How to Clean Cat Vomit from a Carpet
If you have a cat in your home, you will know that this can leave you on clean-up duty if your pet is sick. To prepare for these moments, you should know how to clean cat vomit from a carpet.
It does not have to be a difficult task if you have the right approach. The best thing you can do is attend to the vomit stain as soon as it happens, rather than leave it for a while, as it is much easier to remove.
We guide you through a few effective cleaning methods to help you eradicate any pet stain or odor from your carpet, leaving it in brand new condition.
What this article covers:
- How to Remove Cat Puke from a Carpet
- How to Clean Dried Cat Vomit from a Carpet
- How to Clean a Cat Puke Stain from a Carpet
How To Remove Cat Puke From A Carpet
If you get to a cat puke stain on the carpet shortly after it happens, you have already cut your workload in half. Tackling it in the early stages is the best way to prevent long-term damage to the carpet.
All you will need for this method is paper towels, liquid soap, what spirit vinegar, and a dry towel or cloth.
This method works well for other pet stains, like getting cat litter out of a carpet.
Step 1:
Use paper towels to remove any excess vomit that is sitting on the carpet. Try to scoop and blot rather than rub, as it may lead to the stain spreading on the carpet, or being pushed deeper into the carpet fibers, which makes it more difficult to remove.
Continue dabbing the area with the paper towels until you have absorbed as much excess moisture as possible. You will know it is sufficient once the paper towels are coming up dry.
Step 2:
In a small bowl, mix a tablespoon of liquid soap with two cups of warm water. Ensure it is combined well, and then transfer it to a spray bottle.
Do not use water that is too hot, as this can melt or damage a plastic spray bottle once transferred, and possibly leak through which is a danger to you.
Step 3:
Spray the combined cleaning solution gently onto the stained area of the carpet. Spray generously enough to moisten the entire area, and for it to soak below the surface of the carpet to reach all vomit particles.
Step 4:
Use a soft, dry, absorbent cloth to blot the area rigorously. You will need to apply pressure as you blot to simultaneously press the cleaning solution into the carpet fibers and absorb the liquid and vomit particles back up into the cloth.
Alternate between different areas of the cloth to swap out the dirty sections for a clean patch. You may need to have a second cloth on hand which you can switch.
Continue this until you are no longer absorbing moisture.
Step 5:
Use a new, wet cloth to dab the area and rinse out the cleaning solution. Do this for a few minutes, and then leave it to dry overnight.
Step 6:
Once fully dry, check the area to see if the stain is clear. If not, repeat the process.
Step 7 (optional):
If the stain is clear but there is still an odor of that vomit lingering on the carpet, you can use white spirit vinegar to eliminate this.
Sprinkle or spray a few tablespoons of the vinegar onto the affected area, and leave it to dry for a few hours. Check the area to see if the odor is gone - if not, apply more of the vinegar.
This works on any unpleasant odors, such as getting cat pee smell out of a carpet.
How To Clean Dried Cat Vomit From A Carpet
While it is ideal to attend to a stain as soon as it happens, this is not always possible. You may come home from work to discover a vomit stain that happened earlier in the day or discover one on the other side of the house after a few hours.
If a cat vomit stain is left for a few hours, it will dry up and require a slightly more intensive cleaning method to remove completely. A fantastic ingredient to use here for stain and odor elimination is baking soda.
Step 1:
Use an old butter knife or spatula to scrape off any dried vomit debris from the carpet fibers.
Use a brush, broom, or vacuum, or remove this debris from the carpet before you continue.
Step 2:
Combine a cup of warm water with 2-3 drops of liquid detergent, and then transfer it to a spray bottle.
Spray the solution onto the stain to soak through the carpet fibers.
Step 3:
Sprinkle the baking soda onto the area that you have dampened. Apply it generously, so that there is thick coverage of the entire stain - you should not be able to see it anymore.
Leave this to sit on the carpet for 30-45 minutes.
Step 4:
Use a soft-bristle brush, carpet cleaning brush machine, or old toothpaste to rub the baking soda into the stain. Rub the area gently in small circular motions to avoid damaging the carpet and prompting the need for a carpet repair kit.
Leave the area to air dry for a few hours, or overnight.
Step 5:
Once completely dry, use a broom or Rotovac carpet cleaner to clean out any dried excess baking soda. A vacuum works best here, as it will be easier to clean the soda out thoroughly (ensure you have all necessary accessories, like velcro straps).
When clear, check the carpet to see if the stain is clear. If not, repeat the process.
If the stain is clear but an odor lingers, use step 7 of the previous method to eliminate this with white spirit vinegar.
How To Clean A Cat Puke Stain From A Carpet
Occasionally, you may only stumble across a stain behind the couch or in the barely-used spare room a few days after it happens, and by then, you are dealing with a full-blown vomit stain.
For this type of stain, you should use professional carpet cleaning chemicals, and/or professional carpet cleaning equipment, as these are items that are designed specifically to deal with this kind of mess.
Step 1:
Use an old butter knife to scrape up as much dried excess vomit debris from the carpet fibers.
Once you have removed most of it, you can use a vacuum or broom to get rid of the dried debris before you continue with the rest of the cleaning process.
Step 2:
Next, you will prepare your specialized cleaning product or carpet prespray. The Truck Mount Forum Pure O2 Sweet Breeze Odor Stain Remover is the perfect product for this.
It removes any type of pet stain, such as vomit, and brightens your carpet in the cleaning process. It also leaves behind a fresh and pleasant scent that replaces the nasty odor from the vomit.
It works equally well to clean dried cat urine from a carpet.
Mix the cleaner as per directions on the bottle, and then transfer to a spray bottle.
Step 3:
Spray the cleaner generously onto the stain, enough so that it dampens the entire area and soaks through the carpet fibers.
Leave to settle in for 5-10 minutes before you continue.
Step 4:
Next, use a dry and absorbent cloth to dab the area well, to press the cleaner into the carpet while drawing out the bacterial particles.
Continue this until all excess moisture is removed.
Alternatively, you can use a water extraction vacuum here.
Step 5:
Rinse out the cleaner by spraying plain cold water onto the stained area, and then once again, use a dry cloth to absorb as much liquid as possible.
Leave to air dry for a few hours, or overnight.
Step 6:
Check the area to see if the stain has cleared out completely. If not, repeat the entire process for the best results.
Conclusion
There are many effective cleaning methods that you can choose from to eliminate cat vomit, or even clean cat poop from a carpet to leave it looking and smelling brand new.
Go for the simpler home remedies if it is a newer stain, but if it has been sitting for a few days, you will likely need professional carpet cleaning products and professional cleaning equipment.
For tiled floors, professional equipment like a Hydro Force tile cleaner also works best for severe spills or dirt.
Always tend to a stain as soon as you spot it, as this saves you time and energy in the long run as you can get the stain out easily.
Did you find our blog helpful? Then consider checking other guides:
- How to Get Dried Dog Pee Out of Carpet
- How to Get Dog Pee Out of Carpet
- How to Get Dog Poop Out of Carpet
- How to Get Dog Smell Out of Carpet
- How to Clean Dog Diarrhea from Carpet
- How to Clean Dog Vomit from Carpet
- Remove Dog Hair from Carpet
- How to Get Dog Smell Out of Couch and Carpet
- How to Get Pet Stains Out of Carpet
- Remove Pet Odor from Carpets
- How to Clean Mice Droppings from Carpet
- How to Clean Vomit from Carpet
- How to Get Blood Out of Carpet
- How to Get Human Urine Smell Out of Carpet
- How to Get Old Pee Stains Out of Carpet
