Nailing Car Carpet Stains Before the Heat Sets Them

This is the big one. I learned this the hard way when I tried to scrub some mud out of a black Commodore years ago, I just ended up fraying the carpet and making it look like a fuzzy mess. If you've got a fresh spill, grab a clean microfibre or even some paper towel from the servo and press down hard. Lift the liquid out, don't spread it around like you're buttering toast.

If you've just come back from a trip out west and your carpets are looking like the surface of Mars, do not hit them with water first. Red dust turns into red mud the second it gets wet. I always say to give it a massive vacuum first, and I mean spend a good 10 minutes on it, then use a dry stiff-bristled brush to agitate the fibres while the vacuum is running. Only then should you think about using a cleaner like Bowden's Own Fabra Cadabra.

When you're using a carpet cleaner in the Aussie summer, don't let the product dry on the surface. If it's a scorcher, work in the shade and do one small section at a time. A mate of mine once sprayed his whole back seat in the sun, went to grab a beer, and by the time he got back, the cleaner had dried and left white rings everywhere. Total nightmare to fix.

If you've got a stain that stinks (like spilled milk or something the dog left behind), bicarb soda is your best friend. Chuck a heap of it on the area after you've cleaned it and let it sit overnight. It sucks the moisture and the pong right out. Just make sure you vacuum it all up properly the next morning or you'll have white powder flying everywhere when you turn the aircon on.