A frustrating problem many facility managers and cleaning professionals must grapple with includes spots that reappear after carpets have been cleaned. There are a number of reasons for this but they commonly can be narrowed down to two: the spot was not totally removed or it has been removed but re-soiling has occurred.

The most important aspect of permanent spot removal is to take care of the stain as quickly as possible, and to treat it before deep cleaning the carpet, says Debby Davis, product manager for Powr-Flite, a floor equipment maufacturerin Fort Worth, Texas. She adds that it is also crucial to determine what the spot is. Whether a stain is from oil, blood, food, coffee, urine, vomit or mud will help determine the best spotting compound to remove it.

After selecting the spotter compound needed, Davis suggests taking the following steps to help permanently remove carpet spots: 

  • Use white absorbent towels to blot up as much of the spill/spot as possible.
  • Using a fresh white towel, put the spotter on the towel (not directly onto the carpet) then blot the spot again.  Avoid over wetting.
  • Work from the outside of the stain to the middle.
  • Use a portable spotting extractor to thoroughly rinse the area and pull any remaining stain from the carpet.  Again, avoid over wetting.
  • Use a dryer (air mover) to make sure the area is completely dry to prevent wicking.


Wicking occurs when carpet is saturated to the back of the carpet pad and then moisture and soil travel back up the carpet fibers. Low moisture carpet extraction is one of the best ways to address potential wicking problems.

"Often building service contractors deep clean and oversaturate badly stained carpets without pretreating spots [which can actually] increase the likelihood of wicking," says Davis. "While deep extraction can prove effective at first, if stains are not treated properly, wicking is very likely to occur."