How to remove old pet stains from carpet with peroxide

Acting quickly when you notice your pet has made a mess can remove carpet stains before they have a chance to settle. But what happens when your cat or dog made a mess days ago? Urine in particular can be very difficult to remove — but thankfully not impossible.

When you have pets in your home, it’s always best to be prepared for accidents. Act quickly, and the clean-up job should be pretty straightforward. But when you’ve spotted a stain that has had time to set in, the cleaning job becomes a little more complex.

While you might prefer to use specialist cleaning agents, there are natural products that perform an equally effective job.

How to get old pet stains out of carpet the natural way

Blot with water

The first thing to do is remove as much of the mess as possible. Spray some cold water over the affected area of carpet, and gently blot it with paper towels or microfibre cloths. If there’s still mess there, pick up as much as you can. Scrape any excess off with a blunt knife.

Avoid the temptation to scrub furiously in panic, as this will spread the stain and possibly damage your carpet. Also, never use hot water, which can actually help stains to set. Use cold water straight from the tap.

Sprinkle the area with baking soda

The trouble with powerful carpet stain removal agents is that they can damage certain natural fibres. Play it safe, and start by sprinkling baking soda over the stain liberally. Once you’ve done that, get on with the rest of your day. Of course, you probably want to begin cleaning like your life depends on it, but there’s no point. Allow the baking soda to soak up odours and moisture — as well as kill bacteria.

Vacuum

After a couple of hours, return to the stain and vacuum the area thoroughly — making sure you remove every speck of baking soda. There’s a good chance that the stain has already subsided at this point, but don’t worry if it hasn’t.

Add vinegar

Vinegar is a great stain removal agent, but it’s not for every type of carpet. Consult your carpet’s cleaning instructions before proceeding.

Create a solution of three parts cold water and one part white vinegar. Spray the stain liberally with the solution, and give it another 30 minutes of contact time. Then take a clean microfibre cloth, and blot the stain until it’s dry. Sprinkle some more baking soda over the area, and leave it for another two or three hours.

Vacuum again

There’s a good chance that you already have the best vacuum cleaner for pet hair, which usually delivers exceptional suction power. This means there’s a reasonable chance that vacuuming for a second time will leave your carpet looking like it’s old self. If necessary, use a brush attachment to get deep into the carpet — where dander, pet hair, dirt and baking soda may be trapped.

If this doesn’t work…

If your efforts fail to remove the stain, it might be time to try a few different options. For example, instead of using vinegar in your solution, try hydrogen peroxide instead — after consulting your carpet’s cleaning guidelines, of course. Alternatively, alcohol (usually vodka) can help to move things along.

It may be necessary to perform a deep clean, in which case a steam mop with a carpet attachment might be the best option. Superheated steam doesn’t just break down staining, it also kills the vast majority of odour-causing bacteria.

Stains on carpet come with the territory for all pet owners. But with a little planning, patience and careful cleaning, these stains don’t have to spell the end for your carpets.

Home & Garden
Cleaning
Cleaning Tips

Jennifer L. Betts

Jennifer worked for five years as a housekeeper in a large hotel chain. In that capacity, she learned how to clean just about anything.

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Professional Cleaner

Updated October 20, 2021

You moved your couch, and now you have a mystery stain on your carpet. While that can be downright annoying, you have methods to remove it. From using dish detergent to trying a bit of hydrogen peroxide, get quick options to remove old stains from carpets. All you must do is decide which one works best for you.

Cleaning Method With Dish Soap

Now that you know what you're going to be using, it's time to get down on the floor and clean.

Mix ¼ tsp of liquid dishwashing soap with 1 cup warm water.
Do not use detergents that have bleach in them.
Spray the soap solution on the stain.
Extract the stain using your steam vac or shop vac, towels, or any piece of cloth.
Rinse the stain with warm water and repeat the process until the stain is removed.
This works exceptionally well with old pet stains.

Steps for Cleaning With Ammonia

If the dish soap method isn't working, you can break out the ammonia.

Combine a cup of water and 2 tablespoons of ammonia in a spray bottle
Apply it to the stain.
Extract the solution.
Repeat as needed.

Alternatively, you can try mixing a cup of white vinegar with 2 cups of water and applying using the same procedure.

Clean Old Stains on Light Carpets With Peroxide

If you have light carpets plagued by old mystery stains, you can try using a bit of hydrogen peroxide to remedy the situation. For the hydrogen peroxide method, you need:

Hydrogen peroxide
Bristle brush
Shop vac, steam vac, or cloth

How to Clean Old Stains With Peroxide

Remember to test the peroxide on an inconspicuous area of the carpet. Hydrogen peroxide does have bleaching properties, so it could cause a light spot if not tested. Now that you know it's not going to harm your living room, it's time to get to work.

