The golden rules
Whatever the stain, a few rules apply. Act fast. Scrape up solids with a spoon or blunt knife. Blot liquids with a white cloth or kitchen paper, pressing down rather than rubbing. Work from the outside of the stain towards the centre so it doesn't spread. Use as little liquid as possible, and always rinse out whatever cleaner you use – soap left in carpet attracts dirt and leaves a dark patch.
Test any product on a hidden area first, such as inside a wardrobe or under a sofa, and check the carpet's fibre. Wool and wool-rich carpets are sensitive to heat, bleach and strong alkaline cleaners. Polypropylene and nylon tolerate more but can still be damaged by bleach.
Stain-by-stain methods
The table summarises the usual first approach; details follow below.
| Stain | First step | Then |
|---|---|---|
| Red wine | Blot immediately | Cool water, then washing-up liquid solution; rinse and blot |
| Coffee and tea | Blot | Washing-up liquid and white vinegar solution; rinse and blot |
| Grease and oil | Scrape and blot | Sprinkle bicarbonate of soda, vacuum, then a drop of washing-up liquid |
| Blood | Blot with cold water only | Mild washing-up liquid solution; never use hot water |
| Mud | Let it dry completely | Brush and vacuum, then treat any mark left |
| Candle wax | Let it harden, scrape | Brown paper and a warm iron to lift the remainder |
| Chewing gum | Harden with an ice pack | Pick off, then treat residue with a little solvent spot cleaner |
| Ink and felt tip | Blot | Rubbing alcohol on a cloth, dabbed, after testing |
Common carpet stains and the usual home treatment. Always test first and rinse well.
Red wine, coffee and tea
Blot as much as you can. For red wine, pour a little cold water onto the stain and keep blotting – diluting it is half the battle. Then mix a teaspoon of washing-up liquid in a cup of warm water, dab it on, blot, and rinse with clean water. Salt and white wine are popular remedies but don't do much that cold water doesn't.
For coffee and tea, add a tablespoon of white vinegar to the washing-up liquid solution, apply with a cloth, blot until the colour stops transferring, rinse and blot dry. Milky drinks need the rinse step most, because milk residue goes sour.
Grease, food and make-up
Scrape away any solid food, then sprinkle bicarbonate of soda or cornflour over a greasy mark and leave it for 15–30 minutes to absorb oil before vacuuming. Then use a small amount of washing-up liquid solution, rinse and blot. Foundation and lipstick respond to the same method; a dedicated solvent spot cleaner may be needed for stubborn residue on synthetic carpet.
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Blood and other protein stains
Use cold water only. Heat sets protein stains permanently. Blot with cold water, then a mild washing-up liquid solution, then rinse. On synthetic carpets, a little hydrogen peroxide (3%) can help with old blood but can bleach some dyes – test it first and never use it on wool. The same cold-water approach applies to vomit and egg; our guide to cleaning after a sickness bug covers hygiene for those.
Wax, gum and other solids
For candle wax, let it harden, scrape off what you can, then lay brown paper or a paper bag over the remainder and press with a warm (not hot) iron for a few seconds – the wax melts into the paper. Move to a clean area of paper and repeat. Don't use this on wool without testing, and keep the iron moving.
For chewing gum, freeze it with an ice pack or ice cubes in a bag until brittle, then pick it off. A small amount of solvent spot cleaner removes the residue on most synthetic carpets.
What not to do
These well-meant fixes often make stains worse:
- Rubbing or scrubbing hard, which spreads the stain and frays the pile
- Using hot water on blood, egg, milk or other protein stains
- Bleach or bleach-based sprays, which remove the carpet's colour as well as the stain
- Soaking the area, which wets the underlay and can cause brown 'wicking' marks as it dries
- Leaving cleaning solution in the carpet without rinsing
When to call a professional
If a stain keeps reappearing after it dries (wicking), if you've tried twice and it isn't shifting, or if the carpet is wool or very expensive, stop and call a carpet cleaner. Professionals carry specific spotters for tannin, protein, oil and dye stains and can rinse with hot water extraction to remove residues properly.
Some stains – bleach spots, dye transfer, burns and old pet urine that has changed the fibre colour – can't be removed by cleaning; carpet repair or patching is the option. A professional clean before an end of tenancy inspection is often worth it; our guide to whether tenants have to clean carpets explains your obligations.
