How to Get Blueberry Stains Out of Carpet in 8 Ways
Author: Anne Cowart | Editor: Omar Alonso
Review & Research: Jen Worst & Chris Miller
Who doesn't love sweet and pretty blueberries? All of us do, and we equally hate a spill leaving us scratching our head wondering how to get blueberry stains out of carpet.
Imagine coming out of the kitchen with a bowl filled with blueberries, and suddenly you are faced with the ultimate nightmare when the bowl slips your hands.
Unfortunately, blueberries can leave permanent stains on fabrics. So in case you accidentally spill blueberry juice on your carpet, the chances are pretty high that it would also put a permanent stain on the mat if not treated.
But we aren't leaving you without the solutions. So, we've picked some ways that can be the answer to how to remove blueberry stains from carpet. You can follow any of those but do not give the stain time to sit.
However, you should start finding a solution the moment you notice the blueberry drops on your carpet. Well, let's not talk anymore and get to the main point.
How to Get Blueberry Stains Out of Carpet - Try These First
We know the pain of seeing our favorite carpet ruined by some stains within a few seconds. Now, here's how to deal with this issue; these methods can help you.
Try these two main methods first, and if they still leave some remnants of a stain, you can proceed on the our many other ingredients that will all chip away at the discoloration.
Method 1: Use Mild Dishwashing Detergent
Let's start with a method everyone can go with. We bet that the process won't do any harm to your carpet.
Things You'll Need:
- A bowl
- Lukewarm water
- Liquid dishwashing detergent
- Clean white cloth or sponge
These are items you should already have around the home and could potentially gather in a matter of minutes.
Get Some Warm Water
Get a bowl and fill it with lukewarm water. In this case, make sure that the water is neither too hot nor too cold. Too hot water can damage the fibers and can make the stain permanent, while using cold water might be suitable for the fibers but won't be able to remove the stains.
Make the Solution
Mixing one tablespoon of mild dishwashing detergent with two cups of water would be enough for blueberry stains. Ensure you aren't using bleach with the detergent unless you want to damage your carpet.
Get the Procedure Done
Take a clean cloth or sponge and dip that into the mixture. Dab the stained place continuously with the soaked cloth or sponge until the ugly stains start to come off.
Make sure you aren't dabbing or rubbing too roughly, as it can damage the carpet fibers.
Once you're done, let the area dry. You can use a blow dryer or soak the moisture with a dry cloth to fasten the process.
Method 2: Get Rid of the Tough Stain with Ammonia
If the stain remains, you can use some other tricks that can remove the stain and save your beautiful carpet. So let's get to those.
Ammonia: The Lifesaver!
Take two tablespoons of ammonia and mix that with two cups of cold water. Warm water wouldn't go well with ammonia. This solution can get stains off, even the old ones.
Apply the Mixture
Don't apply the solution directly to the carpet; use a cloth or sponge. And make sure you aren't using any bleach in this method either. Gently scrub the area with the soaked sponge, and the stain will come off eventually.
Now Remove the Ammonia
If you decide to go with this method, you must get the ammonia out of the carpet using a dry cloth or sponge after getting rid of the stain. Do not let the ammonia dry on your carpet.
Note: Although some might advise you to use bleach with ammonia since blueberry leaves a really deep stain, that would be a disaster. The ammonia alone is totally capable of getting the stain off and even works to get ketchup out of carpet. Going with bleach will only discolor the carpet fibers.
5 More Ways to Remove Blueberry Stains From Carpet
When you accidentally spill blueberry on your carpet, you don't get much time to seek out professional cleaners or tools. So, homemade solutions are all we get to tackle this problem.
Thankfully these homemade remedies are some of the best answers to how to get blueberry stains out of carpet. You'll get surprised by discovering the most ordinary household stuff from your shelve to defeat the tough stain, we bet!
If the two main methods above got most of the stains out but there's still some visible discoloration, these ingredients can all help chip away at the discoloration in their own way until you're satisfied.
Rubbing Alcohol
Although rubbing alcohol on a carpet is a bit risky, if you succeed in processing the method correctly, it wouldn't be a problem.
- To go with this trick, take a small amount of rubbing alcohol and a clean cloth to soak in it.
- Rub the stained area with the soaked cloth for a few minutes. Here, you need to be careful not to leave the alcohol on the carpet's surface for too long.
- You must rinse that area with cold water immediately after using the alcohol.
Remember, before applying any of these products to your carpet, you can always use it on some inconspicuous part, like in the corner of a bedroom closet, to make sure the product itself won't add to the discoloration of the carpet.
