Removing stains from carpet

Achaté team

December 10, 2025 7

Removing stains from carpet? This is the solution

A stain in your carpet isn't just annoying, it can also quickly become permanent if you handle it the wrong way. Wine, coffee, grease or mud: every stain reacts differently to cleaning products.

Fortunately, with the right method you can remove almost any stain without damaging your floor.

In this article you'll read exactly:

How to remove stains safely
Which products you're better off avoiding
How a spot cleaner makes the difference between superficially clean and really clean

Why stains in carpet are often so stubborn

Carpet is made up of dense fibres that quickly absorb dirt, moisture and dyes. As soon as a liquid soaks into the fibres, it doesn't just dry on the surface, but also deeper in the structure.

What happens as a result:

dirt is left behind that becomes visible again later (the wicking effect)
odours can develop
the backing of the carpet is sometimes damaged by moisture

The solution isn't to scrub harder, but to clean more carefully and draw the moisture out from deep down.

What to do with a fresh stain in your carpet?

Blot immediately with a white cloth. Don't use coloured or patterned kitchen paper.
Use cold or lukewarm water. Warm water sets many types of stains, especially grease and protein.
Work from the outside in. This stops the stain from spreading.
Use little water. Too much water makes dirt sink deeper and causes rings.

Is the stain still visible after drying? Then there's probably still dirt in the bottom layer. In that case, use a spot cleaner to suck it out of the fibres.

What's best to do for each type of stain:

Stains come in all shapes and sizes. Every type of stain has its own characteristics. You'll want to treat a wine stain differently than mud, for example.

Grease and oil stains

Grease and oil soak deep into the fibres and leave dark patches.

Sprinkle cornflour or talcum powder on the stain.
Leave it for a few hours to absorb the grease.
Vacuum up the powder and blot with lukewarm water.
If necessary, follow up with the Achaté Spot Cleaner to remove grease residue.

The suction function pulls the dirt out from deep within the fibre instead of spreading it.

Wine, coffee and soft drink stains

Colour stains are often visible because of dyes and sugars.

Blot immediately with cold water.
Mix a solution of 1 part vinegar to 5 parts water.
Blot gently until the colour fades.
Rinse with clean water and blot dry.

Never use bleach or soda, as these actually damage the colour of your carpet.

Blood or milk

Never treat blood, milk and other protein stains with warm water.

Use cold water to blot.
Let the fabric dry and check the result.
Repeat if necessary.

Heat makes the proteins coagulate, which makes the stain permanent.

Urine

Urine contains salts and ammonia that cause odour. Especially with pets, there's a good chance you'll have to deal with this.

First blot up as much moisture as possible.
Use a mild vinegar solution to neutralise the odour.
Then suck the moisture and dirt out of the fibres with a spot cleaner.

This prevents odour or discolouration from coming back. The cleaner removes not only moisture, but also bacterial residue that causes odours.

Mud and sand

Let mud dry completely first.

Remove the dry residue with a soft brush or vacuum cleaner.
Then blot with cold water.
Use a spot cleaner to draw the remaining dirt out of the fibres.

This prevents mud from soaking into the backing of the carpet.

Ink or paint

Water-based paint can usually be removed with lukewarm water.
Oil-based paint or ink requires specialist treatment. Absolutely do not use acetone or turpentine.

These products dissolve the backing or cause colour differences.

Chewing gum or glue

Cool the spot with an ice cube in a plastic bag.
Once the chewing gum has hardened, you can carefully break it off or scrape it away.
Then use a damp cloth or a spot cleaner to remove any remnants.

What should you do if the stain goes deeper?

Some stains disappear from the surface but remain invisibly present in the bottom layer. After a few days they come back, often in the form of a faint ring.

This is where a spot cleaner comes in handy.

Instead of scrubbing or letting water soak through, this machine sucks moisture, dirt and odours straight out of the fibres. This keeps the backing of the carpet dry and prevents mould and nasty smells.

Here's how to use it:

Lightly dampen the stain with clean water.
Place the nozzle on the spot and move it slowly back and forth.
Repeat until the water in the tank stays clear.

This method is suitable for both wool and synthetic carpets, and also works brilliantly for getting stains out of your sofa, mattress or rug.

Tips to prevent future stains

Vacuum regularly: This stops loose dirt from settling in.
Use an impregnating agent: Especially in vulnerable areas such as walkways or the dining area, this can prevent damage.
Limit moisture: Too much water softens the backing of the carpet.
Clean thoroughly at least once a year: Preferably with a steam cleaner or spot cleaner.
Treat stains straight away: No matter how small the stain is, old stains are much harder to remove.