Material file · Carpet and rugs
Carpet: what it can take
Covers nylon, polyester and polypropylene wall-to-wall carpet and synthetic rugs. Use as little liquid as possible on carpet: blot and dab rather than pour, because whatever soaks in cannot be rinsed out properly.
- Water
- Minimal
- Max temperature
- 40 °C (104 °F)
- Rubbing
- Never
- Stain files
- 63
01 What it is
Carpet has a pile: cut or looped fibre ends standing up from a backing, which hides how far liquid has spread.
Carpet cannot be rinsed through, so whatever you put on it partly stays in it.
The fibre in carpet is synthetic (polyester, nylon or similar): tough against most chemicals, but sensitive to heat and solvents, and it holds oily stains tightly.
02 House rules
- Use as little liquid as possible on carpet: blot and dab rather than pour, because whatever soaks in cannot be rinsed out properly.
- No rubbing at all; every step is a press-and-lift.
- No soaking, so each treatment is applied, given a few minutes, and blotted away.
03 Field notes
- Blot from the outside in: rubbing untwists the yarn tips and leaves a fuzzy patch that looks dirty even when the stain is gone.
- Detergent left in carpet stays sticky and attracts dirt, so a spot can come back darker a week later. Rinsing with plain water stops it.
- Stains that reappear after drying are wicking: liquid soaked into the backing and carried the stain back up as it dried.
04 Every cleaner, rated
| Cleaner | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Acetone | Test first | Most polyester and nylon tolerate it, but check the label for acetate, triacetate or modacrylic, which it dissolves. |
| Baking soda | Test first | No material-specific permission is established by this general entry. Check the exact item and product labels and pretest; if compatibility is unknown, consult the manufacturer or a professional. |
| Borax | Test first | Rinse it out fully; powder residue stiffens pile and attracts dirt. |
| Citrus adhesive remover | Test first | Use sparingly and follow with a dish-soap blot. |
| Cornstarch | Test first | No material-specific permission is established by this general entry. Check the exact item and product labels and pretest; if compatibility is unknown, consult the manufacturer or a professional. |
| Dish soap | Test first | Keep it to a light, foamy solution and rinse well; soap left in padding attracts dirt. |
| Bio detergent | Test first | Dilute it and rinse thoroughly; detergent left in carpet or upholstery turns into a dirt magnet. |
| Enzyme cleaner | Test first | No material-specific permission is established by this general entry. Check the exact item and product labels and pretest; if compatibility is unknown, consult the manufacturer or a professional. |
| Household ammonia | Test first | An old method for synthetic carpet; never on wool, never on pet urine, and never with bleach. |
| Hydrogen peroxide 3% | Test first | Fine on light synthetic carpet after testing; it can lighten coloured pile. |
| Lemon juice | Test first | No material-specific permission is established by this general entry. Check the exact item and product labels and pretest; if compatibility is unknown, consult the manufacturer or a professional. |
| Oxalic acid cleanser | Test first | Use a tiny amount and rinse well; acid left in padding keeps working. |
| Oxygen bleach | Test first | On carpet use a weak solution and blot; it can lighten some dyes. |
| Rubbing alcohol | Test first | No material-specific permission is established by this general entry. Check the exact item and product labels and pretest; if compatibility is unknown, consult the manufacturer or a professional. |
| Steam cleaner | Test first | Fine for general cleaning of synthetic carpet; it sets protein and urine stains. |
| White vinegar | Test first | No material-specific permission is established by this general entry. Check the exact item and product labels and pretest; if compatibility is unknown, consult the manufacturer or a professional. |
| Hot water | Avoid | Hot water can set the stain, loosen the backing glue and shrink wool pile. |
| WD-40 | Avoid | It leaves an oily patch that attracts dirt. |
| Chlorine bleach | Never | Chlorine leaves permanent white or orange spots in carpet. |
| Magic eraser | Never | It frays carpet and velvet pile. |
05 Stains on carpet
| Stain | Difficulty | Never |
|---|---|---|
| Acrylic paint | Specialist | The dryer, Hot water |
