How To Effortlessly Get Old Stains Out Of Carpet 

It has been estimated that almost 60 to 70% of people have considered hiding carpet stains by rearranging the furniture in their homes. We see you, sneaky decorators, those stains aren’t fooling anyone! The truth is, that’s like putting a BandAid on a sinking ship, hardly ideal.

As it often means that you can’t change the layout of the room in the future. Plus, even clean looking carpets can be full of dirt, dust as well as germs and bacteria. It doesn’t matter how many times you vacuum the room, many of these germs will stick around.

Whilst some of you might be considering replacing the carpet or removing it altogether and going with wooden floorboards, that might be a bit drastic. The good news is that you can get your original carpets clean and stain and germ free using items that you already have in your cupboards.

By the time you’ve finished reading this short article you’ll know all the secrets on how to remove stains and keep your carpets as fresh as a daisy.

The Secrets To Removing Old Carpet Stains

We don’t necessarily mean old carpets with stains here (although that might be the case), no, we’re talking about old stains in carpets. These old ingrained stains are the most difficult to remove and require a skill set that few know about.

But don’t worry, because you’re about to become a certified stain warrior with these tried and true secrets!

The first thing you need to do is make the stain wet again. Once the stain is rehydrated you can treat it as if it was a fresh stain. Simples!

The Rules

Whether the stain is fresh or as old as the hills there are a few rules that always are relevant. Which are;

• No Scrubbing
  Trust us, your carpet will thank you. Scrubbing is like arguing with a toddler, it just makes things worse. If you scrub at the stain, you can work it deeper into the fabric making it even more difficult to remove. Always gently pat and blot at the stain to lift it out, not force it in further.
• Always Test The Cleaning Products
  Before you start attacking the stain, always test the product in an area out of sight (like in a corner or under a cupboard) to make sure the product doesn’t make a worse stain.
• Use A White Cloth (or towel)
  Because nobody wants their stylish patterned towel to make a guest appearance as a stain collaborator. If you use a coloured or patterned cloth (or towel), the colours could bleed into the carpet making an even worse stain than you started with.
• Attack The Stain From The Outside In
  When attacking a stain always work from the outside in to prevent spreading it even further.

Treating Different Types Of Stains

When it comes to carpet stains (or fabric stains in general), there are two basic types;

1. Water Soluble
   These are stains made from products like washable ink, berries, mud and milk and are usually easier to remove.
2. Non Water Soluble
   These are made from products like wine, blood, animal mess, coffee and chocolate and these have different cleaning methods.

If you can play carpet CSI and identify the culprit, tackling the stain will be way easier. Was it coffee? Mud? Or the ever mysterious ‘unknown goo’?

Whatever it is, you need to exercise some degree of caution. Only work on a small area to see whether the product will work or not.

Homemade Solutions For Dealing With Carpet Stains

The real secret to tackling carpet stains is not relying on harsh chemicals but using instead, items that you’ll most probably have in your cupboards. We’re talking about good old fashioned remedies your granny swore by, because if it worked on her carpets, it’ll work on yours. Things like;

• Washing Up Liquid
• White Vinegar
• Bicarbonate Of Soda (Baking Soda)
• Ammonia
• Water
• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Soda Water
• White Wine
• Borax

We can imagine you scratching your head about now thinking that we’ve lost the plot. But trust us, these old fashioned household ingredients can work wonders.

Using Washing Up Liquid To Remove Carpet Stains

This one’s so easy, it’s practically the fast food of stain removal, but without the grease. All you do is;

1. Mix 1 teaspoon of washing up liquid with 1 cup of warm water and put it in a spray bottle.
2. Spray the solution onto the carpet stain.
3. Use a cloth to gently blot the stain from the outside in until it’s gone.
4. Rinse the area with fresh clean water on a cloth and allow it to dry.

If the stain is still visible, repeat the whole process, you can also use a steam cleaner or wet & dry vacuum instead of the cloth if you have one. This is probably the best solution for dealing with old pet stains in carpets.

