How to Clean Cooking Oil From the Carpet

Remove oily carpet stains by first blotting up the spill.

Oily, greasy cooking oil spills do not have to permanently stain and mar rugs or carpeting. The rule of thumb is that the sooner that you can treat the stain, the easier time you will have removing all evidence of a cooking oil spill. However, older stains can usually be removed as well, using similar techniques and materials, although it may take repetition of the stain removal process in order to get the stain entirely out.

Things You'll Need

• Paper towels
• Baking soda or corn starch
• Vacuum
• 1/4 tsp. dish washing detergent
• Old toothbrush
• Clean rags
• Citrus carpet-cleaning solvent
• 2 tbsp. household ammonia in solution with 1 cup water
• 1 cup white vinegar in solution with 2 cups water

Instructions

1. Sop up as much of the cooking oil as possible from the carpet immediately using paper towels.

2. Spread baking soda or corn starch generously onto the stain to absorb the oil. Allow it to stand overnight, then vacuum up the oil-soaked powder.

3. Mix dish washing liquid in a cup of warm water and apply it to the stain, if necessary. Scrub it in with old toothbrush or work it into fibers with your fingers, rinse, then pat dry with clean rag.

4. Apply a citrus-based carpet-cleaning solvent to the oil stain if it remains after Steps 2 and 3. Follow the manufacturer's directions for treating carpet with solvent.

5. Douse the stain in the ammonia-water solution and allow it to stand for 10 to 20 seconds. Neutralize the ammonia solution by then applying the vinegar-water solution. Blot well with clean rags and allow to dry.

References

• Geyser Vacuum Center: How to Clean a Carpet Stain
• 3M: Carpet Stain Removal Guide--Greasy, Oil-based Stains