Cleaning Carpet Stain and Removal Tips Using Household Products

Removing Carpet StainTo keep carpet fresh, stain off and clean sometimes can be a challenge. Fortunately, there are several simple and economical alternatives to clean it. They do not just help to eliminate dust and dirty spots but they also help keep your carpet clean and more durable. These stain cleaning tips can as well be an effective way through which you can be removing stains and unwanted smells from your carpet.

One of the most annoying things to any house owner is a spill in the carpet. Whatever it is, it always seems finds its way onto the carpet, be it tea or fruit juice or even ketchup. The results are stains that make your carpet lose its beautiful look. Most of these stains give people a hard time when it comes to removing them. Thankfully, there are easy ways that one can go about removing the stains by just using normal household products.

Do this only IF you have tried everything and non of the procedures below do not work.

Type of Carpet Stain you want to remove:

Bad Odor On Your Carpet , Ball Pen (Ink) Blood StainsBeers and wines
Carpet DustChewing Gum , Chocolate CrayonsCoffee StainsCooking Oil
Dog and Cat PukeDye Stains EggsFloor Wax Stains
Fruit Punch Stains Gravy Sauce and other sauces
Ink stainsKetchupKool Aid Spills , Lipstick MilkMud, MustardNail Polish
Oil & Grease StainsPaint Stains Pet Urine / Poo Stains , Pet OdorPlay Doh
Red Wine StainRust Stains Salad DressingSpaghetti Sauce Stain
Soft & Fizzy DrinksTea Stains Urine StainsStains From Vomit

Other Options

Option A:

  1. Make a solution of one part of white vinegar with one part of water.
  2. Apply to the stain using a spray bottle to saturate.
  3. Allow the stain to sit about ten to fifteen minutes.
  4. Use a sponge to clean in a rubbing motion.
  5. Rinse with warm water.
  6. Brush the pile back into the natural direction is has.
  7. Using layers of white paper towels, place paper towel on top of area, place a book on top of that. Allow to sit like this until it has dried.

Option B:

Ammonia solution: One teaspoon of clear, household type ammonia to a half of a cup of water. This solution can be used in a spray bottle or be applied to the carpet directly. It is important not to wet the carpets backing when apply. After applying solution, use white paper towels to blot. Allow to dry completely.

Option C:

Detergent solution: A detergent solution can be made of hand soap or dish soap. The combination is one quarter of a teaspoon of detergent to one quart of water. Make sure the soap does not contain bleach or lanolin.

  1. Blot the stain with white paper towels to remove as much of the solution as possible.
  2. Apply detergent solution from a spray bottle.
  3. Rub the area.
  4. Blot out the stain and detergent.

Option D:

  1. Isopropyl rubbing alcohol can be purchased at your grocery store or department store.
  2. Apply it by pouring some onto a clean, white towel or other cloth. Paper towels can be used as long as they are white.
  3. Blot until as much as possible until stain is removed.
  4. Be careful. If the stain is small, blot in one direction only so that you do not spread the stain.

Option E:

Often, good old fashioned water can re-hydrate the stain to help with removal. Large spills can be cleaned up with a wet dry vac or a steam cleaner. Dry as thoroughly as possible.

Option F:
Lemon juice can be used to remove some tough stains. To use it:

  1. Store bought lemon juice is fine as long as it does not contain added ingredients.
  2. Using a spray bottle, spray a good amount onto the effected area but do not wet the padding.
  3. Allow to sit up to five or six minutes.
  4. Blot with a paper towel to remove.

After several tries and none of them helps then you can try this as a last resort


Ball Pen (Ink)
Option D, If needed, Option B. Back To Choices


Beers And Wines
Option A, then Option B (if necessary). Back To Choices


Chocolates
Use a knife to remove as much of the chocolate as possible. Do not rub in, but scrape away to keep from spreading. Follow by Option C.Back To Choices


Carpet Dust
For cleaning a carpet dust, just take it outside and put it on the edge of the balcony or hang it vertically. Then using Carpet Beaten To Remove Carpet Dustsomething hard object that is long and thin, hit it till all the dust flies away. This method may work for dust, but incase your rag or small carpet has heavy soiling and stains, then get a remedy from the choices explained below.Back To Choices


Crayons
Use a knife to remove as much as possible, then Option D, If not successful do Option C, If not successful do Option E. Back To Choices


Cooking Oil
Option D, If necessary, follow with Option C. Back To Choices


Eggs
Remove as much as possible with knife OR Blotting, then Option B, If not successful do Option C, If not successful do Option E.Back To Choices


