Cleaning up a mess is never a fun task, especially when that mess happens after someone has been sick – or after you’ve just had a major party at home.
Have you guessed what we’re talking about? You’re right; it’s vomit.
Not only is it pretty gross to clean up, but it’s also even worse when it happens to be on your carpet.
You’ll be bombarded with a million different suggestions and tips when you search online for different ways to clean vomit off a carpet.
Figuring out what will work for you will take some time – and believe us – in this instance, time is of the essence.
Getting Started
Before you get your hands dirty (pun intended!), here are a few tips to keep in mind.
1. Remove What You Can ASAP
The longer vomit stays on your carpet, the harder it gets to clean it up effectively.
There are plenty of ways you can pick up as much vomit as possible from your carpet.
- Use paper towels to pick up as much of the vomit from your carpet.
- Using a dustpan or spoon (one that you don’t mind throwing away after) to scrape up what you can.
- You can even try to use a wet vacuum or a carpet shampooing machine to help. Remember to clean out the vacuum once you’re done!
2. Allow The Area To Dry
Once you clean up, pat the area with a cloth or paper towels. Then to ensure that every last bit of moisture is gone, sprinkle some baking soda on top. The baking soda will absorb any moisture remaining deep inside your carpet’s fibres and acts as a deodoriser too!
3. Banish That Smell!
While baking soda should do the trick, one foolproof way to eliminate bad smells and even bacteria is to use a pet stain and odour remover.
If you don’t have this with you, you can use a mixture of plain vinegar and some liquid dishwashing soap. With this method, you will also have to follow up with a damp towel to ensure that all the soap is removed.
4. Check Instructions
If possible, check the cleaning label on your carpet, so you have a good idea of the types of solutions and tools you can use.
And a little tip: Patch test a small area (when you have the time) so you can be absolutely sure that the tools you use will not damage your carpet.
How To Clean Vomit Off Your Carpet
We’ve covered the most common scenarios you will encounter – so you always have a way to get rid of the mess effectively.
1. Cleaning Vomit Off A Carpet – Immediately
Ideally, you want to move fast when dealing with vomit on a carpet. The longer it stays on, the harder it will be to clean, and it could even permanently stain your carpet.
If you spot it immediately, here’s what you need to do.
You’ll need:
- A garbage bag
- Dishwashing gloves
- Dish soap
- A disposable spoon (or one you wouldn’t mind throwing away)
- Plain white vinegar
- A spray bottle
- Old cleaning cloths
Method:
- Use the spoon to scrape the vomit from the carpet and into the garbage bag. When you’ve removed as much vomit as you can, throw the spoon into the bag, tie it up and take it out of your home!
- Dilute the plain white vinegar with some dish soap and water. Pour this mixture into a spray bottle and liberally spray over the dirty area of your carpet.
- Finally, pat the area with the cleaning cloths to dry it as much as possible. Then allow the carpet to air dry before placing any furniture on top.
2. Cleaning Vomit Off A Carpet – When It’s Been A Few Hours
If your child or pet throws up on your carpet, there’s no way you’ll attend to your carpet first – you’re heading to the doctor immediately.
In situations like this, when you’re in a rush, you might have to leave cleaning up the vomit from your carpet for a little bit later.
Not to worry, there are a few things you can do to clean up this mess.
You’ll need:
- Some baking soda
- A towel
- A vacuum cleaner
- A garbage bag
- Dishwashing gloves
- Dish soap
- A disposable spoon (or one you wouldn’t mind throwing away)
- Plain white vinegar
- A spray bottle
Method:
- First, using the gloves and other tools, clean up what you can of the vomit, and then work on the stain and odours.
- Take some baking soda and liberally pour it over the soiled area.
- Take the towel and cover the baking soda for at least 15 minutes.
- Then, throw the cloth into the wash (or into the bin – we get it!) and vacuum up the baking soda.
- At this stage, the stain and the smell should be gone. If anything persists, you can always try the option of vinegar and dishwashing liquid.
3. Cleaning Vomit Off A Carpet – When It’s Been A Few Days (Or Weeks!)
Maybe you left for a family vacation out of town and have just returned. Or maybe you simply missed a spot. Though this situation is unlikely, there are instances when you might not notice that someone has gotten sick on your carpet for days.
At this point, it will be a little bit harder to remove the vomit – since it would have dried up – but here’s what you can do:
You’ll need:
- A garbage bag
- Dishwashing gloves
- Dish soap
- A disposable spoon (or one you wouldn’t mind throwing away)
- Plain white vinegar
- A spray bottle
- Old cleaning cloths
Method:
- First, you must dampen the area slightly to remove the dried vomit. This will make lifting the mess off the carpet without damaging its fibres.
- Next, use the spoon to scrape the vomit from the carpet and into the garbage bag – and get rid of it!
- Dilute the plain white vinegar with some dish soap and water. Pour this mixture into a spray bottle and liberally spray over the dirty area of your carpet.
- Finally, pat the area with the cleaning cloths to dry it as much as possible. Then allow the carpet to air dry before placing any furniture on top.
Getting all the gunk out of your carpet is simpler than getting rid of odours. If that rancid smell lingers on, it’s probably because the carpet’s fibres absorbed the stench – and, at this point, it’s really hard to get out.
You can go to your local supermarket and find pet odour removal solutions, or, alternately, if you can’t stomach the thought of dealing with it anymore, you can hire a team to come in and professionally deep clean that carpet for you!
