Must be hard when you have that red stain very noticeable on your carpet. Could be a stain from a makeup, wine or any red-based sauce that you just recently ate. Whatever the cause, dealing with red stains is not cool.
Good to know that there are effective ways to get rid of those red stains on your carpet. Here’s a guide that you can follow:
Getting Rid of Red Stains Out of the Carpet
- Using A Steam Cleaner
If you have a steam cleaner at home, this is the most convenient way to clean the carpet, not only with the red stains but as well as the rest of the carpet. Steam cleaner is efficient in softening hardened debris that’s making the carpet really dirty.
You can start with focusing first on the affected areas with the red stains and try softening it. You will see some changes eventually having the stain to fade out. Once the stain fades out, clean the rest of the carpet making sure that there’s no more debris left on the carpet.
If you don’t have a steam cleaner, there’s a lot of hardware stores or home depot that offer rental fees per hour that you can use. You don’t really need to buy a new one if you don’t badly need it and instead take advantage of the rental offers.
- Using ammonia
Ammonia is one of the most effective carpet cleaners that you can get from the market. It’s very effective especially for taking out red stains from carpets and even in other furniture. This is used to get rid of stubborn red stains that can’t be remedied with a steam cleaner.
To create the cleaning mixture, mix 2 liters of warm water and ¼ cup of ammonia in a bowl. Use a dry towel to dab the mixture onto the affected area on the carpet. Letting the ammonia mixture absorb on it and soften the stain. With constant repetitions, you will see how the stain is starting to subside. Be patient though, because depending on how deep the stain is, it could take some time.
Once the stain has been removed, make sure to clean any remaining stains or debris using a steam cleaner. It’s best to clean the rest of the carpet to give it a much cleaner and fresher look.
- Clean With Alkaline Water and Baking Soda
This is another variant that you can use for stubborn red stains on the carpet. Alkaline water unlike regular water is special for its lack of pH neutral retaining its natural acids. While baking soda on the other hand, has long been a home remedy for unclogging pipes, cleaning countertops and even acts as a degreaser.
With the combination of both, the mixture is perfect to eliminate stubborn red stains out of your carpet. For the mixture, just take 2 liters of alkaline water and ½ cup of baking soda and mix well. Then take a cloth and dab onto the affected spot on the carpet. Repeat the process until the stain starts to subside. Clean with steam cleaner for any debris left.
- Using hydrogen peroxide
If the stain is really bad after cleaning it with other alternatives, you can opt for a hydrogen peroxide, a bleaching agent that doesn’t damage the carpet’s original color. Do not confuse this product with chlorine, which acts as a bleach as well but stains the carpet leaving it with a noticeable white or discolored mark.
It’s simple to use hydrogen peroxide to clear out stains. Just pour a huge amount of it on the affected area making sure the carpet has absorbed the liquid. Then make sure to wear gloves and massage the affected area with your hands. This encourages the stained area to soften immediately and get rid of the stain.
This technique works like magic after pouring and massaging with hydrogen peroxide. All you need is to wait for the stain to go away and let it dry. No need to use a steam cleaner to clean any debris.
- Using WD-40
WD-40 is also another effective way to get rid of stubborn red stains and even other kinds of stains. It’s a type of concentrated solvent that softens stains in any fabric, most especially carpets. But unlike hydrogen peroxide where it’s simple to use, using WD-40 needs more patience and proper technique to get rid of the stain.
When using it, be sure to only spray it to the affected area. Don’t pour the mixture directly to the stain or it will not be effective. When you spray it to the red stain, make sure to dab it with a cloth to soften the stain. Repeat the same steps until you see results.
Since WD-40 is a strong cleaning liquid, you would need to use a steam cleaner to get rid of any debris and residue of the stain and cleaner. This will leave your carpet more cleaner and fresh smelling.
- Call for professional help
If the odds are against you and the stains are too much to remedy with any cleaner you have at home, it’s time to call cease fire and seek help with a professional. Most likely why the stain is too stubborn is because it has deepened into the threads of the carpet and was cleaned too late. Making it harder to remedy with any cleaning products.
If that’s the case, try saving your carpet’s glory by hiring a nearby carpet cleaner to do some magic to your carpet. It might cost you a bit more compared on DIY cleaning, but you will be able to take care of your carpet in a better manner.
Do not attempt to clean it with other harmful chemicals since it will only damage your carpet. Also, refrain from using products that are not proven to be effective especially when cleaning carpet stains.
We hope the methods we shared to you are effective with getting rid of the red stains of your carpet. Just follow the techniques and be sure to store the cleaning materials properly after using. Keep it out of children’s reach.

David Nilsen is the former editor of Fourth & Sycamore. He is a member of the National Book Critics Circle. You can find more of his writing on his website at davidnilsenwriter.com and follow him on Twitter as @NilsenDavid.