How to Get Beer Out of Carpet in 4 Ways
Author: Anne Cowart | Editor: Omar Alonso
Review & Research: Jen Worst & Chris Miller
We're about to explain exactly how to get beer out of carpet, leaving you with a beautifully clean carpet again that doesn't have any lingering smells. In fact, we have four methods to get you there.
You might be someone who likes to chill with a beer in your hand. No matter if you are enjoying a handful while watching a game or partying with your friend at your home, there are high chance that eventually beer will spill on the carpet.
What if you have a carpet right under your feet? Beer spills can create a menace and make the carpet stain and smell. The fermented beverage can penetrate fabrics and make things worse over time. Can you get it off? Yes!
How to Get Beer Out of Carpet: A Step by Step Guide
Removing beer and its stain from a carpet is time-consuming but nothing over the board. You certainly don't need a professional carpet cleaning service to do this. Following this guide, you can clean your carpet in the best possible way and remove its smelly end.
Step 1: Gather the Necessary Items
To get on with the cleaning process, you will need items such as:
- White cloth or paper towels
- Vinegar
- Baking soda
- Dishwashing soap
- Vacuum cleaner
You likely have these items around the house already and know where they are, so you can grab them quickly, which is important to reduce the impact of the spill.
Step 2: Act Fast
Whenever you spill beer, you need to be aware that the fermented liquid can be adamant on carpet surfaces. It can even feature coloration from dark fruit juices. They are prone to penetrate the fabric layers and will start to smell, not to mention stain. So, as soon as you can, we suggest you react and throw some towels over it.
You can stack some paper towels on the affected area, but the best way to absorb them is to blot them. Use your hand and gently press onto the beer spill. This will draw out most of the liquid that's on the surface.
Step 3: Use Dishwashing Soap
After you have removed the excess fluid from the carpet surface, it's time to take it up a notch. Dishwashing soaps should be readily available in your house, so getting your hands on them won't be an issue.
We recommend using unscented dishwashing soap because the scented ones are full of chemicals that can alter the beer’s reaction and make the stain and smell worse than before. Never use too much dish soap because this formula can be hard to flush off from the surface.
Take a spray bottle, add 4-5 drops of dish soap and 1 cup of warm water and mix well. Now apply the formula to the affected area and wait for a few seconds or a minute. Now take paper towels and blot the area to erase the soapy water and the beer remains.
Step 4: Apply Vinegar Solution
If the dishwashing soap technique fails to erase the beer, you can try out a more potent way to deal with it. Vinegar is a tough chemical that can even be used when getting ink out of carpet, among other stains.
A mixture made of white vinegar and baking soda can be vigorous enough to tackle beer stains. Vinegar is very acidic and plays a vital role in eliminating the harshest residues, whereas baking soda is an odor-neutralizer. First, you will have to create the mix and then work your way slowly.
When you spill beer on a carpet, immediately start up by making a vinegar mixture. This works for getting soda pop out of carpet, too. Take a sprayer, put 1 part of white vinegar and add 2 parts of water that is at room temperature. Mix the elements and then spray them on the spilled area. Let it sit for some time, then blot it with a paper towel.
If the stain is too harsh, then you can opt for a paste solution made with vinegar and baking soda. Here you don't need water, just add equal parts of baking soda and white vinegar and make a paste.
Now apply the formula to the spilled area by using a cloth. Just firmly press it on the carpet rather than rubbing it. Finally, use the water blotting process to remove the stain and the solution.
Don't use a toothbrush because the bristles can smear and allow the beer to set in deeply.
Step 5: Vacuum the Area
Blotting is an extremely serviceable method to eliminate beer marks, but it is not the final touch your carpet deserves. For the best results, we prefer vacuuming no matter what process you use to clean beer out of carpet.
Why is vacuuming necessary? We say it is crucial because blotting won't dig out all the beer crusts and hard residues, so a vacuum can be a lifesaver in this case.
