How to Clean Vomit From Carpet

Getting to the toilet when you’re about to be sick is always the goal, but things don’t always work out as intended. With pets, kids and others in the home as well, you may have to deal with vomit a time or two. Because of how dense and fibrous carpet is, the material can cling to the mess.

In some cases, the vomit even penetrates through the carpet to padding. The last thing you want is for your home to smell like vomit or to have large stains on the carpet. What can you do to clean vomit out of the carpet?

Why Properly Cleaning Vomit from Carpet is Important

Vomit is an easily recognizable smell that immediately sours your stomach. It contains the contents of the person’s foods and drinks consumed over the last several hours. These may include spaghetti sauce, blueberries, orange soda and other things that can leave hard-to-treat stains. When vomit is not properly cleaned, the enzymes causing the odors can linger or seem to return, and the stains can set. Properly cleaning the vomit ensures that both stains and odors are permanently gone.

The longer vomit sits on the carpet, the harder it is to remove. In addition to setting deeper to the padding, it gets ingrained in the fibers and dries if it is left too long. Always check your carpet’s care instructions before attempting to clean vomit from the floor. Before you start cleaning, pull together the supplies. These include clean cloths or towels, a spray bottle, hydrogen peroxide or vinegar, a spoon, rubber gloves and a trash bag.

What to Do When Someone Vomits on Your Carpet?

In some instances, you must tend to the sick person before cleaning the carpet. For example, you may need to help your child to the bathroom and clean him or her up. If your pet vomited, you’ll need to get it outside before it vomits again. Once things have settled down, you should immediately start cleaning up the mess.

What Is the Best Way to Clean Vomit from Carpet?

Consider opening a window or improving circulation as a first step if the smell is nauseating. Also, put on the rubber gloves. Using the spoon, scrape off as much of the vomit as you can and dispose of it in the trash bag. In your spray bottle, add your choice of hydrogen peroxide or white vinegar with a small amount of water. Do not combine hydrogen peroxide and vinegar together as they create a harmful gas.

Do a spot test in an out-of-the-way area of the room to ensure that the carpet won’t get ruined. Spray the stained area thoroughly then blot the mess with a clean towel, removing as much of the stain and moisture as possible. If the stain persists, spray the area again, and blot it with another clean towel or cloth. Repeat this until the stain is completely gone.

If you notice the stain after it’s had time to set in or dry, you’ll need all of the materials listed above as well as a vacuum cleaner and baking soda.

Ideally, you’ll be able to scrape off the matter with the spoon before it completely dries. After removing the chunks of debris, sprinkle baking soda over the stain. Cover it with a clean cloth, allow it to sit for 15 to 20 minutes then vacuum the baking soda. If you prefer to keep vomit out of your vacuum cleaner, you can use a small broom and dustpan. Finally, complete the remaining steps listed above.

Homemade Vomit Stain Removers

The best vomit stain removers are hydrogen peroxide, white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. These ingredients should never be combined for cleaning the carpet. When mixed together, they can create a harmful gas that irritates the skin, eyes, lungs and nose. However, they should all be diluted 50-50 with clean water.

How Do You Get Rid of the Smell of Vomit?

Typically, acting quickly to remove the vomit with one of the homemade stain removers will sufficiently eradicate the odor as well. However, for a lingering problem, you can also clean with baking soda, Borax, laundry soap or dish soap.

FAQs

How Long Does Vomit Smell Last in the Carpet?

If vomit is not properly cleaned, the odor can linger in your home for several days or even a few weeks. Following the right cleaning steps is essential.

What Is the Best Carpet Cleaner for Dried Vomit?

Cleaning dried vomit out of your carpet isn’t an easy feat. First, you’ll need to remove the clumps by hand. Once as much of the vomit is removed as possible, pour baking on the stain. It can sit for 15 minutes with a towel on it. Then, use either vinegar and water or hydrogen peroxide to saturate the stain and blot it repeatedly until the stain is lifted.

Are Vomit Stains Permanent on Carpet?

The foods and drinks that have recently been consumed can have carpet-staining properties. In addition, the gastric acid in vomit can also permanently stain the carpet. To minimize the risk of staining, clean the vomit as soon as possible.

Vomit on your carpet is only one of several tough messes that need to be tackled from time to time. Deciding the right products and techniques to clean various surfaces with and how to handle specific stains that you will be bombarded with is challenging. After all, you want to remove the stains and odors without causing unintentional damage. Rather than stress about these things, put the Tidyhere team to work. Contact us today to learn about our cleaning services.