Tea Stains
Tea stains leave a dark black blot, and when it comes to such stains it is better if you treat them immediately. This will reduce the possibility of their manifestation into a tough stain. If you are able to clean the stains immediately, just use warm water and a little vinegar soaked onto a paper towel or a soft clothe and rub the spot. If you delay to clean the stain you will need to add white foam shaving cream and mild soap into the warm water and the vinegar mixture before you can rub the spot.Back To Choices


Fruit Punch Stains
The top tip of cleaning fruit punch stains is using baking Soda. What you should do is apply water on the blot and rub it continuously, then after a while, you should add some baking soda with the ratio of 3-1 of baking soda to water. Put the mixture on the stain and allow it to dry up before you vacuum it.Back To Choices


Coffee Stains
Coffee spots can be eliminated with dish-washing liquid. Mix it in a small container with water and mark the spot. Then proceed to wash it gently and dry it. On another part, apple cider vinegar mixed with double portions water can as well be used to eliminate coffee or food related spots. If you encounter any negative effects, carefully follow the brand guidelines for the particular household cleaning agent on treating the spot. Repeat these instructions as directed until the spot is successfully eliminated. If you are not successful, then try our other coffee carpet stain removal tips and procedures. Back To Choices


Floor Wax Stains
Remove as much as possible with Blotting, then Option D, If not successful do Option C, If not successful do Option E. Back To Choices


Gravy Sauce And Other Sauces
Remove as much as possible with knife, AND through Blotting then, Option D, if not successful do Option C. Back To Choices


Ketchup
Remove as much as possible with Blotting then, Option B, if not successful do Option C, if not successful do Option E. Back To Choices


Ink stains
Ink from pens and printing devices can rake havoc on your beautiful carpet. To clean them, one should simply blot the spot and rinse it with clean water. While you do this, make sure you work your way outside to avoid staining the carpet more. When you get an ink stain never ever scrub the spot, as this will make the fibers of the carpets weak. It will make your carpet wear out and you will be left with an old looking worn out carpet.

Ethanol is another cleaner that gives good results on ink stains. Sprinkle droplets of alcohol on the stain and blot it several times using a paper towel. The paper towel absorbs the alcohol, which has now mixed up with the ink, and removes it from the fabric. Be sure to use a clean towel once the other has soaked up the alcohol and ink mixture. Dry and vacuum clean the spot for a clear finish on the fibers. Try our other solutions in removing ink stains from your carpet.Back To Choices


Rust Stains
First you need to identify the source of the rust and get rid of it. It may be a small metal that was left unnoticed on the rag, or even pieces hat fall from your iron floor. Chair and table stands made of metal can also corrode if they are in contact with water, hence causing rust stains on the carpet. You should begin cleaning the stain by using a butter knife to get rid of the rust that has held onto the carpet. Thereafter, should use baking soda and water to rub the spot. Let it dry up before you vacuum.Back To Choices


Lipstick
Remove as much as possible with blotting, then Option D, Option C, Option E. Back To Choices


Milk
Remove as much as possible with blotting, Option D, Option C, then blot again to dry. Back To Choices


Mud
Allow mud to dry completely, then remove as much as possible with a knife, then Option C, Option E (if not successful).Back To Choices


Mustard
Remove as much as possible with blotting, then Option B, Option C, Option E. Mustard with tumeric in it is a permanent discoloration of the carpet. It can not be completely removed. Back To Choices


Nail Polish
Remove as much as possible with blotting. Then, use an oil based nail polish remover. Then do Option C, Option E. Back To Choices


Paint Stains
Remove as much as possible with blotting, DO NOT Rub. Then Option D, Option C, then blot again to dry.Back To Choices


Dye Stains
Most people are familiar with dye stains on their carpets. When any form of dye spills on a rag, it can make a big mess. To clean a dye stain, use some distilled water mixed with vinegar and a little bit of house hold bleach. Bleach is preferred because it contains oxygen unlike your regular washer. Smear the mixtures on the dye stain and give it a few minutes to absorb and loosen before your scrub it off gently. Vacuum it for better results.Back To Choices


Red Wine Stain
Pour some club soda on the spot to help lift the stain. Use a mixture of vinegar and warm soapy water to neutralize the colour. Soak for a few minutes then rinse and dry it. Click here for other solution for removing red wine spill on carpet.Back To Choices


Soft & Fizzy Drinks
For a fresh soft drink stain, try to blot it up as much as you can with a wet cloth and wash it immediately. But if the stain dries or hardens, soak it with liquid detergent till it softens or wait for 5 minutes. After that, wash with clean cold water.Back To Choices


Pet Odor
Remove as much as possible with blotting OR with a Scraper (whichever is needed). Then Option B, if necessary Option C, if necessary Option E. Back To Choices


Play Doh
Allow play doh to dry completely if it has been rubbed in, Remove as much as possible with knife, Option D, Option C, Option E. Back To Choices


Salad Dressing
Remove as much as possible with blotting, then Option D, Option C, Option E.Back To Choices


Oil & Grease Stains
Oil and grease stains are inevitable, especially in an environment where the room with the carpet has mechanical equipment. To remove any type of oil from the carpet, a solvent-based stain removal product is the best. But if you don’t have it, you can also use heavy-duty liquid detergent by gently rubbing it on the spot and the washing the carpet in warm soapy water.

