see it only at an angle, ... A: Sheila, Most likely you would have to re-polish the affected area. You really need a professional ... | |
| Shag Carpet & Cat Urine | 6/28/2009 |
| Q: My cat decided it was necessary to urinate on my brand new Shag Carpet, which is a super thick wool, ... A: I'm not touching the stuffing the cat question. As far as the carpet goes, nature's miracle is OK ... | |
| Removal of white-out off of brass. | 6/26/2009 |
| Q: What solvent would be best to remove white-out from an expensive brass bust statue that wouldn't ... A: I got your second question. Is there any way for you to very carefully try to scrape the white out ... | |
| permanent maker on microfiber couch | 6/22/2009 |
| Q: My grandchild wrote on my red microfiber couch with a black permanent marker. Is there any solution ... A: Crystal, Micorfiber is usually very cleanable, even with very difficult things like permanent ... | |
| Ironing | 6/16/2009 |
| Q: Could you please tell me if there is any way to reduce or remove the shiny mark you get if you have ... A: Tania, Most likely if the iron was too hot, the fibers on the pants have melted. That's why it ... | |
| Dry Clean Only Comforter | 6/14/2009 |
| Q: Please help! My dog used the bathroom on my dry clean only comforter. It's brown and light blue and ... A: Christina, First of all, taking it to the cleaners will not help. Dry cleaning will not remove ... | |
| orange cleaner | 6/10/2009 |
| Q: I bought orange cleaner at the 99 cent store for .99, thought it would be like Orange TKO. When i ... A: Peggy, Many of the "orange cleaners" contain some kind of solvent. It should be safe for clothes ... | |
| lilly stains | 6/10/2009 |
| Q: my husband got lilly stain on my pale turquise sofa tried to clean it off with clear water.and this ... A: Wendy, When you say the spot got worse, did it spread? If it did, try water again but make sure ... | |
| cleaning leather | 6/8/2009 |
| Q: Do you know of anything that will take ballpoint ink of leather? Thanks, Jo A: Ball point ink is really tough to get out of leather. Try nail polish remover, but you have to test ... | |
| Ugly grout | 5/27/2009 |
| Q: My puppies have had some accidents in the apartment and the grout is a light color I clean the spots ... A: Melanie, No matter what kind of sealer you use, sometimes urine will stain the grout. A darker ... | |
| stain on couch | 5/19/2009 |
| Q: I used an upholstery cleaner i purchased on a stain on my couch from moving. The stain was probably ... A: Try Putting a couple drops of white vinegar in a spray bottle. Fill the rest with water. Mist the ... | |
| Dog urine on hand made persian rugs | 5/14/2009 |
| Q: Do you have a remedy to remove dog urine from my hand made persian wool rugs? A: It is very difficult to remove urine from any kind of wool rug. There are a few things to try. ... | |
| hair color removal from floors | 5/5/2009 |
| Q: I have a beauty salon and hair color has spilled on my floor and rubber mats. I would like to know ... A: If bleach doesn't work on the rubber mats, that's about it. Rubber will absorb the dye and if it ... | |
| Microfiber couch | 5/3/2009 |
| Q: I had a couch given to me....I don't know if it's worth keeping though. It's microfiber material and ... A: Yomaira, Microfiber is very cleanable. I would at least try to clean it before you ditch it. If ... | |
| hair color removal from floors | 5/1/2009 |
| Q: I have a beauty salon and hair color has spilled on my floor and rubber mats. I would like to know ... A: margaret, This is not something that can always be removed. Obviously hair color is dye. If the ... | |
| Stain on wall | 4/27/2009 |
| Q: I moved a chair today and noticed a stain on my wall. My wall is an off-white color, and my chair is ... A: Christy, The stain is probably dye from the chair. Maybe from the chair rubbing up against the ... | |
| stain removal | 4/21/2009 |
| Q: how can i remove wood stain paint rrom a carpet A: Elaine, Sometimes you can and sometimes you can't with wood stain. You can try acetone, but you ... | |
| what is it? | 4/14/2009 |
| Q: Could you please click on this link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/33404394@N05/ I need to know ... A: There's no specific name for something bleeding through the material. There is a situation called ... | |
| what is it? | 4/13/2009 |
| Q: Could you please click on this link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/33404394@N05/ I need to know ... A: Jessica, First, It does not look like anything you need to worry about like mold or bacteria. It ... | |
| poly acrylic rug | 4/11/2009 |
| Q: What is the best way to clean a poly/acrylic rug? Both general cleaning and deep cleaning for spills ... A: Mari, This rug can be cleaned like any other. The only thing you have to be careful of is not to ... | |
