It's so easily done; you're busy ironing when something distracts you and you set the hot iron down on the floor, the iron tips over, and before you know it, the carpet has a nasty scorch mark.  Don't panic!  If you have woollen carpets, you can usually fix the damage rather than replacing the entire carpet.  Here's how.

What you'll need

• fine grain sandpaper
• scissors
• vacuum cleaner
• wide-toothed plastic comb
• hydrogen peroxide (available from a pharmacy)
• water
• plastic spray bottle
• clean, colourfast cloths

How to do it

There are two stages to this process.  First, you'll need to remove the burnt fibres from the carpet. Next, you'll have to clean the stain.

Stage #1

1. Begin by using a piece of fine grain sandpaper to carefully rub away the scorch marks.  
2. Next, run your vacuum cleaner over the area to get rid of the debris left by sanding.  
3. You'll probably find that there are a few scorched fibres left behind after the sanding process.  Remove these by carefully cutting them out with a pair of sharp scissors.  
4. Now take a wide-toothed plastic comb and very gently 'groom' the carpet to bring the pile back up.  This process should help to blend the damaged area of carpet with the area surrounding it.  
5. Vacuum the carpet again to remove any bits of cut fibre.

Stage #2

1. Make up a cleaning solution using the hydrogen peroxide and warm water.  One part peroxide to ten parts water will be effective but not too strong.   
2. Soak a clean, colourfast cloth in the cleaning solution and use it to blot the stained area of carpet.  Leave the cleaning solution on the carpet for a few minutes to activate.  
3. Now use a clean, colourfast cloth to blot the solution out of the carpet.  The scorch stain should lift off with the solution.  When working on the stain, always blot from the outside to the inside, as this stops the stain from spreading further across the carpet.  Don't rub the carpet as this could cause the fibres to become fluffy and could push the stain deeper into the pile.  
4. Fill the spray bottle with clean, warm water and apply it to the carpet to rinse it.  
5. Use a dry cloth to blot-dry the carpet.  
6. When the area is completely dry, vacuum it again to lift the pile.

In conclusion

Don't despair if your woollen carpet suffers scorch mark damage.  You can restore your carpet to its former glory by following the instructions given above. If your efforts don't quite do the trick, consider calling a professional company like Stain Busters Carpet Cleaning to work on the stain.