Vacuum up the stain to be sure any particles are gone.
Place the hydrogen peroxide on a spray bottle.
Spray it on the old stain.
Saturate the stain if you must loosen up the stain's particles.
Let it sit for about 10-15 minutes.
Use a stiff brush to work on the stain to help it loosen up some more.
Then use a steam vac to suck up the peroxide mixture from the carpet.
You may also use towels and cloths to absorb the peroxide.
Enjoy your stain-free sparkling carpet once more.

Try Vinegar and Baking Soda for Random Old Stains

Not having luck with your random stain? Don't worry. Run to the kitchen and grab:

Baking soda
White vinegar
Dawn dish soap
Spray bottle
Vacuum cleaner

Step-by-Step Cleaning Instructions

When it comes to an easy stain fighter for carpets, this is one of the easier ones. The hardest part is the wait.

Vacuum the stain.
Sprinkle the area with baking soda.
Create a 1:1 mixture of white vinegar and water in the spray bottle.
Add a drop of Dawn for extra stain-fighting action.
Spray the mixture directly on the baking soda.
Watch it foam in satisfaction.
Let the mixture sit until the baking soda dries and hardens. This takes a few hours.
Suck it up with the vacuum.

Clear Out Carpet Stains With Club Soda

Club soda is another popular cleaning agent. While best used on fresh stains, it can also effectively eliminate set-in dirt and even remove dried blood stains. For the club soda old stain remover, reach for:

Club soda
Salt
Cloth
Scrub brush
Vacuum

Instructions for Using Club Soda

The time has come to vanish that irritating stain with a few simple steps.

Simply spray club soda on the stain and leave it for a few minutes.
Work it with a brush.
Use a cloth to blot up the stain and soda.
Sprinkle salt to help draw up the stain and club soda.
Allow it to sit for at least 30 minutes.
Vacuum up the salt.

White Wine for Old Red Wine Stains

Did you have a spill of red wine you didn't notice? Not to worry, it happens to the best of us. To clean it, just grab these ingredients.

White wine
Cloth
Steam vac

Simple Red Wine Cleaning Instructions

One of the most common types of set or old stains comes from red wine spills. A common trick to remove red wine stain is, believe it or not, applying white wine. Who knew? Just remember, this needs to be the first method you try.

Apply a bit of white wine to the red wine stain.
The white wine will recreate the initial occurrence of the stain, making the red stain easier to remove.
Extract the wine with a cloth.
Repeat as necessary until the stain is gone.
Rinse the area with water or use a steam vac.
Allow the area to completely dry.

Remove Old Stains From Carpet With Borax

If you are a DIY savvy cleaner, you've probably used borax in the wash. Well, it can go further than that. You can use it on your carpet too. All you need is:

Ice water
Borax
Cloth
Vacuum

Borax Cleaning Instructions

Brightening up those boring stains with a bit of borax is simple.

Vacuum up the stain to get rid of loose particles.
Wet the stain with ice water.
Add borax to the stain.
Allow it to dry completely.
Vacuum up the borax.
Repeat as needed.

Tips for Removing Old Stains

When cleaning new or old stains, work from the outside of the stain towards its center. This prevents you from spreading the stain and doing more damage to the carpet. The process should involve applying the solvent, blotting it with a cloth, rinsing, extracting the solvent, and repeating the procedure until the stain is completely removed. Ensure you do not leave any solvent residue behind, and let the carpet dry as soon as you are done cleaning. If the stain has reached deeper into the carpet, dry it quickly with a fan to prevent any leftover stain from working its way up to the carpet's surface.

Assessing Your Stain

Not all old stains on carpet are created equal. While water-soluble stains (blood, wine, food, urine, etc.) are pretty easy to remove using any of the methods, non-water-soluble stains (oil stains) are not. Oil stains are not going to be as easy to lift, but you may have some success. If a stubborn stain does not budge, you could always hire a professional carpet cleaning service, especially those with hot water extraction systems, to help you.

Getting Your Carpet Clean

Mystery stains can be a pain. But they don't' have to ruin your rooms feng shui. Just grab your preferred cleaner and get scrubbing. It's as simple as that. And if all else fails, give your whole carpet a little TLC.

Will peroxide remove pet stains from carpet?

Hydrogen Peroxide Hydrogen peroxide does a great job at removing dog pee. Just put some peroxide into a spray bottle, soak the stain in a few sprays, and let it sit for about 10 or 15 minutes. To finish the job, clean it up with a rag.

What happens if you put hydrogen peroxide on carpet?

Using a hydrogen peroxide with a concentration of higher than 6% will most likely bleach out your carpet's color dyes. Hydrogen peroxide solutions commonly used in households is diluted to a 3% grade. However, there's still the risk that the solution can bleach your carpet, depending on the dye.

How do you remove deep pet stains from carpet?

Mix a solution of 2 cups of warm water, 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap and 1/2 cup of vinegar. Dip a soft cloth or sponge into the mixture and apply to the soiled area. Blot lightly. Repeat the above a couple more times to remove a tough stain.

Does baking soda and peroxide clean carpet stains?

If there is still staining or an odor after cleaning with the vinegar solution, you can try a combination of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. These products will break down the stain, kill bacteria, and absorb odors.