| DOG PEE! | 4/10/2009 |
| Q: HELP! My dog peed all over my bed!! It's a pillow top mattress. It smells TERRIBLE. How can I get ... A: Kayla, The best thing to do is to go to a pet store or hardware store and get a cleaner called ... | |
| Baby formula on cloth seats on my car | 4/9/2009 |
| Q: When my son was drinking formula he would throw his bottle around the back seat of my car (I have ... A: Erica, Put a couple drops of non bleaching liquid laundry detergent in a spray bottle. Fill the ... | |
| Cleaning Glass | 4/7/2009 |
| Q: I have a coffee table with a glass top that sits near a window. Seconds after I clean the glass, ... A: Mona, Try a vinegar and water mix. about 1/3 vinegar to 2/3 water. If that doesn't work, it might ... | |
| urine stains on cloth seat in car | 3/26/2009 |
| Q: my friends played a horrible joke and unrinated on my cloth seats in my car000how do i get stains ... A: First rinse with a water vinegar mixture. Put about 3 oz of vinegar in a 16oz spray bottle and fill ... | |
| leather sofa | 3/20/2009 |
| Q: hi my dauther was ill with diorrea and sickness and she fell a sleep on my sofa and had an accident ... A: Sonia, What you want to do is spray a deodorizer like fabreeze on the sofa. DON'T spray it ... | |
| cleaning | 3/17/2009 |
| Q: How do you remove eraser marks from a cloth type surface? A: Jimmy, Try water first. Take a white towel and get the corner of it damp. Squeeze any excess ... | |
| stain on carpet | 3/17/2009 |
| Q: What can i use to remove the oil and tar from the heel of a shoe that has disintigrated leaving a ... A: Denise, To remove oil or grease, you need to use a solvent. You have to be very careful though. ... | |
| Stain in carpet | 3/16/2009 |
| Q: I have a blood stain in my carpet, how can I clean it without replacing the carpet. the stain is ... A: Blood can be very difficult to remove, but try this. Take a 16oz spray bottle and put a small ... | |
| BLEACH STAIN ON MY COUCH!!! | 3/4/2009 |
| Q: When I was moving, someone sat a box with wet Comet on my BLACK microfiber couch and now there is a ... A: Renita, The good news is that black is the easiest color to replace. Any kind of dye will work, ... | |
| water stains on white sofa | 3/3/2009 |
| Q: My cat left stains on sofa. I bought a multi fabric sofa cleaner. It removed the pet stains but ... A: Melinda, Water rings come from overwetting one area. Next time make sure you get the sofa cushion ... | |
| cleaning sheets | 2/24/2009 |
| Q: I was stupid enough to leave my beautiful white duvet cover in the boiler room for quite a while. ... A: Pat, Yellowing can sometimes be reversed, but it can be time consuming. First, whenever possible ... | |
| stain question | 2/21/2009 |
| Q: I recently cleaned my light grey colored bathroom tile that has a lighter gray grout using a Swiffer ... A: I'm really sorry, I hit the wrong button the first time. The the first thing you can try is a grout ... | |
| ink removal | 2/11/2009 |
| Q: How do I remove blue ink from fake leather couch? And, why is this questionnaire exactly like the ... A: Diane, I don't understand the last part of your question. If the sofa is ultrasuede, try a solution ... | |
| coffee stain on sofa | 2/3/2009 |
| Q: I spilled a cup of coffee/with soy milk on my sofa today. It is on a removable pillow and the fabic ... A: Dee, Try a little vinegar water solution. Put about 4 ounces of white vinegar in a 16oz spray ... | |
| Iron burn stain | 2/1/2009 |
| Q: The other morning I was attempting to iron the wrinkles out of a reclining chair in my front room. I ... A: Mike, Generally there's nothing you can do about a burn. Sometimes you can use a knife to scrape ... | |
| red permanent Sahrpie marker ink stain on microfiber brand new couch (brown) | 1/24/2009 |
| Q: how to remove the stain!!!! A: Lynn, sorry it took so long to answer, I was out of town. Microfiber is very cleanable, but ... | |
| orange juice stain on wood | 1/20/2009 |
| Q: i wondered if you could advise me. My daughter spilt pure orange juice on my brand new light oak ... A: Lisa, Orange juice has acid in it, so what happens is the acid eats thru the finish. How you fix ... | |
| comforter | 1/10/2009 |
| Q: I have a 100 percent polyester comforter ... how do I get the wrinkles out of it .... it has to be ... A: Sorry it took so long to answer. Patricia, there are a couple things you can do. Even though it ... | |
| Car interior | 1/9/2009 |
| Q: When pulling his golf clubs out of my VW Beetle, my son scuffed the inside roof with the leather ... A: Denise, You can try this, but sometimes when dye is transferred it is very difficult to remove. ... | |
| Carpet cleaning | 1/5/2009 |
| Q: While ironing my clothes I have placed the hot iron box on a printed bed sheet which is on the ... A: Vamsi, Unfortunately, most likely the carpet melted together with the bed sheet. That's why it's ... | |
