Remove Perfume Stains

If you spill perfume on the carpet, try to wash it out quickly. Fast action can prevent most perfume stains. A wet/dry vacuum cleaner can be used with water to repeatedly flush the area and suck out the moisture. If you still have a stain, use the following steps to get it out.

Mix two ounces of white vinegar with four ounces of water. Put it in a spray bottle if you have one or otherwise spread it as you apply it. Make it last for two or three applications, working it in gently with your fingers and then blotting it up with a clean white cotton rag or white paper towels each time.

Follow that with a mild detergent solution made of warm water (a cup) and a few drops of Joy or Dawn dish washing detergent. Again do several applications and blot up the excess each time.

Use plain water to rinse out all of the detergent, applying and blotting. Once you have done this. put your face close to the spot to see if there is still any odor from either the perfume stains or the vinegar or the detergent solution. Rinse again if necessary.

Dry the are with weighted stacked paper towels (white ones), replacing them as they get saturated. A fan blowing across the spot for a couple hours will finish the drying quickly.

Some perfumes could have dyes in them that will alter the color of the carpet fibers, in which case you might remove the stain but still have discolored carpet. For such permanent damage see the following page:

Dealing with a Permanent Stain