White Vinegar
Among homemade ingredients, white vinegar works the most to remove blueberry stains from the carpet. It also works effectively on clothes and fabrics.
- Take a spray bottle and mix some detergent with white vinegar.
- Spray the mixture over the stained area and rub lightly.
- After a few minutes, the stain will start to come off. Lastly, rinse it off from the surface with a clean cloth soaked in cold water.
For any of these methods that require soaking the carpet fibers with a formula and then blotting it out, don't be afraid to use repeated applications or eventually try another mixture. This is normal.
Lemon Juice
This ingredient works surprisingly well with removing stains from a carpet's surface. You need a cotton cloth and some cold water to use lemon juice to remove the blueberry stain.
- Apply lemon juice over the stained area and try to blot the liquid as much as possible by twisting the carpet. Don't rub or dab the stained area, as it can spread the blueberry juice over the whole surface.
- Once done, use cold water to rinse the affected area instantly.
The key is always to loosen the blueberry stain and then suck the juice out without further spreading the color around. Who would have thought using one type of juice could help remove other juice stains from carpet?
Hydrogen Peroxide
Using Hydrogen Peroxide to remove stains is suggested by experts. For this:
- First, you have to get 3% hydrogen peroxide. It's better to test it on a small area first to see if it fades the color of the carpet or not.
- After testing, dab the stained area with a cloth soaked with hydrogen peroxide and let it sit for a couple of minutes. Then rinse it off with water.
It doesn't take long for hydrogen peroxide to get to work, so don't feel you need to leave it on for very long. You don't want to leave it on for longer than two to three minutes tops per application.
Carpet Cleaner
This is the most minor suggested ingredient by professionals as it contains many chemicals that might damage the carpet, and we certainly don't want that. So…
- Test your carpet cleaner over another cloth or a small part of the carpet first. It's best to use a CRI-certified carpet cleaner and test it over an old carpet.
- Apply only a small amount of carpet cleaner over the stained area and scrub from the edges to the center.
- Avoid using too much, and try not to leave it over the stained surface for too long. Rinse it off once you get the stain out.
The benefit to carpet cleaner is the research and development done to combine chemicals such as enzymes that can help make the molecules in stains loose again so they can be sucked out with the aid of a towel or vacuum. They'll also help to make your carpet fluffy again, too.
How to Remove Dried Blueberry Stain From Carpet
It's not so hard to remove blueberry stains from the carpet when the carpet hasn't soaked the juice yet, but what if the juice dries up? Although it is tough to remove dried blueberry stains from the carpet, it's not impossible. Here's what you have to do to remove these stains from carpet:
- Sprinkle powder or liquid dishwashing detergent on the stain and leave it for a few minutes.
- Smudge the area with a clean towel but be careful not to rub it roughly.
- After trying the detergent, use a clean towel soaked with white vinegar and dab the area for five minutes.
- Take a sponge, soak it with clean water, and rinse the vinegar and detergent from the carpet to get rid of dried blueberry stains.
You can use dry or liquid dishwasher detergent. You'd might think the powder could soak some of the stain out but since the stain is already dry it doesn't matter.
Hot Water vs. Cold Water to Remove Blueberry Stains From Carpet
Sometimes hot water works the best in removing most of the stains from the carpet. But a significant disadvantage of using hot water is, in some cases, it can set some stains permanently on the carpet's surface.
Lukewarm water helps in rinsing off the dirt with the detergent or other ingredients you use to get rid of the stain. But lukewarm water doesn't remove the stain directly nor makes the stains permanent on the carpet's surface. So to rinse the dirt off, it's a convenient pick.
Now let's move to cold water. Cold water is the most effective option to remove blueberry stains from a carpet's surface. It works directly on eliminating stains. You should use cold water for almost every trick to remove the stains.
To get the best results, use lukewarm water first and then go for cold water. This way, the stain would quickly go away, and it won't be able to sit on the carpet. You can use hot water if you first apply an enzyme detergent that breaks down the chemicals that cause the blueberry stain to "set" first, though it won't change the other tactics required to work on a carpet stain (blotting repeatedly!).
That’s How to Get Blueberry Stains Out of Carpet!
Among all the ways we've mentioned, we think you should try dishwashing detergent first. That ingredient is easy to find and does not damage your carpet.
You can use other methods, too, if the stain seems not likely to go easily. But never use bleach on your carpet. It may get the stain off quickly, but in the meantime, it will burn and fade the affected area too.
Now that we've come to the end of our discussion, we hope you've got the appropriate answer to your question about how to get blueberry stains out of carpet.