How to Clean Gatorade From Carpet

While Gatorade gives athletes a boost to compete, when spilled on the carpet, it only gives Mom a boost in her blood pressure. The food coloring additives it contains, like red #40 and yellow #5, make it difficult to remove from carpets. Here is a way to remove the stain and keep your carpet looking like a champion.

Things You'll Need

• Terry cloth towels Paper towels Mild dish detergent Carpet spot remover (available at supermarkets and home improvement stores)

Instructions

1. Blot the spill, preferably using a terry cloth towel. If terry cloth towels are not available, use paper towels. The more that can be removed while it is wet, the easier the spot will be to clean. Continue blotting until the towel is not picking up any more moisture.

2. Mix a 1/4 teaspoon of liquid dishwashing detergent into a cup (8 ounces) of warm water, if a store-bought carpet spotter is not available,

3. Apply the spotter to the towel, so the towel is damp but not dripping wet. Test the spotter in an inconspicuous place on the carpet before use.

4. Working from the outside of the spill to the middle, apply the spotter dampened towel to the carpet with pressure and gentle agitation. Avoid rubbing, as this may distort the carpet fibers.

5. Repeat steps three and four with clean sections of towel until the Gatorade has been removed from the carpet.

Tips & Warnings

• Plain white towels (paper or terry cloth) work best for removing spots because there is no chance that color from the towel will be transferred to the carpet.

• Do not use detergent for an automatic dishwashing machine because carpet harming chemicals, such as bleach, are active ingredients.

References

• The Carpet Buyers Handbook