How to Clean Oil Stains Off Carpet
Carpet fibers trap dust and dirt, which can be vacuumed out, and they can hold water-based stains from food and drink. But these can usually be washed out with carpet cleaner. Grease and oil, on the other hand, don't respond easily to most conventional carpet cleaning materials. Nevertheless, if oil stains are tackled quickly, you should still be able to get them out of most carpets without too many problems. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Grease-cutting detergent
- Hot water
- Small clean pail
- Cotton cloths
- Paper towels
- Carpet steam cleaner
Instructions
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Fill a small (one gallon or less) clean pail with warm water and a few teaspoons of liquid grease-cutting detergent.
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Pour a little of this soapy mix onto a discrete corner of the carpeting. Rub into it to test for color bleeding. If the carpet dye shows any sign of fading, call a professional before continuing. If it seems to handle the soapy water well, pour some of the soapy mix on the stained area. Press it lightly into the fibers with a cloth and let the carpet soak for several minutes.
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Dab a cloth lightly on the oil stain. Switch to a clean side of the cloth and press again.
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Wet a new clean cloth in the soapy water. Press it to the stain. More should be coming up at this point. If not, add some liquid detergent directly to the carpet.
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Wet paper towels under a faucet. Press damp paper towels to the stain, over and over again. By now, most of the stain should be lifted or at least faded.
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Vacuum the area with a steam cleaner/carpet cleaner. Use cleaning solution recommended for the model you are using, and the type of carpet fiber you are working on. Make sure the carpet is rinsed very well.
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Tips & Warnings
Many hardware stores and home improvement stores rent out carpet steam cleaners--you don't have to buy one. If water in the pail becomes tepid, mix a new batch with warm water. Warm or hot water works best for this kind of stain.
Some types of carpet, such as wool or olefin, may require special treatment to protect carpeting while lifting the stain. Press, but don't rub the stain, or you will only spread it. Even if you test an area to make sure carpet is colorfast, the stained area may appear slightly faded after cleaning.