One of the simplest ways to remove grease form rags is to cover to stained spot with liquid dish detergent, then after soaking, rinse the spot with white vinegar and wash it thoroughly. If the stain remains, repeat the steps again till it is completely eliminated. Vacuum the carpet to finish up the cleaning and leave the spot stainless.Back To Choices


Chewing Gum
If you have kids in your home, you are definitely familiar with gum stain on the carpet. To eliminate chewing gum, first place some ice cubes on the gum to harden it, then you pull it off gently or scrub it using a firm blunt object. Alternatively, you can use peanut butter to remove the gum in case pulling it off doesn’t work out well. Apply it on the gum and the oil from the butter will break down the gum and make it easy to remove.Or just simply buy a Gum Remover Back To Choices


Spaghetti Sauce Stain
Remove as much as possible with blotting, then Option A OR Option D, if not successful do Option C, then Option E. Back To Choices


Urine Stain
Remove as much as possible with blotting, then do Option B, Option C, Option E. Back To Choices


Stains From Vomit
Remove as much as possible through blotting, then do Option B, if not successful Option C, if not successful Option E. Back To Choices


Kool Aid Spills
Kool aid spills form stain on the carpet, and they can be easily removed. To begin with, wet some cloth in water and place it on top of the stain. Get a warm iron and place it on the wet cloth for up to 10 minutes. The iron should not be hot as it will dry the cloth quickly. Wet the cloth after it is dry and place the warm iron on top again. Repeat until the kool aid spot is no more.Back To Choices


Dog And Cat Puke
Removing dog and cat vomit should be done as soon as possible to avoid drying, or toughening of the stain. Begin by blotting the puke with a rag or a paper towel. After this, sprinkles some table salt in the soiled area and cover it up with a dump cloth. Leave it covered for a couple of minutes and the puke stain will disappear, otherwise repeat until it clears off.Back To Choices


Pet Urine / Dropping Stains
Pet urine and dropping can be eliminated in different ways. For pet urine, soak the area and then rub some alcohol to kills the bacteria and eliminate the odor. Cover the area and leave it to dry.  You can use a disposable baby diaper with some weight on it to soak up the urine from the carpet.

Covering the area with baking soda can also draw up the mess before you vacuum it. Alternatively, you can sprinkle some vinegar on the pet accident; wait a few minutes and then sponge the area outwards before you can blot it with a dry cloth.Back To Choices


Getting Rid Of Bad Odor
Removing the stain is never the last solution when cleaning a carpet unless you get rid of the bad odor too. Sprinkling baking soda on the area helps eliminate pet urine odor. Vinegar is also good in eliminate strong detergent smell and other odors.  Make one part of white vinegar with one part of water. Spray or blot on to the carpet affected areas. Leave it for 10-15 minutes then rinse it with water. Allow it to air dry. Back To Choices


Blood Stains
Blot the area with a paper towel before you spray it with a mixture of 2 spoons of ammonia to 1 cup of water. Blot it again and clean a mixture of detergent and water to remove the stain. Repeat for better results. If you dont have ammonia, you can use vinegar with water.Back To Choices

 

Other Related Readings:

Mold, Mildew, Smell Removal Tips On Carpets

Easy Carpet Spot Removal

WHMIS And MSDS – Why do we need to read the label and be aware of the contents?


21 comments

  1. We’ve got a few stains in our carpets. Just from the kids spilling things. It’s just something that we can’t seem to keep up on. I’ve been thinking about getting the carpets cleaned every six months to keep up with it.

    0
    0
  2. For a home owner small wet vac can be handy for immediate spills on the carpet and always pretest a small area before using any home carpet cleaning remedies or you can always call your local professional carpet cleaner. Great article on carpet cleaning and stain removal tips!

    0
    0
  3. We’ve got a lot of odd stains in our home actually. What do you do when don’t know what the stain is? We had some pretty wild previous neighbors. We’re thinking of just replacing the carpet.

    0
    0
  4. That is amazing how you described everything , well done. But for those who have expensive carpets try to better call a professional carpet cleaning company.