Using Ammonia To Remove Carpet Stains

If using washing up liquid doesn’t work, try using ammonia instead. All you do is;

1. Mix 2 tablespoons of ammonia with 1 cup of water in a spray bottle.
2. Spray the affected area and let it sit for a few minutes.
3. Then blot the liquid up using a soft, dry cloth or a wet & dry vacuum if you have one.
4. Remember to work from the outside in.

Using White Vinegar For Carpet Stain Removal

If you don’t have any ammonia or don’t like the thought of using it on your carpet, you can use white vinegar instead. Time to channel your inner mad scientist! For the white vinegar trick you’ll need to;

1. Mix 1 cup of white vinegar with 2 cups of water into a spray bottle.
2. Spray the solution onto the stain.
3. Let it sit for a few minutes.
4. Then extract the liquid using a soft dry cloth or a wet & dry vacuum.
5. Repeat if necessary.

Hydrogen Peroxide For Removing Carpet Stains

Hydrogen peroxide is like the secret superhero of stain removal, just don’t let it go rogue.. All you need to do is;

1. Put some (undiluted) hydrogen peroxide into a spray bottle.
2. Apply it to the carpet stain and let it sit for around 10 or 15 minutes (you might need to really saturate the stain to tease it away from the carpet fibres).
3. Get a stiff brush and work on the stain to loosen it.
4. Blot the liquid up using clean white towels or soft cloths or a wet & dry vacuum if you have one.

Using Vinegar & Bicarbonate Of Soda For Really Stubborn Carpet Stains

If you’re not having any joy removing a particularly stubborn stain from your carpet, bring out the big guns. All you do is:

1. Vacuum the stain.
2. Sprinkle bicarbonate of soda all over the stained area.
3. Mix white vinegar and warm water in a 50/50 mixture and pour into a spray bottle.
4. Add ½ a teaspoon of washing up liquid for extra power.
5. Spray the mixture on top of the bicarbonate of soda.
6. Stand back and admire your foamy science project, it’s like a tiny volcano, but with less mess and more cleaning power. Let it sit until it forms a hard(ish) crust (this could take a few hours).
7. Once dry, vacuum the mess up and the stain will lift out with it.

Soda Water For Carpet Stain Removal

While soda water is great for a whisky night, it’s also perfect for those times when you’ve spilled the whisky on the carpet. We’re talking about the soda water, not the whisky, just to be clear. All you have to do is;

1. Pour some soda water onto the stain and let it sit for a few minutes.
2. Make sure it’s worked in properly using a stiff brush.
3. Use a cloth to blot the water and the stain up.
4. Remember to work from the outside in so as not to spread it further.
5. If the stain remains, try sprinkling salt on it to help draw it out.
6. Let it soak for around 20 to 30 minutes.
7. Vacuum the salt up and take the stain away with it.

Using Borax To Remove Old Carpet Stains

You’ve probably got borax in your laundry arsenal, but here’s a plot twist, it moonlights as a carpet saviour. All you do is;

1. Vacuum the stain to remove any loose particles.
2. Wet the stained area with cold water.
3. Sprinkle borax onto the wet stain.
4. Leave it to completely dry out then vacuum it up.
5. Repeat if necessary.

What About Old Red Wine Stains On Carpets?

If you have an ancient red wine stain on your carpet that’s driving you mad, fear not. We have the solution to your torment, and you might think we’ve gone completely bonkers. It’s…White wine. Here’s how you do it;

1. Cover the red wine stain with white wine (Yes, we know, it’s borderline sacrilege. But trust us, it works.)
2. The white wine will dampen the red wine stain making it easier to remove.
3. Blot the wine up using a cloth remembering to work from the outside in.
4. Repeat if some of the stain remains.
5. Once the stain has gone, rinse the area using fresh water and blot as much of the moisture away as you can (you can use a wet & dry vacuum if you have one).

Your Turn

Got a carpet stain horror story that ended with a miracle save? Share your triumphs (and your funniest fails) in the comments! Have you tried any of these solutions? Let us know in the comments. 

If you found this helpful, share it with your mates in case they have a carpet fiasco.

SEE ALSO: Stop Overdrying Your Clothes! The Damage You Can’t See (Until It’s Too Late)

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