The Bane of Stains: Tossed Cookies

Okay, look: in all honesty, we tried. We did our best to avoid discussing this stain. We covered all the different stains we could, anything but this one. We explained more about carpets and area rugs, and even added another mini-series of articles to avert from it. Nevertheless, the subject unexpectedly came up one night. We were reminded of how difficult it is to deal with this spill, and the importance of dealing with it promptly. Therefore, for the sake of our readers and their carpets, we will now examine (but not too closely) the subject of cleaning vomit from your carpet.

Similar, but Different

You might think that upchuck is not much different from hairballs, so it must be cleaned similarly if it reaches the carpet. Well, they do have similarities. They both have liquid components, they both are ejected from the mouth, and they both are typically accompanied by horrible noises. But hairballs come mostly from felines, whereas almost all other animals – humans included – have been known to vomit. While hairballs are mostly a wad of hair, vomit is mostly digestive fluids, which means that it can do much more carpet damage. The longer it’s left on the carpet, the more damage it can do. So, we’d better get to it.

Alright, Let’s Get to It

When at all possible, contact Preferred Carpet Care in Redding to deal with this kind of spill. We  know how to get it out of your carpet, and we’re really good at doing so. Depending on the circumstances, however, we might need you to address the situation before we get there. Here are some common steps to address this kind of spill.

1. Remove as much as you can with white paper towels. Get as much excess out of there and dispose of it safely.
2. Mix 1 tablespoon of ammonia with ½ cup of water in a spray bottle. Spray the mixture on the spill until it is saturated, but not enough to wet the backing of the carpet. Remember, digestive liquids are designed to break things down. We don’t want anything to act as a vehicle to spread the spill.
3. Mix ¼ teaspoon of clear dishwashing liquid with 1 quart of water. Make sure the liquid is free of bleach or lanolin. Work the detergent into the stain using a dabbing motion, then blot with a white paper towel. You might need to do this step multiple times, so prepare yourself.
4. Go through another session of rinsing by spraying water on the stain and blotting dry.
5. Once more, spray the stain with water, but this time apply a stack of paper towels, weighed down by something heavy like a brick or a few books, to absorb the water. Check on the stain in about an hour.
6. If the stain is still visible, lightly douse it with 3% hydrogen peroxide and let it sit on the stain for about an hour. Blot the stain and inspect the area.
7. If discoloration is no longer visible, apply weighed-down paper towels to soak up any residual moisture.

Please make sure to call us before you apply the above steps. We might have a better procedure or mixture to recommend for your particular type of carpet.

Regardless of any perceived aversions to the “technicolor yawn”, Preferred Carpet Care is ready, willing, and dedicated to helping you remove any stains from your carpet. If you have any questions or concerns give us a prompt call at (530) 243-8400, or contact us via our online form.