| water stained window treatement | 1/2/2009 |
| Q: Water flooded our bedroom in our vacation condo several months ago. We are having our first ... A: Kim, Try using a vinegar water solution. Get a 16 oz. spray bottle, put 4 ounces of white vinegar ... | |
| Wine stain on Linoleum | 12/20/2008 |
| Q: How do you get a wine stain out of a linoleum floor? I read how to get it out of a vinyl floor. I ... A: Ann, If the spot has been there for a few years, you're going to have to use something with bleach ... | |
| iron marks on dining table | 11/8/2008 |
| Q: I took the tablecloth off to wash and now there are white iron-shaped marks all over my black table. ... A: Lisa, you either burned the table slightly or caused some problem with the finish. The heat ... | |
| Pumpkin juice Stain on Cream Wool Carpet | 11/5/2008 |
| Q: My 4 year old son took in secret his halloween pumpkin to his room one night. The following morning ... A: Sandra, First make a bottle of spot remover. Take an ounce of non-bleaching liquid laundry ... | |
| stains on light upholstery | 11/2/2008 |
| Q: I have a recently puchased 2nd hand living room set with cream colored upholstery with a pastel ... A: Susan, Resolve leaves too much residue, so it attracts dirt to the spots and then the spots get ... | |
| blood stains | 11/2/2008 |
| Q: I've got an odd combination of fake blood (from a Halloween party) and actual blood (from a ... A: Keith, Bleach can cause discoloration, but usually if you can get it rinsed out in the washer ... | |
| Velour Chair Cushion Cleaning | 10/13/2008 |
| Q: I have six antique chairs with velour cushions. My home was hit by a tornado and part of the ... A: Melissa, You can certainly clean the cushions yourself. The Bissell is a good idea. Just make ... | |
| pastel crayon | 10/3/2008 |
| Q: how can I remove black pastel shavings that have been rubbed into our light brown woollen carpet ? A: andrew, sorry this took so long. I had computer problems. To get these out, you probably have to ... | |
| bleach stain | 10/2/2008 |
| Q: Hi i have a big bleach stain in the trunk of my car how do i remove it? A: Daphene, you can't remove bleach. Bleach is color loss. You can only add the color back in. There ... | |
| Stain removal on couch | 10/2/2008 |
| Q: My son just threw up Red Gatorade on our microfiber couch. What can I use to clean the couch and ... A: Heather, Red Gatorade is basically red dye. The one positive thing is microfiber is very ... | |
| Rit Dye Spots on carpet | 9/23/2008 |
| Q: How do I remove black RIT Dye stains from a light colored berber carpet? A: Richard, Unfortunately, Dye doesn't come out unless you bleach it out. Of course bleach can cause ... | |
| boat stain | 9/12/2008 |
| Q: THe white vinyl upholstery on our boat has stains where the black custom cover lies on top of the ... A: Paula, If it is dye from the covers, then bleach is probably your only solution. Bleach is not ... | |
| fingernail polish | 9/11/2008 |
| Q: Please help, my 2yr old got DARK purple nail polish on my brand new bright red micro-fiber sofa. How ... A: Sara, Nail polish is very tough once it hardens. The best way to remove it is with nail polish ... | |
| boat stain | 9/10/2008 |
| Q: THe white vinyl upholstery on our boat has stains where the black custom cover lies on top of the ... A: Paula, Sorry it took so long to respond. It depends what the stains have come from. If moisture ... | |
| moving and want to rid mold odor | 9/7/2008 |
| Q: i moved in with my mother and unfortunately she has a mold issue and my furniture clothes and ... A: Alexis, Washing everything is the first step. Fresh air will help alot. After washing the clothes, ... | |
| sharpie marks | 9/6/2008 |
| Q: i inadvertently got blue sharpie marks on my high gloss, white painted kitchen cabinet door...have ... A: Sharman, you can try acetone or nail polish remover. BUT you have to be very careful, because the ... | |
| Fingernail polish. | 8/21/2008 |
| Q: My little brother got ahold of finger nail polish..and threw the bottle at the wall, and of course ... A: Courtney Fingernail polish is very difficult to remove after its dry. Your best bet is fingernail ... | |
| stains on a slate hearth | 8/21/2008 |
| Q: Last Halloween we put our pumpkin on our slate hearth, unfortunately the pumpkin juice overflowed ... A: Nita You can try a marble cleaner, but sometimes stains like that need to be ground out ... | |
| microfiber | 8/20/2008 |
| Q: how do you get out scratch/scuff marks on a microfiber sofa....this mircofiber looks like the ... A: Syd, Sorry, I thought you meant like a scuff from a shoe. If the material is actually scratched ... | |
| microfiber | 8/19/2008 |