    0
    0
  5. Wow, thanks for such a great resource! We just moved into a new place for a very cheap rate, but I’m figuring out why. The carpets are massively stained from pets, spills and who knows what. I was thinking of just tearing it out and getting a new carpet, but It’ll be a better idea to try and clean it first. Regardless of what happens, we’ve got our work cut out for us.

    0
    0
  6. Thanks for the tips on chocolates. My little son dropped a cupcake and then stepped on it. I was afraid to use water in case it would make things worse. I’ll try the knife trick before using any liquids. If the mess wasn’t right in the front room I wouldn’t be so worried about getting it out.

    0
    0
  7. Thanks for the list of resources, We’re going to need to use them all for the project we have ahead of us. We bought a foreclosed house on the market for a good price, but I understand why now. Everything in the house has been trashed. We’re thinking of trying to clean it instead of having to pay for new things. The worst was the carpet, we’re thinking of cleaning it all, but that’s not looking likely.

    0
    0
  8. It’s really helpful that you’ve included a list of detailed instructions for how to get rid of certain stains. The most common stains in my house that I have the most trouble removing are juice and ketchup stains. I’m assuming that I can use the instructions for getting rid of fruit punch stains for cleaning up juice stains. Wiping away ketchup stains don’t usually work for me, so I’ll try using an ammonia solution and see if that will work. Thanks for the tips!

    0
    0
  9. I like that you have given so many options. There are a whole lot of tips here on different ways to clean. I am also thankful you added specific food and how to get them out.
    http://stainbusters.com.au/index.php/a-stain-buster-near-you/western-australia/perth

    0
    0
  10. This is one of the most detailed and informative sites regarding the carpet cleaning industry! I recently read an article promoting vodka as a cleaning agent; not your typical household product but if it works it works! Will have to try dig up that article. Forever directing this to information hungry customers from sensationalcleaning.com.au

    0
    0
  11. Getting a stain on the carpet is really annoying. These tips sound like they could really help with a fresh stain. I’ve never tried the vinegar solution before, so that would be nice to try out. What if the stain is old and these methods don’t work? I might just have to give the professional cleaners a call since I can’t get the stains out.

    0
    0
  12. How many amazing advices! I’m fascinated! I’m a professional cleaner for
    Cleaners Cleaning Ltd.and I will share your tricks with all my friends and colleagues. Thank you so much for sharing!

    0
    0
  13. Oh my goodness, this is the most amazing list of stain cleaning tips! Thank you so much for sharing all of these. Basically every type of stain that I’ve ever had a problem with is listed here with a way to get rid of it. I didn’t know that you could use isopropyl rubbing alcohol to get rid of milk stains. That’s good to know, for sure. My son is always spilling milk all over our carpet.

    0
    0
  14. Getting your carpet cleaning tasks carried out in a suitable way can be done best through professional service providers. Get your carpets, tiles, and upholstery cleaned to retain their quality.

    0
    0
  15. Oh, great! I purchased some ammonia the other day to clean my stove burners, and while it works, it does have an extremely strong smell. I’ll try the solution with detergent first, but if all else fails I’ll give ammonia a try. Hopefully either one will work for cleaning some stubborn stains out of my carpet, thank you 🙂 ctss.net.au

    0
    0
  16. We have a piece of exercise equipment with black rubber runners on the bottom. Over a period of time they have marred our Berber carpet in the basement. Need suggestions on how to clean it please! The carpet is a Creme color.

    0
    0
  17. Pingback: Google
  18. Kids love carpets and more than their beds they love to play on carpets only. So they have to be clean for my kids. I got help from VIP Cleaning Services Melbourne and now when my carpets are contaminants free, I encourage my kids to spend more times enjoying on the lovely carpets. Thank You

    Read more about :- https://vipcleaningservicesmelbourne.com.au/carpet-cleaning-melbourne.html

    0
    0
  19. Curtain Cleaning Melbourne are just ultimate saviors! I had a badly soiled Curtains. Basically, we went on a foreign tour for a month, and when we returned, my Curtains & everything was coated with a thick layer of dust. My husband suggested Curtain Cleaning Melbourne as his friends have hired them a few times. And yes, they actually worked wonders. They not only helped in cleaning the curtains, but also offered us a quick discount as a part of their promotional scheme. I am glad and satisfied with the services I received. Without a doubt, they are the best!

    0
    0
  20. Hey, this is a wonderful list you have shared for carpet cleaning. You have covered everything that possibly every house owner having a carpet would have come across. Again, thanks for sharing. Now, these tips will make carpet cleaning easier and cheaper.
    Fo carpet cleaning tips visit
    https://www.adelaidesbestcarpetcleaner.com.au/services/carpet-cleaning/

    0
    0

Leave a Reply to Emko's Carpet Cleaning Cancel reply