How to remove grease stains from carpet

Grease stains on carpets are some of the toughest stains to get rid of. They mainly consist of lipids that can’t be dissolved by water alone because they hold tight onto the carpet’s fibers. But removing grease stains from your carpet is a piece of cake thanks to baking soda, liquid soap, and alcohol.

 Read on to see how these methods work.

Baking soda: an effective grease stain remover

Act as soon as possible once you see grease stains on your carpet. The longer it sits there, the deeper the stain will set in the fibers of your carpet. One of the most effective grease stain removers is baking soda, this cleaning agent absorbs grease deposits from the stain and deodorizes the area simultaneously.

These are the steps on how to remove stubborn grease stain from your carpet with baking soda:

1. Sprinkle the baking soda on the stained area. Baking soda will soak up all the excess grease from the stain.
2. Grab a clean cloth or an old toothbrush and use it to rub the powder into the carpet. Apply slight pressure to allow the powder to penetrate your carpet’s fibers to absorb more grease.
3. Leave the baking powder to set in and soak up the grease from the stain for 15 minutes.
4. After 15 minutes, use a vacuum cleaner to remove the baking soda from the carpet. Make sure to get rid of all the powder residue.
5. If the grease stain is still visible, grab a clean cloth and dampen it with a mixture of a few drops of liquid soap and a cup of clean water.
6. Gently blot the area using the cloth until the stain visibly lightens.
7. Once the stain is no longer visible, let your carpet air dry.

Using liquid soap to get rid of grease stains

Water alone can’t remove grease stain from carpet. Using liquid soap, which acts as an emulsifier, will help you deal with grease stain with ease. This method is perfect for both fresh or dry grease stains.

Here are the steps for removing grease stains using liquid soap.

1. Create a solution of ¼ cups liquid soap and 1 cup of warm water in a mixing bowl.
2. Dip a clean cloth in the solution, use this cloth to blot the stain on the carpet. Apply slight pressure on the grease stain to allow the solution to penetrate through the fibers of your carpet.
3. Leave it for 10 minutes.
4. After 10 minutes, grab another clean, dry cloth to blot the treated area. You will notice the transfer of stain from the carpet onto the dry cloth.
5. Double-check the area, if there’s no stain left, proceed to the drying process.
6. Stack a few paper towels over the treated area and hold them down with something heavy, like a small piece of furniture.
7. Leave overnight to dry.

Removing grease stains from your carpet using alcohol

Alcohol can easily remove grease stains from carpet because it has the same properties as water-displacing solutions. This allows alcohol to break down the grease stains into tinier particles and enclose it with alcohol molecules, resulting in a simple and easy removal of grease stains on your carpet.

In this method, you can use rubbing alcohol, such as isopropyl alcohol. Always keep in mind to follow safety precautions while using alcohol, and make sure the area you’re working in is well ventilated.

Here are the easy steps to remove grease stains with alcohol.

1. Dampen a clean cloth with rubbing alcohol.
2. Blot the stained area using the cloth, continue blotting on the stained area with a slight pressure until the whole area is damp from the alcohol.
3. Let it soak for 3 to 5 minutes. Doing this lets the alcohol do its job dissolving the grease stains on your carpet.
4. After the allotted time, or once the stain visibly lightens, you should now proceed to rinse the carpet.
5. Dip a clean cloth in clean water and use this to blot the alcohol residue off of the carpet.
6. Dry the treated area using paper towels. Pile a few stacks of paper towels on the treated area, and put something heavy over it.

Common questions about grease stains

Does WD-40 remove grease stains?

WD-40 is a commercial oil-based lubricant that can also help remove grease stains from your carpet. It can dissolve grease and other dirt deposits on carpets easily because of the solvents present in the product. These solvents help loosen grease molecules from your carpet, making it very effective.

Can grease stains be removed after drying?

Yes, you can still save your garments from grease stains that are present even after drying. Try a pretreatment method to help remove these stubborn stains. Apply liquid soap to the stain, then let it sit for a few minutes and soak in a bucket of warm water before tossing it in the wash.

Read here for a more in-depth look at how to remove dried grease stains from clothes.

How do you remove old stains from carpet?

To remove old stains from carpet, simply sprinkle baking soda on the stained area. Mix one tablespoon of liquid soap, one tablespoon of white vinegar and 2 cups of hot water to make a cleaning solution. Next, use a clean cloth to dab the stained area with the cleaning solution until it visibly lightens.  Blot the treated area with a paper towel to dry.

Does shampoo remove grease stains?

Since shampoo was designed to remove grease and natural oils from a person’s scalp, it can also work as a great pre-treatment method when dealing with grease stains on any surface. The best type of shampoo to use when you plan to remove grease stains is dry shampoo, as it can dry oil and grease faster than regular shampoo.

Final thoughts

Getting rid of pesky grease stains from your carpet is not as hard as it seems. So, don’t fret when you encounter this type of stain, with a little elbow grease, and by following the simple do-it-yourself methods we’ve listed above, you can keep your carpet looking clean and fresh.

If none of the ideas above were effective, check out this article about how to get rid of oil stains from carpet for a few different approaches.