Keeping our carpets clean can be a real challenge, especially those that are a lighter color. While vacuuming often and removing our shoes before entering a carpeted room will save our carpets from their usual wear and tear, we also have to proceed with caution while eating and drinking in carpeted rooms. Spills mean stains and that can mean a ruined carpet. Before you consider a replacement, read the following tips to remove stains from carpet.

The most important rule for cleaning any stain is to clean the spilled matter immediately. If you don't act right away, you risk ruining your carpet forever. If you spill something on your carpet, grab a cloth. First, clean up any solid matter, then blot at the stain until you've lifted as much of the stain as possible.

If a considerable amount of liquid has been spilled, wicking may occur. If you've ever cleaned a stain and had it reappear a day or too later, your carpet is suffering from wicking. This means the liquid has pooled at the bottom of the carpet. Even though you blotted up the initial stain, you only cleaned the surface. Eventually, the liquid works its way back up the fibers to the top of the carpet, causing it to look like the stain has reappeared. To prevent wicking, cover the area with a thick cloth and weigh down with books. Leave overnight and remove the stain as normal.

When it's clear no more of the stain will come out, dampen a cloth or sponge with cold water and blot. Don't scrub the stain, this will only weaken the carpet fibers and cause the stain to spread. Blotting gently will remove the stain without causing additional damage.

If there's still a stain after blotting with water, squirt a mild dish washing liquid onto the stain to clean. Blot gently and let sit for about an hour or so. Blot again with a cool damp cloth until the stain is removed. Club soda and vinegar will remove stains from carpet in the same manner.

Products that clean clothing will also clean the carpet. Try saturating the stain with a laundry pretreating agent first and leaving it to soak overnight. After which, you can blot with a damp sponge or cloth until the stain is removed. If need be, try a little laundry detergent to clean the stain.

If the solution to your stain problem can't be found in your kitchen cabinets, you may need to buy an over-the-counter stain solution. These are pretty easy to use. In most cases, you spray it on and vacuum or damp mop it off, but do follow all directions.

As a last resort, contact a professional or the carpet's manufacturer. They'll either share some stain removal tips or recommend a service call.