| Q: how do you get out scratch/scuff marks on a microfiber sofa....this mircofiber looks like the ... A: Syd, Generally microfiber should be washable. You can take a towel, get a corner of it wet, wring ... | |
| carpet cleaning | 8/17/2008 |
| Q: I moved in to a house that has a beautiful burgundy carpet. It appears that it is fairly high ... A: Debra, I wish there was a better answer, but I clean carpet like this all the time. There is a ... | |
| chicken grease on chair upholstery | 8/14/2008 |
| Q: I cut into a piece of roast chicken and the chicken juice (grease) sprayed onto my fabric dining ... A: Deb, With grease you have to use a solvent. Water based products won't work. Look for something like ... | |
| Birch Floor Cleaning/Stain Removal Wood | 8/11/2008 |
| Q: I actually have two separate questions: a) we just had a new birch floor installed in our ... A: Jim, First, wet mopping on a polyurethane floor is fine. Don't overwet it, but if it was properly ... | |
| removing pet urine smell from concrete | 8/10/2008 |
| Q: I have used Suzanne's advice of putting peroxide on pet stains, then scrubbing site with Barkeeper's ... A: Pam, Is this concrete inside? If it is, even after doing everything right, you need to introduce ... | |
| removing stains from a cotton fabric | 7/25/2008 |
| Q: i have this 1850's victorian chaise lounge that i am trying to sell.. the only problem is that is ... A: Jason, The spot from the footprint shouldn't be a problem. First try to brush it off with a soft ... | |
| Nail polish remover on oak dresser | 7/24/2008 |
| Q: We spilled nail polish remover on an oak dresser and now there is a whitish film that we cannot ... A: Julie, Unfortunately you probably already removed the finish. Nail polish remover is a solvent and ... | |
| stain removal | 7/22/2008 |
| Q: Can you recommend a solution for removing paint stains from carpet? Thanks! A: Sarah, If the paint is dry, you need to use a solvent to remove it. Acetone, Paint thinner etc. ... | |
| Stain on a Leather Chair | 7/22/2008 |
| Q: I hope you can help. My daughter spilled some cranberry juice on our leather chair. Actually, it ... A: Marike, Your best bet is to use a leather cleaner. You can usually find something at a hardware ... | |
| Protecting / Cleaning Couches | 7/21/2008 |
| Q: I have 2 fairly high end lazy boy couches, about 8 to 10 years old. All in good condition ... A: Jamie, Yes you should definitely dilute natures miracle or anything else no matter what the ... | |
| Protecting / Cleaning Couches | 7/21/2008 |
| Q: I have 2 fairly high end lazy boy couches, about 8 to 10 years old. All in good condition ... A: Jamie, If the urine smell is gone, I would not do anything else to the sofas. As far as the ... | |
| Removing permanent marker from window blinds | 6/30/2008 |
| Q: Our daughter drew on our window blinds with a red permanent marker. Any tips for removing this? ... A: With wood blinds you may be able to use a very fine sandpaper. You may end up removing some of the ... | |
| Removing permanent marker from window blinds | 6/30/2008 |
| Q: Our daughter drew on our window blinds with a red permanent marker. Any tips for removing this? A: Larry, I assume the blind is fabric, not vinyl. If it is vinyl or metal, let me know. It is very ... | |
| Odor removal | 6/24/2008 |
| Q: How do you remove the smoke odor from a wooden dresser? A: Geo, You have a couple options to try. Start with the easiest. There are products specifically ... | |
| baseball card | 6/17/2008 |
| Q: My baseball card collection got wet and many, if not all, of my cards are saturated and sticking ... A: Jack, The crucial thing is to get the cards dry as fast as possible. A fan, hair dryer or anything ... | |
| Mothball smell | 6/6/2008 |
| Q: I put my car in storage for a few years and to keep mice out i put mothballs in it. I started ... A: Bob, You're doing the right thing, but you may need to do more. Keep the windows open as much as ... | |
| veg oil stain from carpet | 6/6/2008 |
| Q: Here's a new one. My dog ate a large amount of used cooking oil and threw up on the carpet. I ... A: Rene, You have a couple things going on. Vomit is water based and usually very acetic. Oil is ... | |
| gum on leather | 6/3/2008 |
| Q: how do i remove a piece of chewing gum from a leather hassock? A: Peggy, There are a couple different ways to go about this. Leather is often not colorfast, so you ... | |
Stains, Mopping, Wiping, Ironing, Cleaning
Answers by Expert:
Todd Malin
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I can answer just about any question relating to carpet & furniture cleaning and spot removal.
Experience
I have owned Maverick Cleaning Services for 16 years, and have a total of 24 years in the industry.
Education/Credentials
I have taken many seminars and classes.
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