Carpet and kids don't always mix well. However, it's a bit unreasonable to remove all of the carpet from your home just so your little ones don't stain it. Giving your kids snacks only in non-carpeted areas and designating a non-carpeted area for craft projects will surely help minimize the number of "accidents" you experience. But kids do not always follow the rules, so it's still important that you know how to remove these common "kid messes" from the carpet.

Gum

Gum is carpet's worst enemy, and most kids go through a gum-chewing stage where the stuff ends up everywhere. Luckily, it's not as tough to remove from the carpet as you might think. Start by holding an ice cube against the gum. This will help solidify it so that you can pick most of it off of the carpet. There will still be a little residue on the carpet fibers. Apply a very small amount of canola oil to the gum. This should "liquefy" if so you can rub it away. To remove the residual oil slick, blot your carpet with a sponge that has been well lathered with a grease-cutting dish detergent.

Jam and Other Red Liquids

Jam, juice, and other red liquids can leave unsightly stains on your carpet if you do not get to them quickly. As soon as you spot the spill, scoop up any "solid" material (with the jam) and then set a cloth on top of the spill. Press straight down, and much of the liquid will absorb into the cloth. Do this a few more times, each time using a new, clean cloth, until no more liquid comes up. Then, spray the area generously with either a prepared carpet stain remover or a strong solution of dish soap and water. Blot with new, clean towels again, once again repeating the blotting until you've soaked up all you can.

Glue

Having glue spilled on your carpet can seem heartbreaking since it makes the fibers feel rough and unpleasant. Thankfully, nail polish remover will remove most any glue your child spills. Put some on a cotton ball, and hold it against the glue spill for about 2 minutes. This gives it time to penetrate the glue. The glue should soften so you can peel it away from the carpet fibers. You may need to repeat this process two or three times for a bigger glue spill.

For assistance, talk to a house cleaning service.