How to Get Stubborn Stains Out of Your Carpet
Don’t let an accidental spill ruin your day
Picture this: After hosting a party for your friends and family, you realize that a few sloshes of beer and wine have stained the floors. Spills happen, but there’s no need to cover the living areas in plastic tarps to keep your carpet looking pristine.
Whether your kids drop their juice cups, the new puppy has an accident, or you drop some food, here’s how to get stubborn stains out of your carpet.
Why Do I Need to Remove Stains From My Carpet?
Carpet stains can be an eyesore, but more than that, they can also cause the floors to be sticky or smelly. Plus, neglecting carpet stains may attract pests or mildew. That’s why you should blot and clean even the smallest stains as quickly as possible to keep the carpet looking its best and prevent unwanted pests.
How Much Does it Cost to Clean Carpets?
DIY carpet cleaning typically costs $75 or less, including the price of low-cost household staples like baking soda or vinegar and a cleaning brush. Using a rented steam cleaner, which costs about $50, and carpet detergent, which runs $15 to $25, will give you a deeper clean. On the other hand, the cost of hiring a professional carpet cleaning service will cost about $25 to $75 per room.
How to Prep for Carpet Stain Removal
When a spill occurs, you’ll want to move quickly to prevent it from setting into the carpet fibers. Take the below precautions before diving into the stain.
Gather tools and supplies: Assemble a cleaning caddy with vinegar, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol, commercial carpet cleaner, a scrub brush, cleaning cloths, and an empty spray bottle or two.
Remove excess dirt or debris: After a fresh spill, pick up any solid pieces of the spilled material, like food or candle wax. Use a knife or spoon to carefully pull up these solid materials without damaging the rug or worsening the stain.
Blot with care: No matter the type of spill, whether you’re cleaning hair dye from your carpet or dealing with toppled spaghetti, you’ll want to carefully blot the area with clean, dry cloths to soak up any excess liquids before they sink deeper into the carpet, making the stain more difficult to lift.
How to Get Any Stain Out of a Carpet
Depending on the type of stain, you may need different supplies. Some water-soluble stains, like soda, will come up easily with water and dish soap. But other stains, like red wine, are stubborn and will require unique solutions, like club soda or commercial cleaner.
Blood Stains
When it comes to getting blood stains out of carpet, cold water is key. Using higher temperature water will cause the blood to coagulate and set into the carpet. For blood stains, apply cold water or club soda and blot with a clean cloth to lift the stain. Repeat as needed.
Wine Stains
It’s all fun and games until red wine stains your white carpet. While wine, especially red wine, is difficult to remove, it’s not an impossible feat.
After initially blotting the area, pour small amounts of water or club soda over the stain.
Use a fresh cloth to blot the area.
Repeat pouring water or club soda and blotting the area to slowly dilute the wine stain.
For deep-set wine stains, combine three parts of baking soda to one part of water to make a cleaning paste.
Gently massage the paste into the stain with your fingers.
Let the baking soda sit for a few hours until it’s dry.
Vacuum up the baking soda.
Coffee Stains
Your peaceful morning moment spent sipping coffee can quickly become chaotic if you spill it onto the carpet. To clean coffee or tea stains, you can use a commercial cleaner or a homemade cleaner with hydrogen peroxide.
Combine two parts of hydrogen peroxide and one part of liquid dish soap.
After blotting the stain, apply the mixture.
Massage the homemade cleaner into the stain gently.
Rinse the area with water, then blot to lift the stain.
Chocolate Stains
Sometimes, your beloved chocolate will betray you by leaving fudgy smears on the carpet. Before tackling melted chocolate stains, you’ll need to use a knife or spoon to pick up any solid pieces of chocolate.
Add an ice pack or ice inside a sealed bag over melted chocolate, causing it to solidify.
Combine warm water and a small amount of dish soap in a bowl.
Soak a cleaning cloth in the soapy water, then wring it out.
Gently blot the area with the damp cloth, working from the outside in to avoid spreading the stain.
Allow the soapy water to set into the stained area for a few minutes.
Use a clean, dry cloth to blot the area.
Oil or Grease Stains
For greasy stains, baking soda is a miracle worker, but you may need to put in a little elbow grease.
Lift any solids away from the carpet with a knife or spoon.
Pour baking soda over the grease spot and set it for at least 5 minutes to soak up the oil or grease.