| BBQ sauce | Specialist | Hot water, The dryer |
| Bike chain and motor grease | Specialist | The dryer, Rubbing |
| Bleach spots | Specialist | Vinegar or ammonia, Rubbing |
| Hair dye | Specialist | Hot water, Waiting |
| Mildew and mould spots | Specialist | The dryer, Rubbing |
| Nail polish | Specialist | Rubbing, The dryer |
| Permanent marker | Specialist | Water first, Rubbing |
| Self-tanner and fake tan | Specialist | Hot water, Waiting |
| Super glue | Specialist | Pulling, Rubbing |
| Turmeric and curry | Specialist | Hot water, The dryer |
| Wall paint (latex/emulsion) | Specialist | The dryer, Rubbing |
| Baby food purée | Tough | Hot water, The dryer |
| Baby poop | Tough | Hot water, The dryer |
| Ballpoint ink | Tough | Hairspray, Rubbing |
| Beetroot | Tough | The dryer, Rubbing |
| Berries | Tough | Bar soap, Hot water |
| Chocolate | Tough | Hot water, The dryer |
| Grape and cranberry juice | Tough | Hot water, Bar soap |
| Grease and cooking oil | Tough | The dryer, Rubbing |
| Lily pollen | Tough | Your bare hand, Water first |
| Lipstick | Tough | Rubbing, Hot water |
| Mascara and eyeliner | Tough | Rubbing, Hot water |
| Mustard | Tough | Hot water, The dryer |
| Red wine | Tough | Hot water, Salt as a stain-removal substitute |
| Rust | Tough | Chlorine bleach, The dryer |
| Salad dressing | Tough | The dryer, Rubbing |
| Sunscreen | Tough | Chlorine bleach, The dryer |
| Tomato sauce and ketchup | Tough | Hot water, The dryer |
| Tree sap | Tough | Hot water, The dryer |
| Urine (pets and people) | Tough | Chlorine bleach, Ammonia |
| Vomit (pets and people) | Tough | Hot water, Vacuuming |
| Avocado | Manageable | Hot water, The dryer |
| Baby formula and spit-up | Manageable | Hot water, The dryer |
| Bird droppings | Manageable | Hot water, Rubbing |
| Blood | Manageable | Hot water, The dryer |
| Breast milk | Manageable | Hot water, The dryer |
| Butter | Manageable | The dryer, Rubbing |
| Candle wax | Manageable | Hot water, Rubbing |
| Chewing gum | Manageable | Hot water, The dryer |
| Coffee | Manageable | Hot water, Bar soap |
| Cola and soda | Manageable | Hot water, The dryer |
| Crayon | Manageable | The dryer, Rubbing |
| Egg | Manageable | Hot water, The dryer |
| Foundation and concealer | Manageable | Rubbing, Hot water |
| Gravy | Manageable | Hot water, The dryer |
| Hair and body oil | Manageable | The dryer, Rubbing |
| Highlighter | Manageable | The dryer, Rubbing |
| Ice cream | Manageable | Hot water, The dryer |
| Matcha | Manageable | Hot water, Bar soap |
| Mud and dirt | Manageable | Water first, Rubbing |
| Peanut butter | Manageable | The dryer, Rubbing |
| Perfume | Manageable | The dryer, Ironing |
| Slime | Manageable | Hot water, The dryer |
| Soy sauce | Manageable | Hot water, The dryer |
| Tea | Manageable | Hot water, Bar soap |
| Beer | Easy | Hot water, The dryer |
| Bronzer, blush and eyeshadow | Easy | Water first, Rubbing |
| Orange juice | Easy | Hot water, The dryer |
| Play dough | Easy | Water first, Rubbing |
| School glue (PVA) | Easy | The dryer, Rubbing |
| Sticker and tape residue | Easy | Rubbing |
| Washable marker | Easy | Hot water, The dryer |
06 The most common mistakes on carpet
Counted across all 63 stain files for carpet:
- Rubbing or scrubbing (63 files). It untwists the pile and spreads the stain sideways; press and lift instead.
- The dryer before it is gone (52 files). Dryer heat locks in whatever is left. Air-dry and check first.
- Hot water (39 files). Heat helps pigments bond to the fibres before you have lifted them.
- Bar soap or soap flakes (6 files). True soap is alkaline, and alkalis set tannin stains such as wine, coffee, tea and fruit.
- Water first (5 files). Water spreads alcohol-based ink and does not dissolve it.
- Chlorine bleach (4 files). Chlorine bleach can worsen rust-related marks. Use a compatible product labelled for the actual stain and material.
07 What the carpet files use most
These are the products the 63 stain files for carpet rely on most. Cold water leads because water dissolves sugars, salts and fresh, water-based stains, and dilutes everything else before it can bond.
08 When to call a professional
Stains bigger than a dinner plate, old pet stains that soaked the pad, and anything under warranty.
Specialist-rated stains on carpet: acrylic paint, BBQ sauce, bike grease, bleach spots, hair dye, mildew, nail polish, permanent marker, self-tanner, super glue, turmeric and wall paint.