How to remove old vomit stains from carpet (+video)

Whether you have a pet at home or get sick yourself, vomit is bound to happen and we can’t always make it to the toilet on time. But no need to worry because there are many ways you can remove vomit stains from your carpet, including using vinegar, baking soda, and club soda.

Read on to see how you can do each method in detail.

Using white vinegar for vomit stains

A vomit stain can be tough to remove if you leave it to dry overtime on your carpet. Not only are they challenging to get rid of, but old vomit stains can also accumulate mold, affecting the air quality inside your home.

But with the help of white vinegar, you can deal with vomit stains with ease. The acidic property of white vinegar can easily penetrate through the dry, tough stains, making it perfect for this job.

Here are the simple steps for removing tough vomit stains from your carpet using white vinegar.

1. Mix ½ cup of white vinegar with ½ cup of water in a spray bottle.
2. Spray the solution directly on the stained area with enough spray to soak it. Remember not to oversaturate the area with the solution, which could cause the stain to spread more.
3. Let the solution sit in the affected area for 15 minutes. During this period, the vinegar will work by loosening up the old vomit stain from your carpet.
4. After 15 minutes, use a clean cloth or paper towel to dab and absorb the solution and stain.
5. Once the stain visibly lightens, rinse the spot using a damp cloth. Dab lightly to make sure you remove all the residue of the stain and vinegar.
6. Dry your carpet by stacking a few paper towels on the treated area and placing something heavy over it.
7. Leave it on for 8 hours, and your carpet will be good as new.

Video: How to remove old puke stains from carpet with white vinegar

Get rid of old vomit stains with a baking soda and club soda combo

Vomit stains are acidic, given that they come from the inside of our system and are a mix of acidic substances from food and our system’s enzymes. Baking soda is a great ingredient to use against old vomit stains because of its alkalinity and mild abrasive texture. These properties of baking soda allow it to break up the vomit stains from your carpet easily.

Adding club soda helps make the stain removal process faster and acts as a deodorizer, making your carpet look and smell better.

Follow these steps for the proper use of this cleaning combo.

1. Don’t forget to wear protective rubber gloves when cleaning old vomit. Try to remove as much as vomit residue from the carpet as possible.
2. Pour water directly on the stain to dampen it. Pour baking soda on the stained area just enough to cover it. Leave it for 1 to 2 hours, giving it enough time to soak up the vomit stain.
3. After the allotted time, use a vacuum on the baking soda and stain residue from the carpet.
4. Use a clean cloth soaked in club soda to dab the affected area. Doing this makes sure that there’s no baking soda or vomit stain left on your carpet.
5. When there’s no visible stain left. Grab a clean cloth dampened with clean water and use it to rinse the carpet.
6. Dry the area using a microfiber cloth.

Ammonia for stubborn vomit stains

Vomit stains can be challenging to remove, especially when you don’t notice it settling into your carpet. If the previous methods don’t work for this kind of stain, you’ll need to use chemical cleaning agents like ammonia.

Ammonia works best for stubborn vomit stains because it’s an alkaline product, containing corrosive properties that can easily dissolve dirt deposits, mildew and household grime.

Here are the steps on how to use ammonia properly to remove old vomit stains from your carpet.

1. Before you proceed to clean, wear a pair of latex gloves to protect your hands from the ammonia. Using a scraper, get rid of the vomit residue from the carpet.
2. Create a solution of 1 teaspoon of detergent, ½ cup of ammonia and an equal amount of warm water in a spray bottle
3. Spray the solution on the stained area to dampen it. Leave it for 10 minutes. This helps loosen the stain from the carpet.
4. Spray the solution on a clean cloth and use it to blot the stained area. Start blotting with a gentle but quick motion, until the stain visibly lightens.
5. When the stain is no longer visible, rinse the treated area using a damp cloth.
6. Dry your carpet using paper towels by piling a few on the formerly stained area and placing something heavy on it. Leave it for 8 hours to dry.

Common questions about vomit stains

How do you remove the smell of vomit from a carpet?

Dried vomit can make a room smell worse when it gets soaked into carpet. One way to deodorize your room is by covering the damp area with a commercial deodorizer. Let it dry and vacuum up the excess for a cleaner, fresher carpet.

You can also use natural deodorizers like baking soda, vinegar, and lemon. Just pour the deodorizer of your choice directly on the affected area let it sit for a few minutes then rinse by blotting a clean cloth soaked in clean water.

Enzyme cleaners are also an excellent choice for vomit-based stains and odors. They are natural and non-toxic and will work to not just cover up the odor or stain, but remove it at its source. Check out this article to learn more about enzyme cleaners.

Will hydrogen peroxide remove old stains from carpet?

You can also try using hydrogen peroxide to remove old vomit stains. It’s a good cleaning agent and an effective disinfectant.

1. Just mix ¼ cup of hydrogen peroxide with an equal amount of water or liquid soap.
2. Apply the solution directly on the stain, don’t oversaturate the area.
3. Leave it for 30 minutes.
4. Gently rub the area with a clean microfiber until the stain visibly lightens.
5. Use a damp clean cloth to rinse the stained area.
6. Blot up the excess moisture with a clean, dry paper towel.

Will baking soda stain carpet?

No evidence says baking soda can leave a stain on your carpet. In fact, it’s an effective stain remover. But it has its downside, which is leaving white residue on fabric, carpet, and other surfaces. But you can quickly fix this issue by using a vacuum cleaner to suck up all the residue or use a damp clean cloth to lift the powder.

Wrapping up

Removing vomit stains can be a nightmare for anyone. It’s a nasty stain with an unpleasant smell. When this misfortune happens to you, don’t worry. The key here is to act fast once you notice the stain on your carpet and follow the stain removal methods above.

If your carpet is suffering from another type of stain, check out these articles on how to remove stains on carpet due to blood, coffee, tea or oil.