Removing Makeup Stains From Carpet

The trick to removing makeup stains from carpet is to get to them quickly. They are considered "spills" or "spots" until they actually soak into the fibers of the carpet, so try to prevent that soaking in. If you miss the opportunity to clean a spill quickly though, here are the steps to take to remove makeup stains.

Whether or not it is possible to remove makeup stains from carpet has to do with the type of makeup and how long it has been there. But many can be removed using isopropyl alcohol, other wise known as rubbing alcohol. Just be sure to get the clear variety, not the ones that are colored green.

Apply the alcohol to a clean white cotton cloth (or a cotton swab for small stains). Carefully dab at the stained fibers, rubbing very gently in one direction. Blot this up with a dry clean cloth or white paper towels, and repeat the process until you no longer see transfer of the stain to the cloth.

Be sure to limit how much alcohol you apply. If it soaks through the carpet to the backing it can cause damage the the glues there. Blot up excess repeatedly, and rinse and blot several times with water afterward as well.

Using a detergent solution after the isopropyl treatment is a good idea. Mix a few drops of dish washing detergent (no perfumy ones - try Joy or Dawn) with a few ounces of water and apply this several times. Never rub hard. Just gently work the mixture in and blot it up repeatedly.

Rinse and blot again with plain water, and dry the carpet using a clean cloth (tamp it down, don't rub) followed by a fan blowing across the spot.

If these procedure fails, you might also try applying 3% hydrogen peroxide, using a cotton swab or pad and targeting just the fibers that are stained. Leave this on for an hour, then rinse and dry as specified above.