Once you've applied the methods we mentioned above, always finish it by using a vacuum cleaner. Get a good vacuum if you don't have one. Vacuum cleaners with motorized brushes will be ideal.
How to Get Beer Smell Out of Carpet?
You can remove the stains by bowling different procedures but will still suffer from the leftover smell. This is where baking soda works magic. This is what you can do. You'll want to know this procedure because you'll even use beer to get coffee out of carpet, and will need to remove the smell after.
Sprinkle the baking soda on the affected area. You can apply as much powder as you need because baking soda won't hamper the appearance of a carpet. Form a layer of baking soda over the smelly part.
Now, when you're done, let it stay there overnight. The best time is to do this task when you are going to sleep. If you don't have time, just let it sit for 4-5 hours. Letting it sit is critical for how to get beer out of carpet successfully.
The final process is to vacuum the remains from your carpet. You would want to vacuum the carpet a few times to ensure that no baking soda is stuck on the carpet fibers.
If you think baking soda is not working, you can opt for ready-made odor eliminators from the market. Just make sure they are eligible to apply on the carpet.
Alternative Ingredients to Remove Beer Stains From Carpet
The method we discussed above is widely practiced and known for its positive results. If you are looking for alternatives to the methods stated above, then you are lucky enough that a few other options can also work on beer stains. This is how to get beer stain out of carpet.
Hydrogen Peroxide
You are probably familiar with this chemical because of its germ-killing and disinfecting properties. Not only that, hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching agent; thus, it is superior in wiping off stains.
Hydrogen peroxide can be put on the stains directly or used in combination with dishwashing soap. If you are using the second option, just make sure the dishwashing formula doesn’t have any lanolin or bleach. These two can interact with hydrogen peroxide and turn out dangerous.
When applying it directly, let the hydrogen peroxide sit for an hour and then use a blotting technique to take off the solution. Make sure to dry the carpet before use. For extremely stubborn stains you can try mixing:
- Dish Detergent - 1/4 teaspoon
- Vinegar - 1/3 cup
- Water - 2/3 cup
Make sure your dish soap doesn't contain lanolin (as this can make the stain set deeper) and that there's no bleach either (as this is dangerous when mixed with hydrogen peroxide). Scrub the stain many times over with this solution, blotting it out as you go. And then finally apply the hydrogen peroxide, allowing it to sit for at least an hour. Repeat as needed and rinse when done.
Enzyme-Based Cleaner
These are ready-made formulas that comprise enzymes that can dissolve any organic elements and is useful in getting chocolate out of carpet, among other food-based stains. Different products will have different compositions and might not work for you.
So it's best to check out the product yourself and ensure it works on carpet and for beer stain removal. A good enzyme-based stain remover is the Puracy natural stain remover, but any of them can get the job done. They're critical in how to remove beer stains from carpet.
The application is pretty simple, just spray the formula on the surface and then let it sit for some time before blotting the excessive remains and the stain. Always read the manufacturer's instructions when dealing with ready-made products.
What to Avoid When Cleaning Beer From Carpet?
Bleach can be disruptive and remove the carpet color, so we don't recommend bleaching. It is so strong that the carpet fibers can come off just by applying it.
Say no to abrasive brushes. Using a brush or tough material can insert the beer formula deep into the fibers rather than picking them off. If you don't want to weaken the structure of your carpet, simply avoid brushes and forced sponging.
That’s How to Get Beer Out of Carpet!
If you've ever spilled beer on a carpet and still regret it, please don't stress yourself. Stains are part of our everyday life and can be contained and eliminated with proper knowledge and resources.
Our recommendation is to use vinegar solution and dishwashing soap with water. Check out steps 2 and 4 at the start of this write-up. However, whatever cleaning method you are using, there is no escape from blotting because it is the ultimate way to absorb the excess residues from the top.
We also recommend using a vacuum to efface the surface and make it immaculate. So, don't stress out; get on with cleaning immediately. If you were wondering how to get beer out of carpet, you know the answer now. Nothing left to do but get it done!