Best Method for Cleaning a Beer Stain on a Carpet

A stinky beer spill on the carpet is nothing to toast.

You might think a beer spill on your carpeting is easily cleaned up -- simply absorb the moisture and the stain is gone -- but beer residue that remains can cause an unpleasant fermented odor to linger long after the carpeting dries. The best method you can use for cleaning a beer stain on carpet is one that gets rid of the beverage entirely to prevent stickiness and odor from being left in its wake.

Things You'll Need

• Paper towels
• Bucket
• 1 tbsp. dishwashing detergent
• 1 tbsp. white distilled vinegar
• Spoon
• Sponge
• Clean cloths
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Baking soda
• Vacuum

Instructions

1. Blot the carpeting with paper towels to absorb as much of the beer as possible.

2. 

   Vinegar proves effective in removing a variety of carpet stains.

   Pour 2 cups of warm water into a bucket. Stir in 1 tbsp. each of dishwashing detergent and white distilled vinegar.

3. Wet a clean sponge with the vinegar solution. Wring out the sponge to remove as much moisture as possible. Sponge the beer stain, gently pressing the sponge into the carpet to ensure your cleaning solution gets down into the fibers.

4. Dampen a clean cloth with water and blot the carpet to remove the cleaning solution. Press dry cloths into the carpet to absorb the moisture.

5. Treat any remaining beer stain by blotting the carpet fibers with a cloth moistened with hydrogen peroxide. Dab the peroxide into the carpet fibers. Allow the hydrogen peroxide to sit for one hour.

6. Aid the drying process by absorbing moisture from the carpet with dry cloths. Allow your carpeting to air-dry the rest of the way.

7. 

   Vacuums come in handy during carpet stain removal.

   Cover the site of the beer spill with baking soda. Leave the baking soda on the carpet for three to five hours to absorb any leftover odor. Vacuum the carpet to remove the baking soda.

Tips & Warnings

• Pour table salt or cornstarch over the beer stain immediately to soak up the liquid while you gather your carpet-cleaning supplies.

• You can substitute other odor absorbers, such as activated charcoal or cat litter, for the baking soda.

• Do not scrub the stain because this only spreads the beer. Instead, blot or sponge to remove it.

References

• Good Housekeeping: Stain Buster, Beer
• University of Illinois Extension: Stain Solutions, Beer
• Re-Nest: How to Clean Every Type of Carpet Stain; Rachel Wray Thompson; May 2010
• Housekeeping Channel: Carpet Spills and Spots, Get Them Out!; August 2004

Resources

• University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Carpet Stains; Lorene Bartos; December 2007