How Do You Get Old Vomit Stain Out Of Carpet

Among all household chores, removing vomit stains from carpet is one of the most unpleasant.

Often, most people are turned off by the foul odor from vomit. With a toddler around the house, there is a high chance of having an unnoticed vomit mark on a carpet for a long time.

Procrastination plays its part, and you end up with an old vomit stain tarnishing your home.

Having to clean up a vomit stain may be disgusting, but it is an essential step in carpet care. A vomit stain that sits on a carpet for long gets entangled in the fibers of the rug and may leave traces even after scraping it off.

Different ways on how to remove old vomit stains from carpet

Below is a list of methods (four in total) that will help remove old vomit stains from carpet. If followed well, your carpet will be clean and fresh in no time. Before starting any of these steps, it is advisable first to scrape off excessive vomit using a spatula.

Method 1: Using baking soda and white vinegar

Using baking soda and white vinegar is an ideal method, as the mixture is gentle on fabric and tough on the vomit stains. You’ll need to wear gloves to keep your hands clean and protect it from any contaminants.

What you need:

1. A vacuum cleaner
2. Baking Soda
3. Rubber gloves
4. Clean towel
5. Spray bottle
6. White vinegar

Steps to take:

1. Pour the baking soda on the stain.
2. Ensure that pets or kids do not play around the area by covering it with a cloth, and leave it to sit for 30 minutes.
3. Vacuum the baking soda from the area.
4. Dilute the white vinegar in a spray bottle with water (1:1 ratio) and spray the solution on the stain. Let the solution dissolve for ten minutes.
5. Use a towel to blot the stained area until it is dry and clean.

Method 2: Using an Enzyme Cleaner

Enzyme cleaners are a good option for cleaning stubborn vomit stains, due to its ability to penetrate through the stain and break it down. These enzymes are free from toxic ingredients, making it a safe option.

What you need:

1. An enzyme cleaner agent
2. Clean damp towels
3. Vacuum cleaner

Steps to take:

1. After scraping off the excess vomit, apply the right amount of the enzyme cleaner over the stain and leave it for thirty minutes.
2. Blot the area with a clean damp towel.
3. Depending on the toughness of the stain, repeat the enzyme cleaner application, then blot with the towel until the stain is no longer visible.
4. Open the windows and let the carpet air dry. If you’re dealing with area rugs, bring it out under the sun to speed up the process.
5. Vacuum clean the carpet after it has dried, to restore its original fluffiness.

Method 3: Flushing with Club Coda

Club soda is made up of water and carbon dioxide, making it slightly acidic, therefore ideal for removing stains.

This ingredient is an excellent option to clean bile out of carpets if you don’t want to the hassle of rinsing the area with soap and water.

What you need:

1. Club soda
2. Ammonia solution
3. Some dry and clean pieces of cloth
4. Rubber gloves and eye goggles
5. White towel (or paper towel)
6. Vacuum cleaner or wet/dry vacuum (optional)

Steps to take:

1. Pour the club soda on the stain and allow it to occupy a larger surface around the stain. Let the liquid sit for 30 minutes.
2. Blot the area using a clean cloth (or paper towel) and replace it once it becomes wet. This way, the fabric absorbs the liquid residue better.
3. Mix ¼ of a cup of ammonia in one gallon of water and soak a piece of cloth in the mixture. Lightly scrub the stained area with the ammonia solution. Don’t forget to use eye goggles and rubber gloves when handling ammonia for extra protection.
4. Another option to speed up the drying process is using a wet/dry vacuum cleaner after steps 2 and 3.
5. After the stain is removed, vacuum the carpet to restore its fluffiness.

Method 4: Using Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is known to be a potent cleaning agent and is usable on any type of stain, including that stubbornly old vomit patch. Due to its bleaching characteristic, it is advisable to use it with a neutralizing base to maintain the carpet’s color.

What you need:

1. Hydrogen Peroxide solution
2. A non-gel toothpaste
3. Clean white towel

Steps to take:

1. Mix one tablespoon of a 3% concentration hydrogen peroxide with non-gel toothpaste.
2. Apply the mixture on the patch of the old vomit stain and let it sit for thirty minutes using a clean white towel.
3. Rinse the paste off with a wet piece of cloth repeatedly until the stain is gone.

How to get rid of vomit smell off a carpet?

Another issue with vomit is the stench it leaves behind. It has an odor that can linger and may spread through the confines of the home, which is unpleasant.

In this section, we’ll look at several ways of removing vomit smell. The good news is these ingredients are readily available in your pantry: baking soda, carpet shampoo, vinegar, and Borax.

Method 1: Using Baking Soda

Baking soda is a well-known absorbent for various odors, including vomit smell. This method is the most straightforward and will work well on light to moderate odors.

What you need:

1. Baking Soda
2. Vacuum cleaner

Steps to take:

1. Ensure you have proper access to the old vomit spot.
2. Sprinkle the baking soda over the affected area and let it sit for a night. This gives it enough time to absorb the odor.
3. Vacuum clean the baking soda off the carpet.
4. Open the windows to circulate the air and speed up the process of dissipating vomit odor.

Method 2: Using Vinegar and Carpet Shampoo

All carpet shampoos have a pleasant aroma, which is ideal for getting rid of stubborn vomit smell. It is, however, advisable to check with the manufacturer of your shampoo of choice to be sure if it can be used with vinegar for cleaning.

What you need:

1. White Vinegar
2. Carpet shampoo
3. Carpet steamer

Steps to take:

1. Mix three tablespoons of vinegar with a scented carpet shampoo.
2. Pour the mixture in the carpet steamer.
3. Ensure to read instructions on how to use the steamer to avoid accidents.
4. Steam the affected area of the carpet, and leave the carpet out to dry and aerate under the sun.

Method 3: Using Borax and Baking Soda

Another alternative for stubborn odor is using Borax to complement baking soda.

What you need:

1. Borax
2. Baking Soda
3. Vacuum cleaner

Steps to take:

• Sprinkle generous amounts of Borax and baking soda on the areas with vomit odor.
• Leave it on the area for at least an hour before cleaning the area using a vacuum cleaner.

Method 4: Cheap Vodka

This may come as a surprise, but experts recommend keeping a bottle of cheap vodka for cleaning and deodorizing different areas it the home. It has the same cleaning properties as vinegar (without the scent). One use of vodka is cleaning vomit stain and odor.

What you need:

1. The cheapest vodka available
2. Paper towels or white microfiber cloth
3. Baking soda
4. Spray bottle
5. Vacuum cleaner

Steps to take:

1. Mist vodka on areas that have vomit odor and let it sit for around 15 minutes to deodorize.
2. Blot with a clean paper towel or cloth until the area is dry.
3. Sprinkle baking soda and leave it for one hour. Vacuum the area afterward.

Additional Tips

1. Make it a habit to check the carpet for any visible stains at least once a day, especially if you have young children or pets.
2. Since prevention is the best practice, it is advisable to Scotchgard a carpet. It protects the carpet by making it vomit resistant, therefore cleaning off a vomit stain is easier.
3. When cleaning off fresh vomit from a carpet, it is advisable to scoop the vomit off the carpet first with a spatula or hands (wearing rubber gloves, of course!). You should not rub the vomit into the strands since it makes the cleaning harder.
4. A good carpet care practice is to open the windows and let the air circulate inside the home to remove any foul odor. If you have area rugs, bring it outside as it helps take away any nasty smells, leaving it fresh.