Stain Library
Welcome to the Kashian Bros stain library, your trusted resource for understanding and treating common carpet and rug stains at home.
This stain library is designed to explain why stains behave the way they do—from pet accidents and wine spills to coffee, mud, oil, and everyday wear—so you can take the right first steps with confidence. Each topic breaks down what’s happening in the fibers, what home methods can help at the surface, and when deeper professional cleaning may be needed. Our goal is to give you clear, practical guidance that protects your rug while helping you make informed decisions about stain care.
Visit our stain library for stain-specific information.
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Kashian Bros Stain Library
Help topics for pet stains. Pet Stains Smell Strong
Understanding why odor often lingers even after cleaning
Pet accidents leave behind material that settles into carpet fibers and can continue releasing odor even after the visible stain is treated. Blotting helps remove what’s on the surface, but odor may linger if any residue remains deeper down.
When odor persists, it simply means further cleaning may be needed below the surface.
Related Topics: Blotting Matters, Warm Water Helps, Why Odor Comes Back
Blotting Matters for Pet Stains
Why pressing gently works better than scrubbing
Pet accidents can spread outward or move deeper into the carpet if scrubbed. Blotting lifts material upward instead of pushing it around. Pressing gently with a clean towel removes more from the surface and sets you up for better results in the next step.
Related Topics: Warm Water Helps, Pet Stains Often Need Multiple Treatments
Warm Water Helps With Pet Stains
A simple reason this temperature is recommended
Warm (not hot) water helps the cleaning mixture spread gently across the fibers without causing the stain to set. It provides enough movement to lift residue while staying safe for home use.
Related Topics: Dish Soap + Vinegar Work Well, Pet Stains Often Need Multiple Treatments
Dish Soap + Vinegar Work Well on Pet Accidents
Why this simple mixture is recommended first
Dish soap and white vinegar work together to reduce odor at the surface and loosen what’s in the fibers. This gentle mixture is safe to use at home and is part of the recommended First Aid process.
Related Topics: Why Warm Water Helps, What To Do If Odor Persists
Pet Stains Often Need Multiple Treatments
Understanding why one round may not be enough
Pet accidents often settle below the surface. Repeating the First Aid steps helps lift more material each time. Multiple rounds are normal and simply mean the stain was deeper than it looked.
Related Topics: Pet Stains Smell Strong, Pet Stains Sometimes Reappear
Pet Stains Sometimes Reappear
What it means when a stain comes back after drying
A stain may look gone but still be present under the surface. As the carpet dries, moisture can rise upward and bring material with it. This is normal and is why the towel-and-weight step is helpful.
Related Topics: Pet Stains Often Need Multiple Treatments, What To Do If Odor Persists
What To Do If Odor Persists After Cleaning
Some smells may remain longer than the stain itself
If odor remains after several rounds of First Aid, it simply means the source is deeper than home steps can reach. Additional cleaning may be needed to address what’s below the surface.
Related Topics: Why Pet Stains Smell Strong, Why Pet Stains Reappear
Kashian Bros Stain Library
Help topics for wine stains.
Club Soda Works on Wine
A simple, safe option for lifting wine from carpet fibers
Club soda is a recommended home method for wine spills because it helps loosen the color so it can transfer onto your towel. As you blot, you should see some color lifting — that’s how you know the process is working.
Related Topics: How To Tell If Your Stain First Aid Is Working, Blotting Edges First Helps
How To Tell If Your Stain First Aid Is Working
Look for color transfer
Each time you blot with club soda, check the towel. As long as you see color transferring, progress is being made. When the towel no longer picks up color, you’ve reached the limit of what First Aid can accomplish at home. This is normal for wine.
Related Topics: Wine Stains Spread, Wine Leaves Color Behind
Wine Stains Darken When Dry
A treated stain may look stronger at first
After you finish blotting, the stain may become more visible as the carpet dries. This doesn’t mean the steps didn’t work — it simply means there’s still material below the surface. The towel + weight step helps pull more of it up as the area dries.
Related Topics: Wine Leaves Color Behind, Blotting Edges First Helps
Wine Leaves Some Color Behind
Why full removal often needs deeper cleaning
Wine contains strong color that can remain even after good First Aid. A slight tint or shadow is common until the deeper material is reached during cleaning. This is expected and does not reflect anything done incorrectly.
Related Topics: How To Tell If Your Stain First Aid Is Working, Wine Stains Darken When Dry
Kashian Bros Stain Library
☕️ Help topics for coffee stains.
