Q I have food stains on my dining-room carpet that I have removed twice with Vanish, only for them to reappear afterwards. Any solutions?

A The stains are probably grease-based, and you haven’t managed to remove all the grease. You may have pushed the stain further in while cleaning, or you didn’t clean thoroughly enough. Either way, grease is working its way back to the surface. It’s also possible that you haven’t rinsed the carpet properly and the residue is attracting dirt.

So let’s start again. The first step in cleaning mystery stains is to treat them as oil/grease-based. Gently dab with surgical spirit on a paper towel (test in a hidden area first) – if it’s grease, you’ll see it on the towel and the stain will fade. Continue until all is gone; no need to rinse. However, if traces remain, or if nothing shifts, treat it as a water-based stain and use a weak detergent solution: mix one teaspoon Woolite or the like to 250ml warm water. Work from the outer edge of the stain inwards, using a little at a time, and blot often with a paper towel. Keep wetting and blotting until the stain goes. Do the same with clean water to rinse the stain thoroughly, and don’t rub. Finally, place several sheets of paper towel on top, weigh down with heavy books and leave overnight. This will help absorb any stain that has penetrated to the backing. Once dry, vacuum to restore a fluffy pile.

Q I was caught in the rain while wearing my velvet jacket, which is now covered in spots. Brushing makes no difference – what can I do?

A You can get it looking new again, but with a lot of patience. Start by placing it on the ironing board. Wet a clothes brush (just enough to make the jacket feel damp), and gently brush a section of the velvet in the direction of the nap. It will look awful, but worry not. Leave to dry overnight, away from direct heat but still on the ironing board. Once dry, brush with a dry brush, first against the nap, then in its direction. Now move on to the next section, but don’t get any water or fingerprints on the patch you’ve just treated. Keep going until you’ve done it all – it could take a week but, if you’re determined, it’ll be worth it. Finally, treat the jacket with a protector spray.

Aggie MacKenzie co-presents How Clean Is Your House? Send your questions for publication to aggie.mackenzie@thetimes.co.uk

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