Use a soft-bristled cleaning brush to gently scrub the baking soda into the stain.
Let the baking soda sit for 15 minutes to a few hours, depending on the stain’s severity.
Vacuum up the baking soda.
If the stain is still there, apply either rubbing alcohol or warm, soapy water to the area.
Scrub the area again gently with the cleaning brush.
Rinse the area with water and blot dry.
Mud Stains
Kids and dogs love to spend an afternoon playing outside, but that sometimes means they track mud back inside. Let the mud dry completely before using a knife or spoon to pick up the solid pieces. For any stain left behind:
Combine warm water and distilled white vinegar plus a few drops of liquid dish soap in a spray bottle.
Spray the stain thoroughly.
Let the soaked stain sit for 10 minutes.
Use a clean cloth to blot the area dry.
Ink Stains
Ink stains can be intimidating, but many inks are water-soluble and easier to clean up than you’d think.
Combine warm water and 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap.
Use a clean cloth soaked in the soapy water to apply this simple homemade cleaner to the ink stain.
Blot, don’t rub, to carefully lift the stain.
If the ink doesn’t come up, soak a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol.
Blot the stain with the cotton ball and let it set for 5 minutes.
Rinse the area carefully with water, then blot dry.
Pet Urine
Pet urine can leave dark spots on your carpet, but it can also leave behind an unpleasant smell. To clean pet urine stains out of carpet, follow these steps.
Use a mixture of baking soda and vinegar or a store-bought enzymatic cleaner, which will neutralize odors and help lift the stain from the carpet.
Blot the solution on the stain with a clean rag.
If the stain does not come out, do not attempt to try a different cleaner as the combination could make the stain worse.
Tips for Taking Care of Carpets
Spills, stains, and general wear and tear can make carpets look dingy, but with regular upkeep, your carpets will look as good as new.
1. Clean Up Spills Quickly
If you drop food or spill your drink, use the blotting method to clean up the mess as soon as it happens. Otherwise, liquids and debris will move deeper into the carpet fibers, making a set stain that’s hard to clean.
Pro tip: Always blot up the liquid rather than rubbing. Rubbing can create a larger stain that sets deeper into the carpet.
2. Vacuum Often
Stains aren’t the only problem for carpets. Dirt and debris can make carpet look dirty and even cause the fibers to become matted. Make sure to vacuum carpets and rugs at least a few times a week, if not daily.
3. Schedule Regular Carpet Cleanings
Even if you don’t spill on your carpet, general foot traffic can leave dirt behind deep into the carpet fibers. To extend your carpet’s life and help it look its best, consider performing a deep cleaning every season or rent a steam cleaner annually to give your carpets a fresh scrub.
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro to Clean Carpet Stains
You can clean up carpet stains for $75 or less, depending on the necessary tools and supplies. If you need to buy commercial cleaners or supplies like baking soda and vinegar, the cost may be around $25. For a deeper clean, you can rent a steam cleaner and buy carpet detergent with the steamer for about $75.
Professional carpet cleaning costs about $120 to $230 and is best for large or old stains or stains that you can’t clean up yourself. Hire a local carpet cleaning service to restore your rugs and carpets to their former glory, and schedule a regular service about once a year to extend the life of your carpet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Vinegar and baking soda work well at lifting old stains from carpet.
Pour a generous layer of dry baking soda over the old stain.
In a spray bottle, combine distilled white vinegar with 1 cup of warm water. Add a few drops of liquid dish soap.
Spray the baking soda area thoroughly with the vinegar solution.
Let the vinegar and baking soda sit for a few hours.
Wipe or vacuum up the baking soda once it dries, then blot the area with a clean, dry towel.
Repeat as needed to lift the stain.
Dark-colored stains, like wine or coffee spills, blood, or a busted ink pen, are the hardest to remove from carpets and are especially visible on light carpets. But that doesn’t mean these stains won’t come up. If DIY methods don’t remove these stains, a professional carpet cleaner can help you restore your carpet.
It depends. If a stain has been sitting on your carpet for a few weeks, months, or years, it’s going to much harder to remove since its had time to dry. Certain carpet cleaners can also dye or permanently change the color of your carpet in attempts to remove the old stain. If you have a stain on your carpet that’s a few weeks old and you’re unsure of the original cause, your best bet is to call a carpet cleaning professional who will have the right tools and knowledge to avoid making the problem worse.