Club Soda Works on Coffee
A simple way to lift coffee from carpet fibers
Club soda helps break the surface tension of a coffee spill so it can be blotted up more easily. When you blot, you should see some brown color on the towel. This tells you the coffee is lifting and the First Aid steps are working.
Related Topics: Coffee Stains Spread Easily, Coffee Leaves a Brown Shadow
How To Tell If Coffee Stain Is Still Coming Up
What to watch for as you blot
When treating a coffee spill, you might see only a small amount of color transfer at a time. Coffee often releases gradually, not dramatically. If the towels stop picking up color, that’s your cue that the First Aid steps have reached their limit for now.
Related Topics: Coffee Stains Spread Easily, Coffee Stains Return After Drying
Coffee Stains Spread Easily
Coffee spills tend to travel farther than expected
Coffee is normally thin and hot when it hits the rug, which helps it move quickly beyond the original spot. Starting at the outside edges and working inward helps keep the spill contained. This is especially helpful with light-colored rugs, where spread is more noticeable.
Related Topics: Coffee Leaves a Shadow, How to Tell If Coffee Is Still Coming Up
Coffee Leaves a Light Brown Shadow
A faint outline often remains even after blotting
Coffee contains small particles that can leave a light brown tint behind, especially on lighter carpets. This shadow doesn’t mean the First Aid steps didn’t work — it simply means some residue sits deeper in the fibers and needs deeper cleaning to fully remove.
Related Topics: Coffee Stains Sometimes Return After Drying, Coffee Stains Spread Easily
Coffee Stains Sometimes Return After Drying
What’s happening when a clean area darkens overnight
If a coffee stain reappears after drying, it usually means moisture from deeper in the carpet moved upward as the area dried. The towel-and-weight step helps reduce this effect by pulling more moisture into the towel instead of letting it rise into the fibers.
Related Topics: Coffee Leaves a Shadow, How To Tell If Coffee Stain Is Still Coming Up
Kashian Bros Stain Library
Help topics for dirt, mud, and soil stains. Let Mud Dry
Waiting makes mud easier to remove
Wet mud smears easily and can spread deeper into the carpet. Allowing the mud to dry helps it break apart cleanly so it can be brushed off the surface without pushing it further into the fibers. This simple pause sets up every step that follows.
Related Topics: Brushing Matters, Vacuuming Helps
Brushing Matters for Dry Mud
Brushing in one direction gives better results
Once mud has dried, gently brushing it in a single direction helps lift loose soil away from the carpet surface. Brushing back and forth can push soil into the fibers again, so one-direction brushing removes more without working the dirt deeper.
Related Topics: Vacuuming Helps, Soap and Water Work for Mud
Vacuuming Helps After Brushing
Vacuuming reaches deeper soil
After brushing off the dry material, vacuuming helps remove finer soil that settles lower in the fibers. This step clears out what brushing can’t reach, which means the damp cleaning that follows won’t turn hidden dirt into a muddy paste.
Related Topics: Let Mud Dry, Soap and Water Work for Mud
Soap and Water Work for Mud
A small amount of dish soap is enough
After removing as much dry soil as possible, warm water with just a few drops of dish soap helps lift the remaining residue. Mud often leaves a thin layer of fine particles behind, and this gentle mixture is enough to loosen and remove what’s left on the fibers.
Related Topics: Light Rinsing Matters, Blotting Is Important for Mud Stains
Why Light Rinsing Matters After Soap
A final rinse protects the carpet over time
After using soap, lightly rinsing with clean water helps remove leftover soap from the fibers. Soap left behind can attract dirt later, so rinsing with a cloth ensures the area stays cleaner once the carpet dries. Blot excess moisture after rinsing.
Related Topics: Blotting Is Important for Mud Stains, Let Mud Dry
Blotting Is Important for Mud Stains
Pressing gently prevents re-soiling
Blotting lifts moisture and remaining soil up into the towel instead of spreading it outward. Pressing gently helps remove what’s on the surface while keeping the cleaning mixture from pushing dirt deeper into the carpet.
Related Topics: Rinsing Matters, Vacuuming Helps
Kashian Bros Stain Library
Help topics for blood and grass stains.
Blood and Grass Stains Need Enzyme Cleaners
How to choose the right cleaner for these stains
Blood and grass contain material that standard soap-and-water mixtures don’t always break down well. Cleaners labeled “enzyme” are designed for this kind of stain and offer your best chance of lifting what’s on the surface during First Aid. Looking for the word “enzyme” on the label is the simplest way to know you’re choosing the right type of cleaner.
