Whether it’s your furry best friend running inside with muddy paws or a mishandled wine glass, everyone can agree that unsightly stains make you want to pull your hair in frustration—especially when they end up on your newly bought rug or runner.
Before you disrupt your monthly budget and shop for a replacement, consider these tips and tricks on how to remove the most common stains on your rugs. (Better yet, consider a washable and stain-resistant rug so you’ll never have to deal with these stains again! *wink*)
Basic Stain Removal Tips
When it comes to stains, your response time can spell the difference between restoring your rug to its spotless glory or rolling it up, never to be seen again. The sooner you act, the easier it is to remove stains and lessen the odor that comes with it.
Most stains—from milk, beverages, or washable markers—can be easily handled with a quick rinse and a wipe with a damp towel. Here are some basic tips when cleaning up these stains on your rug:
- Remove any physical debris before proceeding with the cleaning process, taking care not to use too much pressure.
- Blot the area with paper towels or a color-safe cloth. Try not to scrub or rub to prevent spreading the stain and ruining rug fibers.
- When using store-bought cleaning products, always perform a patch test first.
- Always rinse the area with cool water.
For more tips on how to handle specific stains, continue reading below.
How to Remove Wine Stains
Crying over spilled milk may be a no-no but spilled wine is a different story. So how do you deal with this infamous stain?
Classic dish soap can work wonders to remove wine stains. Try following these steps to clean up your spill:
- Blot the stained area with paper towels or a color-safe cloth to remove excess liquid.
- Mix liquid dish soap with cool water and dampen another paper towel or color-safe cloth with the mixture.
- Dab the stained area with the cleaning solution and rinse with clean, cool water.
- Repeat the last step until the stain is no longer visible.
TIP: For an extra stubborn wine stain, pour a few drops of liquid dish soap directly onto the stain and lightly massage it into the rug. Remember not to scrub to avoid spreading the stain or ruining rug fibers. Be sure to rinse out all dish soap with cool water.
How to Remove Stains From Pet Accidents
No matter how cute and lovable your cats, dogs, and other furry buddies are, it won’t be enough to ignore the headache (and the stench) that their little accidents (whether that’s pet urine, poop, or vomit) cause. If you don’t have a washable, pet-friendly rug, here is the best way to deal with the stain and stench your pet leaves on your rug, according to Sadie Cornelius of CanineJournal.Com:
- Blot the area with clean paper towels and apply pressure to allow them to absorb as much wetness as possible.
- Use a pet stain remover or a DIY mixture of green dish detergent and water and spray onto the wet spot.
- Rinse with cold water and blot once again until dry.
REMEMBER: Avoid using a steam cleaner for pet accident stains as the high heat will only cause the stain and odor to seep into your rug or carpet.
How to Remove Coffee or Tea Stains
Coffee stains on your rug can be particularly embarrassing as it can look as if your pet made a mess you weren’t able to thoroughly clean. To remove these unsightly coffee stains, give these steps a try:
- Blot the stained area with paper towels or color-safe cloths.
- Then, spray the area with a mixture of vinegar, cool water, and a non-bleach detergent.
- Rinse with clean, cool water.
- Repeat the last two steps as many times as necessary.
If you’re using a store-bought stain remover, make sure to perform a patch test and follow the instructions to avoid damaging your rugs.
How to Remove Ink Stains
Ink or grease stains may seem like the end of the road for your rug, but there may be an easy DIY trick to help you get rid of the unappealing mark.
One way to do it is with isopropyl alcohol, nail polish remover, or anything with high alcohol content. Here is how:
- With your cleaning agent of choice, dampen a clean white cloth.
- Dab on the stained area carefully. Try not to scrub or rub as this will cause the stain to spread further.
- Let it sit for a few minutes.
- Rinse with water then blot or vacuum the excess moisture.
To avoid damaging your rug or carpet more, make sure to perform a patch test before using any of the mentioned cleaning solutions.
TIP: Don’t have any alcohol-based mixture on hand? Mix milk and cornstarch instead. Apply the paste onto the stain and leave this for a few hours. Once dry, vacuum the residue.
How to Remove Bloodstains
Papercut. Your kid scraping his knee or elbows. Kitchen knife mishaps. These accidents sometimes happen, leaving battle scars on your skin and bloodstains on your rug. While bloodstains are known for being notoriously difficult to remove, if you act quickly, you may be able to salvage your rug. Here are some tips on how to deal with it:
- Prepare a mixture of dish detergent and water in a spritz bottle and apply onto the stain until completely soaked. Remember to use cold water instead of warm water to clean blood stains to prevent it from seeping into the carpet fibers.
- With a paper towel, blot the wet spot until clean.
- Rinse with cold water and repeat as many times as necessary.
