How to Clean Vomit from Carpet

No sane person on this good Earth likes the smell of vomit. Vomit has the most irritating aroma that can linger on your carpet and refuse to leave it anytime soon. The worst part is that this involuntary upchuck has a way of hitting us when we are least prepared to clean and deodorize the stained items.

So, what do you do when your lovely 5-year-old has seen her dinner in reverse? Or when your cronies at the bash took more tequila shots than what the stomach can hold? Of course, it’s time to get the disgusting odor off your stained items. In this article snippet, we take you through a step-by-step guide on how to clean vomit from carpet and eliminate the resulting stench.

Necessary Supplies

You need to have the appropriate supplies to make your vomit cleaning task easy and hassle-free. Here’s a rundown of products you need to get the job done without exposing yourself to it

A Spoon/spatula
Paper Towels
Gloves
Plastic bag
2 Cups Hydrogen Peroxide
2 Teaspoon full of Baking Soda
2 Drops of Liquid Dish Soap
Vacuum

Scoop Up Vomit Immediately

You ought to begin the vomit cleaning process as soon as the throw-up hits your carpet. Failure to take immediate action could allow vomit to settle deep into
the padding beneath the carpeting. You’ll need a tool with a hard edge to quicken the task involved in retrieving the majority of vomit pieces from the carpet.

Using a pair of gloves and a spoon, lift up vomit chunks from carpet fibers and place them in the bag. Gently scoop the pieces to avoid pushing the vomit
further deep into carpet fibers. Alternatively, you could utilize a spatula to scoop up vomit chunks into the bag.

Soak the Stained Area in Water to Loosen Any Residue

Now that you’ve scooped up the vomit, it’s time to soak the vomit-laden surface in water so that any leftover residue is loosened. Don’t allow excess water to seep into adjacent areas not affected by vomit, as this could spread the stain making it challenging to vacuum all the water. Also, remember to remove any solid bits that might have been accidentally omitted in the first step.

Clean the Surface with Soft Brush and Liquid Dish Soap

Use a soft scrub brush to evacuate any liquids that have solidified on your carpet. Apply 2 drops of liquid dish soap on the stained surface and scrub vigorously. You can also make do with the following solutions in place of liquid dish soap.

Mix one part hot water with one part white vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray the solution on the stained surface, and then scrub it
Combine 1 teaspoon full of table salt and 2 cups of warm water. Let the solution dissolve completely, then add 1/2 cup of white vinegar, 2 teaspoons full of rubbing alcohol and 1 teaspoon full of laundry detergent

Vacuum the Stained Area

You’re going to use a vacuum to suck up all of the dried vomit clumps in a single, mess-free motion. Use a powerful vacuum designed for spot cleaning, such as a Bissel or Hoover vacuum. Spot remover vacuums use a powerful suction, which is helpful in tackling tough vomit stains and eliminating repulsive odor.

And if I don’t own a vacuum; you ask? Very well, some alternatives work perfectly for you. Soak up the liquid using a dry towel if there’s no vacuum on standby. A wet vacuum is much more efficient, but a dry towel equally does wonders. The only downside is that you’ll have to leave the towel sitting on the stain for 1-2 hours in order to absorb everything.

Eliminate Vomit Smell Using a Mixture of Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide

You’ll need to mix one cup of hydrogen peroxide with three tablespoons of baking soda. Cover the smelly surface with this solution and let it rest overnight. Come back the following morning with paper towels and press out the resulting moisture. You can repeat this step as many times as you want for ultimate results.

Other Odor Removal Products You Can Try

There are numerous approaches you can use to eliminate annoying vomit aroma from your carpet. There are several odor removal products you can buy at your local store and use them on your carpet. Here’s a list of products you can try to get vomit off your mat with ease.

OdoBan

OdoBan is an odor removal product that comes in a variety of scents. You choose a scent depending on your preference, such as eucalyptus, citrus, cucumber, melon or lavender scent. Apply OdoBan directly onto the vomit stain after removing as much of the stain as possible.

Nature’s Miracle

A lot of carpet cleaners use this type of solution to get tough odors off the carpet. Nature’s Miracle is readily available at any pet store. When applied on the vomit stain, it introduces enzymes which eat away and destroy smelly organic matter in the vomit.

Totally Toddler

Totally Toddler is a solution that combats tough vomit smells on a carpet. It comprises a mix of mild detergents and natural enzymes, which loosen stain and eliminate the resulting aroma. This product also handles pet vomit and is readily available in most online stores that sell cleaning products.

Wrapping Up!

Cleaning up vomit on carpet fibers is a comprehensive job that calls for absolute caution. However, these 5 easy and practical housekeeping solutions will help you clean and neutralize vomit smell while adding freshness back to your carpeting.

By following these tips and tricks carefully, you not only increase your chances of restoring your carpet to its pristine state but also save money and accrue experience cleaning harsh stains.