Having an occasional alcoholic beverage often helps with lowering stress or encouraging relaxation. We pair different wines with the foods we eat. Perhaps we like to have a nice cold beer after work, or a mixed drink when having friends over, or even a Jell-O shot. Sadly, no matter how careful we are, it doesn’t take much for an alcoholic drink to escape the glass and meet the floor. And you just had your carpet cleaned 6 months ago!
Sobering Differences
Isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) is sometimes used to remove stains. However, it’s usually followed with a warning to use it sparingly, so it doesn’t deteriorate the backing of your carpet. Although spills from ethyl alcohol (drinking alcohol) also require prompt action, the main reason is different. Ethyl alcohol is typically paired with destructive components like color dyes, tomato juice, or other liquids. Natural tannins give drinks like beer and whiskey their lovely color, but those tannins threaten to stain your carpet.
Removing Alcohol from Carpet
Here are some simple steps to follow in case of a spill:
- Quickly soak up as much of the spill as possible by pressing a clean white cloth or paper towel onto the spill. Keep replacing the cloth or towel until no more color or liquid is transferring over.
- Mix 1 tablespoon of liquid hand dishwashing detergent, 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar, and 2 cups of warm water in a bowl. Use a clean white cloth to blot the mixture into the stain, working from the outer edge of the stain inward. Repeat this until no more color is transferred to the cloth.
- Rinse the area by dabbing another clean white cloth into plain water and blotting the stain. This removes the soapy residue, so more soil does not get attracted to it.
- In many cases, this is where we’d suggest using rubbing alcohol on the stain. Not this time, though. If the stain persists, try mixing a few drops of dish soap into 2 cups of hydrogen peroxide. Use another clean cloth or sponge to blot the stain and allow to air dry.
If the stain is still persistent – as often happens with red wine, margaritas or other mixed drinks – then stronger cleaning solutions and deeper cleaning methods will be necessary. Thankfully, your friends at Preferred Carpet Care in Redding have such supplies, and the expertise to use them. According to chemistry, alcohol is a solution, but we’re the solution to alcohol stains on your carpet. And if it really has been 6 months since your last carpet cleaning, it’s about time for the next one anyway.