How come some stains re-appear after my carpets have been cleaned?

Some liquid stains may re-appear after the carpets have been cleaned. This is called wicking. It occurs when liquid stains seep in to the backing and/or padding of the carpet. While we can remove the stain from the carpet fibers, if what ever caused the stain is in the backing or padding, it will travel up the carpet fiber like a candle wick and settle on the top of the carpet. The residue sitting on the carpet fiber attracts dust and dirt and that area looks dirty again. The good news is through proper spot cleaning, you can eventually remove the problem.