Oh no, we’ve all been there! Your kids were having a blast playing with slime and before you knew it, there was a gloopy slime stain ground into the carpet. As a parent, cleaning up slime stains can be a nightmare, but don’t panic. With some household supplies and a bit of elbow grease, you can banish that slime stain for good.
What You’ll Need
Taking on a slime stain is easier with the right tools. Arm yourself with the following for slime stain removal:
- White towels or rags
- An old toothbrush or other scrub brush
- Carpet cleaner or dish soap
- White vinegar
- Warm water
- Rubbing alcohol (optional)
Once you’ve gathered your slime-fighting supplies, it’s go time!
Test First for Colorfastness
Before diving right into scrubbing that stain, it’s smart to test for colorfastness. Slime can be tricky to remove from carpeting and you want to make sure your cleaning attempts don’t accidentally bleach or discolor the fibers.
Pick an inconspicuous spot on your carpeting and dab a bit of water on it. Take a white paper towel and blot the wet spot. If any color comes up on the towel, your carpeting is not colorfast. In that case, tread lightly and spot test any cleaning solutions before using them on the whole stain.
If no color came off on the towel, you’re good to move ahead with slime removal!
Remove Excess Slime
First, remove any globs of slime still clinging to the fibers. Carefully scrape off as much as you can with a dull knife or spoon. Try to avoid smushing it deeper into the carpet as you go.
Once the chunky slime is gone, sprinkle a light coating of baking soda over the stain. Let it sit for a few minutes to absorb any slimy residue. After letting it sit, gently brush the baking soda away. This should lift out lingering bits of slime and deodorize the area.
Make a Cleaning Solution
With the excess slime removed, it’s time to make a cleaning solution to penetrate the stain. Mix up one of these DIY carpet cleaner recipes:
- Dish soap: Add a few drops of dish soap to a bowl of warm water and stir to combine. Dish soap is designed to cut through grease!
- Vinegar solution: Mix 1/2 cup of white vinegar with 1 cup of warm water. The mild acidity in vinegar helps dissolve slime.
- Vinegar and dish soap: For extra cleaning power, combine the two! Add 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1 tablespoon of dish soap and 1 cup of warm water.
Blot the Stain
Dip a clean white rag or towel into your DIY cleaning solution. Ring it out so it’s damp but not dripping wet. Place the damp towel over the stain and gently blot, moving from the outside of the stain toward the middle.
Blotting helps press the cleaning solution into the carpet fibers to loosen up that slimy stain. Take care not to aggressively scrub or you may spread the stain around.
Scrub the Area
Once you’ve blotted for a bit, it’s time to gently scrub the slimed area of the carpet. You can use a brush or carpet cleaner for this step.
Use a brush or sponge
An old toothbrush, cleaning brush or a sponge reserved for household cleaning work great. Dip the brush into the cleaning solution and gently scrub the stain. Scrub in different directions to really work the cleaner into the carpet fibers.
Use a carpet cleaner
If you have one, use a handheld carpet cleaner designed for spot stains. Add your cleaning solution instead of detergent and pass the scrub brush over the stain to extract slime residue.
Take care not to oversaturate the carpet or you’ll just add more moisture to the stain.
Rinse and Blot Dry
Once you’ve scrubbed the stained area, grab some fresh warm water and rinse away the cleaning solution. Blot the area with clean towels to soak up as much moisture as you can.
Stand on the towels as you blot to really wick up all the liquid you can. Speed drying will help prevent stubborn slime stains from resettling into the carpet.
Repeat as Needed
Did the slime stain persist after your first round of cleaning? Don’t throw in the towel yet! Simply repeat the blotting, cleaning and scrubbing process until the stain fades away.
For stubborn stains
If dish soap or vinegar don’t cut through the slime stain, try spraying the stain lightly with rubbing alcohol. The alcohol will help dissolve any lingering sticky slime residue. Blot immediately after spraying, then rinse the area well.
Be patient and persistent! It may take 3-4 rounds of scrubbing before the stain is completely gone.
When To Call a Professional
If you’ve given it your all but can’t get that slime stain out, don’t stress. Call in a professional carpet cleaner for the big guns when it comes to deep slime stain removal and extraction from the padding beneath.
While slime stains can certainly be frustrating, with some elbow grease and cleaning know-how, you can send those stains slinking away for good. I hope these tips help you reclaim a slime-free carpet so your kids can keep on creating. Happy slime removal!
Conclusion
Removing slime stains from carpeting takes the right techniques and tools, but it can be done. With patience and repeated cleaning efforts, you can erase even the most stubborn carpet slime.
While prevention is ideal, don’t be afraid to break out the vinegar, soap and scrub brushes when slime stains strike. Before you know it, your carpets will be back to their squeaky clean, slime-free state.