High Traffic
Use a Putty Knife for Solids
Don’t Stomp on Paper Towels
Linty Shag
Deodorize with Borax, Essential Oils and Baking Soda
How to Clean Chewing Gum off Carpet
How to Clean Carpet Oil Stains
How to Get Nail Polish Out of Carpet
Pet Stain Removers
How to Get Wax off of Carpet
What to do With Wine, Coffee and Tomato Sauce Spills
About the Expert

A vacuum cleaner moves across a carpet, removing dirt and stains from a light-colored fabric surface that appears unevenly soiled in patches.

High Traffic

In living areas that see a lot of foot traffic, over time even the highest quality carpet will get stained and worn out. To keep carpet in high-traffic area looking its best, dilute vinegar in a spray bottle with equal parts water, then spray on the carpet. Allow the mist to fully absorb, then use a stiff spoon and run it sideways along the carpet to loosen up fibers. The carpets will have noticeable lift!

A person uses a metal spatula to scoop pet food off a carpet, placing it into a black dustpan beside a white couch.

Use a Putty Knife for Solids

Using a paper towel or rag to scoop up solids can also force the stain deeper into the carpet. Your best bet is to use a putty knife and dustpan to scrape it up. Sink the edge of the putty knife into the carpet at the edge of the mess, then push it forward to move the solid waste up and into the dustpan.

A person uses a carpet cleaner on a stained area, while a seated dog watches in a well-lit living room with a blue wall and a light-colored chair.

Don’t Stomp on Paper Towels

By stomping on liquids that have made their way into your carpet, like pet urine and vomit, you actually cause the mess to penetrate deeper into the padding and then into the subfloor. When an accident happens, your best bet is to run for your handheld carpet extractor to pull up as much of the liquid as possible, as quickly as possible.

A vibrant green textured surface resembles shag carpet, with soft, tangled fibers peeking through, creating a lively and inviting appearance against a white background.

Linty Shag

When it comes to cleaning hacks for shag carpet, less is more. Be kind to your shag. In-between vacuuming, try a few passes with a lint roller to keep things fresh and tidy. A carpet rake will also get the job done. Here’s how to clean area rugs yourself.

A plate, utensils, and a glass are arranged on a wooden board, alongside a cleaning brush, a glass bottle, and a bowl of powder.

Deodorize with Borax, Essential Oils and Baking Soda

An essential part of carpet cleaning is deodorizing, especially when you have children and/or pets! Mix one to two tablespoons of borax (also known as sodium borate, an alkaline mineral salt with a powdery white appearance better known as laundry washing powder) with 10 drops of essential oil and two cups of baking soda. Spread the mixture on the carpet, allow it to dry and then vacuum it up. Make sure you disinfect your carpet once you’ve cleaned it.

A hand picks up a pink, textured object from a gray carpet, near a partially visible bag of ice in a plastic container.

How to Clean Chewing Gum off Carpet

Chewing gum is one of the most dreaded things to get stuck places — beneath your kitchen table, in your kid’s hair, and yes, on your carpet. To remove gum from carpet, place ice on the gum for five to 10 minutes. It will harden and loosen the gum’s grip on the fibers, allowing you to scrape it off.

Dark green stains appear on a bright green carpet, indicating possible spills or soiling within an indoor, well-lit space.

How to Clean Carpet Oil Stains

Oil stains can be challenging to get out of carpet because they spread and stick to the fibers. The best way to extract oil is to spread a thick coat of baking soda across the area where the stain can be seen and leave it there until the sides form a dry crust. Then vacuum up the residue. The stain will hopefully be much lighter or gone altogether. You may have to repeat this process to get the oil stain completely out of the carpet.

A red nail polish bottle lies on its side, spilling onto a light-colored carpet, creating a small pool of liquid and scattered dry polish.

How to Get Nail Polish Out of Carpet

If you haven’t learned your lesson about doing your nails on or near carpet, we’ve got you covered with this carpet cleaning hack. Chip off as much of the dried polish as possible using a butter knife, then dab what’s left with rubbing alcohol and a white cloth until the stain is absorbed. Avoid nail polish remover because it could strip color from your carpet.

A light-colored puppy sits on a soft carpet, looking curiously up. A small, dark stain is visible on the carpet nearby.

Pet Stain Removers

People rave about these two pet stain removers: Krud Cutter and Nature’s Miracle. Both products claim to remove just about any stain that’s set into your carpet using microorganisms (Krud Cutter) or enzymes (Nature’s Miracle). They work for odors, too. Here are 20 common household cleaning products you should never mix.

A man in a red shirt holds up a white towel, displaying a stain and text proclaiming its effectiveness in removing wax.

How to Get Wax off of Carpet

Natalie Shifrin, Owner of NY Steam Clean, says to first allow the wax to cool and harden. You can place an ice pack over it to speed that part up. Once it hardens, gently scrape off as much as you can with a dull knife and vaccum up any chunks. Lastly, place a paper towel or clean cloth over the wax and use a warm iron on low heat to lift it up. You may have to repeat this process a few times. Here’s a more in-depth look on how to get wax out of carpet.

A tipped wine glass spills red liquid onto a light-colored carpet, creating stains and a mess in the surrounding area.

What to do With Wine, Coffee and Tomato Sauce Spills

Especially after a party, you may have to deal with spills on your carpet. Start by pushing the hose of a wet/dry vacuum directly onto the carpet fibers and leave it in place for several seconds. Then apply a cleaning solution.

Shifrin suggests a mixing a formula of one part white vinegar and two parts water with a drop of dish soap. Dab the stain with a cloth soaked in the solution.

“For stubborn stains, sprinkle baking soda over the area after dabbing with vinegar then vacuum once dry,” she says.