Remove Ketchup Stains

To remove ketchup stains from carpet, try to catch them while they are still just ketchup spills - before they become stains. Water can remove many substances if you get them before they affect the fibers of the carpet. Rinse, blot up the moisture, and repeat the process. now, if you still have a stain, or if you discovered the spill days later, here are some steps you can take to remove it.

Scrape out any dried bits with a dull knife or the edge of a spoon.

Moisten with water and blot this up with plain white paper towels or a clean white cotton cloth. Repeat this process until you have removed as much of the stain as you can. Then go to the next step.

Mix a tablespoon of clear household ammonia in a half-cup of water and put it in a spray bottle. Spray the spot, blot up the moisture and repeat the process. Try not to spray it so heavily that the mixture soaks down to the bottom of the carpet. Continue doing this until you see no more stain transfer to the cloth. Rinse the area several times with a little bit of water, blotting it up each time. Move on to the next step if necessary.

Make a mixture of a few drops of dish washing detergent (plain blue Dawn works well) and a cup of warm water. Apply this to the stained area carefully, soaking it up with paper towels or cotton cloth between applications. Continue as long as you see transfer to the cloth. Once there is no more transfer, you have removed as much as you're going to, although a professional cleaner might be able to remove ketchup stains more thoroughly.

Rinse with water repeatedly to remove any remaining detergent (which otherwise attracts dirt), blotting up the water after each application. A stack of white paper towels with some weight on them will help dry the area quickly. Remove this after an hour and set a fan nearby to blow over the spot.