How to Remove Carpet Stains: Wine, Mud, Pets and Everyday Spills
The thing that often puts homeowners off choosing carpets is the horror of forever staining their flooring.
But here’s the deal—high-quality wool carpets won’t stain as long as you act quickly and use the proper cleaning techniques.
This article is your one-stop shop for battling the 10 most common household stains, from your red wine to muddy footprints and pet accidents.
Golden Rules of Removing Carpet Stains
Below, we’ll list exact steps and tips for removing the 10 most common household stains in Australian homes.
But first, let’s cover the golden rules of carpet stain removal, regardless of what types of stains land on your floor. If you want more tips like these, read our guide for cleaning and maintaining your carpet to extend its life.
Act quickly
The golden window before a stain sets can be as little as 5 to 15 minutes. So when you see a stain—act fast. Don’t just add it to your to-do list. Make removing the stain your top priority.
Blot Instead of Rubbing
Rubbing will push the stain deeper into the carpet fibres. Make sure to blot instead to lift the spill out of the fibres. Of course, you should always use a clean cloth prior to adding any cleaning agents. Don’t make the mistake of adding more liquid, which can make the stain worse.
Test Cleaning Solutions in a Small Area First
The cleaning solutions and suggestions we’ll mention below are tried-and-tested. But you can’t guarantee effectiveness and safety 100% of the time. Carpets do vary in textures, materials, and finishes, after all.
That said, always test cleaning solutions on a hidden part of the carpet. You don’t need to stain the area for this test. You just want to ensure that the cleaning solutions won’t damage the fibres.
Work from the Outer Edge Inward
Start at the outer edge of a stain to prevent it from spreading. This will keep the spill or dirt quarantined to the area already stained.
Rinse and dry the area.
Removing the stain isn’t the end goal. It’s to leave the previously-stained area looking as fresh and clean as before. To do that, always rinse the area using a clean, damp cloth—not the one used to remove the stain. As a final touch, dry the area with a separate clean cloth.
10 Common Carpet Stains and How to Remove Them
Now, time to tackle the most common carpet stains you’ll encounter as a homeowner.
1. Coffee and Tea
Cleaning solution formula: 1 tbsp dish soap + 2 tbsp hydrogen peroxide.
For coffee or tea stains, first, blot the stained area to dry. Then, apply the recommended cleaning solution, let it sit for a few seconds, and carefully work it into the carpet fibres using your fingers.
Rinse the stain thoroughly. Then, repeat the process until the stain is fully removed.
2. Red Wine
Cleaning solution: 1 tbsp dish soap + 1 tbsp vinegar + 2 cups warm water
For fresh spills, immediately blot the area to absorb as much liquid as possible. Make sure you’re not pressing too hard so it doesn’t seep through the fibres. Then, using a spray bottle, spritz the stained area with the cleaning solution.
Blot gently, rinse with cold water. And repeat the process until the stain is gone. Don’t forget to blot the area dry with a clean cloth.
3. Mud and Dirt
Cleaning solution: 1 tbsp dish soap + 1 tbsp vinegar + 2 cups warm water
First off, you should let the mud or dirt dry completely. That will make it easier to scrape off or vacuum residue that can potentially spread once you apply the cleaning solution.
Once your carpet is nice and dry, apply the cleaning solution to the dirty area and let it sit for about 10 minutes. After that, blot using a clean, dry white cloth or paper towel. Repeat until the stain is removed.
4. Pet Stains (Urine, Feces or Vomit)
Cleaning solution: Store-bought enzymatic cleaner
When pets have accidents on your carpet, immediately remove solid waste from the surface.
After that, before any stain sets in, apply an enzymatic cleaner to the affected area according to the pack instructions. These cleaners can effectively break down proteins and neutralise odours. Just make sure to rinse the area and dry it after cleaning.
You may be interested: Best Carpets for Homes with Pets and Kids
5. Juice and Soft Drinks
Cleaning solution: 1 tbsp dish soap + 1 tbsp vinegar + 2 cups warm water
Cleaning up juice and soft drink stains is done the same way as you’d tackle a wine spill. For fresh spills, you’ll want to blot the area to absorb the liquid sitting on the carpet.
After that, you should spritz a solution that mixes dish soap, vinegar, and warm water over the affected area. Rinse with cold water and blot dry.
6. Blood
Cleaning solution: Hydrogen peroxide
Apply cold (never hot) water on the freshly spilled blood to prevent it from seeping into the carpet. After that, blot gently using hydrogen peroxide until the stain lifts. Rinse with cold water and blot carpet dry.
7. Chocolate
Cleaning solution: 1 tbsp dish soap + 2 cups of warm water
If your kids (or you) have a chocolate mishap on the carpet, start by hardening the chocolate by placing an ice cube-filled plastic bag over the stain. Once the chocolate hardens, scrape off excess solids. Then, apply the dish soap solution above.
Blot gently, and once the stain lifts, rinse with water. Don’t forget to blot dry.
8. Grease / Fat / Oil
Cleaning solution: Dry-cleaning solvent + liquid detergent
When anything greasy lands on your carpet, sprinkle dry-cleaning detergent generously over the stained area. If you don’t have one, baking soda or cornflour can work in a pinch.
Let the powder sit for about 15 minutes to absorb the oils, then vacuum the area. If any greasy residue remains, apply a small amount of liquid detergent and blot gently. Use a damp cloth to rinse the area and blot dry.
9. Ink and Marker
Cleaning solution: Isopropyl or rubbing alcohol
To clean ink stains, dampen a cloth with isopropyl alcohol and gently blot the ink stain on the carpet. Never rub. Continue blotting until the ink transfers from the carpet onto the cloth. If any stain persists, especially from permanent markers, use a professional solvent according to the product instructions.
Rinse lightly with cold water and blot dry.
10. Candle Wax / Gum
Cleaning solution: Rubbing alcohol
Harden the spilled wax or gum on the carpet with ice in a plastic bag. Then scrape off the brittle pieces. Blot leftover residue with rubbing alcohol, and finish off by rinsing the area with cold water. Always blot dry after cleaning.
The Most Crucial Step to Having Stain-free Carpets
The most important step to keeping carpets stain-free isn’t really about cleaning. It starts with the type of carpet you choose.
Wool carpets and other natural options, for example, are much more resistant to stains, dirt, and spills, which makes them easier to maintain.
Synthetic carpets, on the other hand, often tend to absorb more liquid or dirt. If you’d like to explore these carpets’ differences in detail, we’ve put together a wool vs. nylon carpets guide and carpet vs timber flooring guide for a clearer comparison.
Ready to buy the perfect carpet for your space?
Give Middleton’s Carpets team a call, or visit our showroom. We exclusively stock natural, premium wool carpets. Everything is handpicked to last for decades. And yes—we keep stain accidents in mind when choosing the carpets that earn a spot in our showroom.