Few stains are more gross than vomit on your carpet. What makes it even worse is how much of a nightmare it can be to remove when your goal is to eliminate any residual discolouration or scent.

Whether it’s a pet, a child, or even an adult’s accident, knowing how to remove such a smelly mess is vital for your home’s cleanliness and your stomach!

So roll up your sleeves, pinch your nose, and read our guide for effective tips and tricks on cleaning vomit from carpets.

Step 1: Get Rid of the “Loose” Vomit

Your first order of business in cleaning vomit from the carpet is to remove as much of the “loose” vomit as possible.

The exact approach to this step will depend on the age of the vomit and how quickly you notice it and start cleaning.

Fresh Vomit

If the vomit is fresh enough that it’s still liquid or soft enough to move, you can scoop it up with a spoon or spatula.

Don’t use anything fancy or that you don’t mind throwing out later since disinfecting the spoon or spatula may not give you peace of mind. Alternatively, you can use a plastic spoon or a couple of pieces of cardboard as a DIY dustpan.

Be sure to wear rubber gloves before getting down and dirty in the vomit pool. This will protect you from touching the mess and catching microbes and odour.

Transfer every bit of vomit that you scrape off the carpet to a trash bag. Make sure the bag is free of holes to avoid unwanted leaks and tie the bag tightly before dumping it in the trash bin.

You can even use the trash bag as a glove to pick up the vomit and turn it inside out when you’re done.

Here are some extra tips to consider:

  • Don’t press down or rub the vomit as you scrap it off. The last thing you need is for the vomit to sink deeper into the carpet’s fibres.
  • Add sand to the fresh vomit immediately to form more manageable clumps to scoop up.
  • When scooping or scraping the vomit, move from the edges of the affected area to its centre. This keeps the stain from spreading.

Dried Vomit

You may overlook a vomit accident right away. The problem is that the longer you wait, the more work you must do when encountering the stain.

It’s not just the stain that will become more stubborn and require a longer time to remove or multiple cleaning methods; you’ll also need to make the vomit wet again.

Yes, it looks and smells as gross as it sounds, but avoiding carpet damage is necessary. Use warm water to dampen the dried vomit so you don’t rip the carpet as you scoop it up.

From there, follow the same steps as in the fresh vomit section above.

Step 2: Deal with Excess Moisture

After removing the initial mess, the next stage is to soak up residual moisture. This helps you get rid of the foul odour.

First, Paper Towels

Start drying the affected area using clean paper towels. Blot the carpet to pick up the moisture without pressing down too heavily that you unintentionally rub the stain deeper in.

Then, Baking Soda

After blotting with paper towels, sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda on the target area and leave it for 15 minutes (up to overnight).

Baking soda will form clumps as it absorbs the excess moisture. You can vacuum up the clumps and baking soda when the wait is over.

  • If you can’t find baking soda, you can use cornstarch instead. Similarly, let it sit on the stain for about 15 minutes and then vacuum it.

Step 3: Treat the Stain

The final stage is cleaning the stain left behind after drying up the affected area. There are several techniques you can use for this purpose. The following are the most effective:

Club Soda or Sparkling Water

Pour club soda or sparkling water onto the stain and let it work its magic for about 1 minute. These liquids contain certain chemicals that react with organic vomit particles, causing them to break from the carpet fibres.

Afterwards, dab the area with paper towels and observe the stain transferring. Repeat as many times as needed until no more colour shows on the paper towels.

Vinegar Mixture

Mix vinegar (white or apple cider) and water in equal portions and apply the mixture to the stain.

After at least 15 minutes, blot the area with paper towels to absorb the mixture and the stain.

Dry Cleaning Solvent

This type of solvent is non-water-based and is meant to target organic stains, so it can be effective against vomit stains.

Use a clean cloth to dab the dry cleaning solvent onto the affected area. As you blot, the discolouration will transfer to the cloth, so be sure to use different sections of the rag until the stain is gone.

DIY Cleaning Solution

Mix warm water, vinegar, and detergent or dishwasher soap to make an effective anti-vomit cleaning solution.

Apply it to the stain using a clean rag. Remember: blot, don’t scrub.

Stain Remover

You can use a commercial carpet or fabric remover to clean the vomit stain.

Follow the directions on the label. You should usually apply the solution and let it sit for several minutes before gently working it into the fibres and wiping it off.

Hydrogen Peroxide or Ammonia Mixture

For tougher vomit stains, you can try cleaning with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide or ammonia with equal water. Blot with a clean cloth to pick up the stain as it dissolves.