If your Northwest Indiana home is spotless 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year then this article is not for you… That, and I don’t believe you for a second. Everyone is busy , rolling out of bed at the crack of dawn, sometimes not rolling back home until after dark. There’s work and children, sports practices and dress rehearsals, lunch appointments and dinner dates. Life happens in a hurry, and so do two of the most common household stains . One generally occurs before breakfast and the other after dinner: coffee and red wine carpet stains.

Coffee stain : Quickly, blot out the stain first, do not wipe. The sooner you get to work before the stain sets the better your results. Use just a touch of dish soap with warm water and brush into carpet fibers. You’ll need white paper towels or a clean white rag to continue to blot out the stain. Use one part vinegar to two parts warm water for stubborn or set stains, and blot.

Red wine. Again, quick response is a must ! Blot out and soak up the wine the best you can, rinse the spot with clean water and continue blotting to remove as much of the coloring as possible. Now, use three parts baking soda to one part water, mixing into a paste. Scrub into stain, allowing to dry slightly, then vacuum.

Here’s a great indexed list of other common household stains with directions for their removal, and a great page on quick cleaning tips when time is in particularly short supply.