How to Remove Oil or Fat-Based Stains
Oil or fat-based stains, though less visible to the naked eye, can be just as challenging to remove. The trick is something you probably already have in your pantry – baking powder.. Here’s how to do it right:
- Remove any solids with a spoon or dull knife and use a paper towel to blot up excess liquid.
- Apply baking soda to the stain until it’s fully covered and the stain is no longer visible and let it sit for at least 30 minutes.
- Vacuum up the baking soda from the stain.
- If the stain remains, combine liquid dish soap with water and gently work the mixture into the stain using your fingers or a soft brush.
- Rinse thoroughly with water to remove all dish soap residue.
If All Else Fails, Try a Washable Rug
While these tips work 90% of the time, there’s always the possibility that you may have to call it quits with your stained rug. If that’s the case, it’s good to know that you can always opt for a rug that holds up exceptionally well to stains. Ruggable rugs are machine-washable, as well as stain-resistant, so you’ll have fresh, clean rugs all the time!
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30 Comments
I had a party at my house last week, and to my dismay, some of the guests spilled their wine in my expensive rug. I never knew that pouring salt on top of the stain can help eliminate the stain. I hope this works because if not then maybe it’s best to hire a rug cleaning service.
Always immediately cover similar stains in ice to freeze and lift the particles. With blood, this is all that is needed and just pat to dry. With wine, use the ice, blot, then treat remaining stain with dawn dish soap and cold water.
Nice post
Can I use Shout on my Ruggable?
Great question, Lisa!
You can use stain removers/treatments as long as the product does not contain bleach or chlorine.😊
Hair dye went on my ruggable rug. How may I remove this?
Hi, Lauren! We are sorry to hear this!
Please visit the following link for helpful care instructions and tips: https://myruggable.com/care 😊
Our toddler spiller hot chocolate on our new rug. The top has been through the washer now twice, but the stain is still there. Help!
My twin 3-year olds decided to color our new Ruggable with crayons. How can I remove this???
Hi, Kelly. We are so sorry you are experiencing this! We do not have any set procedures for crayon stains, however, we found a few tips online: https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Crayon-Out-of-a-Carpet https://spotremoval.coit.com/how-to-get-crayon-out-of-carpet
Please move forward using your discretion, as we have not tested any of these suggestions. Do not use any products containing bleach or fabric softeners. We hope these suggestions are helpful!
Please feel free to provide feedback if you have a solution that works.
Help! How do I get diet coke out of my Absida rug??? Please help!
Hi Rose!
We are so sorry to hear about this spill! We would be more than happy to share with you the cleaning instructions. Please use the following link!
https://myruggable.com/wash-and-care-instructions
For any hard to remove stains a second wash may be needed! Additionally, you are able to spot clean your Rug Cover. We have had many customers use a mixture of dish soap, vinegar and water to spot treat any stains or accidents. This method has been tested and has been proven to work without leaving any left over residue or odors. For best results we recommend washing the rug immediately after an accident.
You may also use spot cleaners from your local pet/grocery store at your own discretion. We do not recommend any specific type or brand, just please be sure to use something gentle and non-bleach.
How do I get muddy paw prints off my brand new black and white Buffalo plaid runner?
Hey there, Melissa! We are sorry to hear about the muddy paw prints! But not to worry, as we would happy to share our cleaning instructions with you as well as a couple of tips on how to handle stains.😊
Wash and Care Instructions: myruggable.com/wash-and-care-instructions
Alongside normal washing/cleaning of your rug, you can also spot clean it! We have had many customers use a mixture of dish soap, vinegar, and water to spot treat stains and accidents. This method has been tested and has been proven to work without leaving any left over residue or odors. You can also use store bought spot cleaners or stain treatments but please be sure they are non-bleach!
Lastly, please be sure you are also washing as soon as possible after accidents or stains occur as they can become harder to get out over time.
Feel free to reach out to our Customer Care team at support@ruggable.com for any additional questions or concerns.✨
Someone vomited on our ruggable. We washed it but there is a “shadow” where the vomit was (ugh!). Are we out of luck?
We are sorry to hear this, Lisa!
We are so sorry to hear that you’ve had trouble getting some stains out! We would be more than happy to provide a few tips to help address the matter! For stubborn or hard to remove stains you are able to spot clean your rug! We have had many customers use a mixture of dish soap, vinegar and water to spot treat any stains or accidents. This method has been tested and has been proven to work without leaving any left over residue or odors. Please be sure you are also washing as soon as possible after accidents or stains occur as they can become harder to get out over time!
Please feel free to reach out to our Customer Care team at support@ruggable.com for any additional questions or concerns.