Related Topics: Importance of Cold Water for Blood and Grass Stains, Blotting Blood and Grass Stains
Importance of Cold Water for Blood and Grass Stains
Cooler water works best during First Aid
Cold water keeps the stain from settling more firmly into the fibers while you work. Using cold water also helps the cleaner stay effective as it sits on the stain for the recommended time before blotting.
Related Topics: Blood and Grass Stains Need Enzyme Cleaners, Blotting Blood and Grass Stains
Blotting Blood and Grass Stains
A gentle way to lift material without spreading it
These stains can spread or become harder to lift if scrubbed. Blotting removes what can be reached on the surface without pushing the stain around. It also helps you see progress as color transfers onto the towel.
Related Topics: When These Stains Need More Than One Treatment, Importance of Cold Water for Blood and Grass Stains
When These Stains Need More Than One Treatment
Repeating these steps is often necessary
Blood and grass can leave more behind in the fibers than you might expect. If color continues to transfer during the First Aid steps, repeating the process helps lift more from the surface. A faint stain afterward is normal until deeper cleaning can reach the remaining material.
Related Topics: Blotting Blood and Grass Stains, Importance of Cold Water for Blood and Grass Stains
Kashian Bros Stain Library
Help topics for cooking oil, lotions, salad dressings, and other oily spills.
Oily Stains Behave Differently
Water alone can’t lift these spills
Grease and oils don’t dissolve in water, which is why blotting with just water doesn’t remove the slick feeling. They need a step that can break down the oily layer before the stain can be rinsed and lifted.
Related Topics: Mineral Spirits Necessary for Oily Stains, Rinsing with Soap and Water Important
Mineral Spirits Are Necessary for Oily Stains
This product is applied to the towel — not the carpet
Mineral spirits help loosen oily residue so it can transfer to a towel. Applying it to the towel instead of directly to the carpet keeps it from soaking into the backing. Blotting gently removes the oily layer from the surface fibers.
Related Topics: Oily Stains Need Multiple Steps, Rinsing with Soap and Water is Important
Rinsing with Hot Water and Dish Soap Important
This follow-up step is important
After blotting with mineral spirits, rinsing with hot water and a small amount of dish soap helps remove anything left behind. This step also removes the feel of residue so the carpet dries clean instead of slightly slick.
Related Topics: Oily Stains Need Multiple Steps, Why Mineral Spirits Are Necessary
Oily Stains Need Multiple Steps
Repeating the first aid steps is normal
Grease can settle deeper into the fibers than you might expect. If the carpet still feels slightly oily after the first round, repeating the rinse step helps lift what remains. This is common for lotions, cooking oil, and salad dressings.
Related Topics: Oily Stains Behave Differently, Rinsing with Soap and Water is Important
Kashian Bros Stain Library
✂️ Help topics for burns, pulled loops, wear, and moth concerns.Small Burns Can Sometimes Be Trimmed Away
Trimming only the very tips helps blend the area
A small burn can sometimes be reduced in appearance by trimming only the very top of the affected fibers. This keeps the surrounding pile consistent. Cutting deeper removes too much and can create a visible low spot, so trimming lightly is the safest first step.
Related Topics: Pulled Loops Should Never Be Tugged, Carpet and Rug Wear Can Look Like Staining
Pulled Loops Should Never Be Tugged
Cutting is safer than pulling
Pulling on a loop can extend the damage beyond the original spot. Trimming the loose piece and saving it gives you the best chance for a clean repair later. This helps keep the damage contained until the area can be evaluated.
Related Topics: Small Burns Can Sometimes Be Trimmed, Carpet and Rug Wear Can Look Like Staining
Carpet and Rug Wear Can Sometimes Look Like a Stain
Flattened or soiled fibers can mimic discoloration
Areas with heavy use may appear discolored even when no spill has occurred. Soil and flattened fibers reflect light differently, which creates a shadowed or “stained” look. Deep cleaning can often improve this by removing soil and lifting the fibers.
Related Topics: Pulled Loops Should Never Be Tugged, Moths Prefer Specific Areas
Moths Prefer Specific Areas of a Carpet
Dark, undisturbed areas are more vulnerable
Moths tend to choose places that are undisturbed, such as the edges under furniture or in closets. They are drawn to natural fibers and areas where soil has settled. Watching for bare spots, fine debris, or web-like material helps you catch the issue early.
Related Topics: Carpet and Rug Wear Can Look Like a Stain, Small Burns Can Be Trimmed