Rug Stain Survival Guide: How to Get Various Stains Out of Your Rugs is a really different type of blog, So share this information on different websites.
https://washingears.com/what-is-the-best-homemade-carpet-cleaning-solution/
I spilled a cup of coffee with half & half creamer in it. It doesn’t show a stain because my ruggable is a dark color but I’m afraid that it will start to smell because of the cream How should I clean the spot?
Hi, Marlene! We are sorry to hear about this spill.
In this instance we would recommend doing a vinegar wash! Customers have found success removing lingering odors with a vinegar wash. You may also go to the store for cleaners that might help remove the odor but please make sure they do not contain bleach or chlorine.
We hope this helps!
Hi, Gayle! We are so sorry to hear that you’ve had trouble getting some stains out! We would be more than happy to provide the cleaning instructions as well as a few tips below:
myruggable.com/wash-and-care-instructions
For stubborn or hard to remove stains you are also able to spot clean your rug! We have had many customers use a mixture of dish soap, vinegar, and water to spot treat any stains or accidents. This method has been tested and has been proven to work without leaving any left over residue or odors. Please be sure you are also washing as soon as possible after accidents or stains occur as they can become harder to get out over time!
Please feel free to reach out to our Customer Care team at support@ruggable.com for any additional questions or concerns.
What do you do when there is a red stain. Possibly a red gumball the dog threw up. On my ruggable. I tried washing it, using a non bleach detergent. Kind of at my wits end.
Hi, Karen! We are terribly sorry to hear about the troubles you’ve had with a stain.
In this instace, we would recommend our general spot cleaning guide, which can be found here. Be sure to repeat the process as it may take washes to fully eliminate the stain! You can also use spot cleaning products from the stor ebut just be sure they are also non-bleach and do not contain chlorine.😊
In order to remove stains from fabrics, hairspray and rubbing alcohol are frequently utilized. When combined, these items create powerful cleaning solutions that effectively remove Sharpie stains from carpet and other recent permanent marker stains.
Hi,
I tipped over my candle on my ruggable. How can I remove that? It also has a stain, since the candle was pink.
Thanks in advance!
Hi, Elaine! Each stain can vary and multiple spot cleaning techniques may be needed to help best address the stain. With that in mind, we might suggest trying a spot cleaning technique often used for pen or oil since it stained your rug! It may vary and repeated attempts may be needed, especially if the stain has had time to set.
As for getting the wax out itself, we first recommend trying to scrap off the wax as to avoid the use of heat. Many guides suggest trying to ‘freeze’ the wax to make it easier to scrap off (this can be achieved by uing an ice cube and rubbing it over the affected area before trying to scrap the wax off!). For wax that may linger and is unable to be scrapped off, you can try getting a washcloth and dampening it with warm water; this should help with loosening and absorbing the remaining wax. We do not recommend washing in warm/hot water, however (note: we always recommend avoid using hot water when cleaning your Ruggable rug as this often sets stains, however, things like wax are mostly easily removed with the help of some hear; please keep this in mind when addressing your specific stain and don’t be afraid to repeat the process with a wash cloth, it may take several passes).
Is it possible to get rid of sharpie stains? My 10 year old daughter hid sharpie stains from me and I just found them, I have been crying. I know it is just a rug but it was my really expensive Mother’s Day gift and I can’t just buy a new one. It was one of the new Barbie pink ones, so it is very noticeable.
Oh no! We are terribly sorry to hear that, Heather😓 In this instance, we would recommend trying the ink stain methods – using a cleaner/agent with a high alcohol content such as isopropyl alcohol or nail polish remover. This method may need to be attempted a couple times to help remove/lighten the stain, but the longer it has had time to sit the harder it can be to get out.
We may also recommend products from the store that are aimed specifically at things such as ink stains and markers! For store-bought products, just be sure to double check the contents and do a patch test first. We hope these suggestions help and that you are able to remove the stain! And Happy Mother’s Day.🌸
Some aerosol hairsprays contain alcohol, which can help break down the marker stain. Spray a small amount of hairspray onto a cloth and blot the stain gently.
I SPILLED JAVAL ON MY RUG THAT PART TURNED MUCH LIGHTER WHAT CAN I DO ?
Hi, Shelly. We are terribly sorry to hear about the spill! It sounds like it may have bleached your rug – we suggest first trying to spot clean your rug using our basic steps (you can also use the suggestions from the coffee/tea stain section). After, try giving your rug a full wash in a washer. It is possible the stain didn’t bleach/lighten the rug and it just has the appearance of doing so at first glance! For stubborn stains, we recommend doing several trials of spot cleaning – you can also use spot cleaning products, just double check what they are made of and always do a spot check with any new products.
If your rug was bleached/lightened, there is unfortunately no way to restore it properly aside from removing the stain. We hope the above tips and article are helpful!