How to Clean Vomit From Carpet (Without a Carpet Cleaner!)

It's simple enough to clean up vomit on tile or concrete floors. But how do you clean vomit from carpet? If you don’t do a good job, you risk damaging your carpet or dealing with a foul odor for days.

In this article, we show you how to clean vomit from carpet without a carpet cleaner using three tried-and-tested methods. We’ll also tell you how to get persistent vomit odors out of your carpet and highlight cleaning tips from the experts to extend the life of your carpet.

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Is vomit hard to clean out of carpet?

Cleaning vomit out of a carpet can be time-consuming, but you can do it easily with a few household supplies. Buying or renting an expensive carpet cleaner isn’t necessary. 

You can effectively remove most vomit stains and smells with baking soda, white vinegar, dish soap, a scrub brush, and a cloth. 

We also recommend cleaning the vomit immediately after it happens. If it sits too long, the vomit will penetrate further into the carpet fibers and the padding causing permanent stains and lingering smells.

How to clean vomit from a carpet

Cleaning up vomit is a pain, especially if it makes you queasy. If the idea of cleaning vomit from a carpet makes you gag, take a tip from the pros and put a mint or piece of gum in your mouth to help you get through it. 

Another tip is to put a few drops of essential oil or vapor rub on a cotton ball and place it under a face mask while you clean. 

Now, let’s get to cleaning! You can use any of these three methods to clean vomit from a carpet.

Method 1: Baking soda, vinegar, and dish soap

As a natural deodorizer, vinegar helps eliminate the smell of vomit. It also has built-in disinfection qualities and is a cheap and efficient household cleaner. 

In addition to cleaning vomit, vinegar works well to remove crayons from walls and get gum out of carpet.

What you’ll need

• Baking soda
• White vinegar
• Dish soap
• Scrub brush
• Cloth
• Water

Steps to clean 

Scrape off the top

Depending on the vomit's consistency, scrape any solids onto a paper towel using a spoon or spatula. You should work from the outside towards the center to prevent the stain from spreading. Then flush the vomit down the toilet or dispose of it in a sealed bag.

Blot

Blot the carpet with fresh paper towels after removing the extra vomit to ensure you get all of it. You can use wipes or a soft clean cloth if you don't have any paper towels. The trick is to gently apply pressure to the stain rather than rubbing it, as this will prevent the puke from seeping into the carpet fibers.

Prepare your cleaning solution

• Combine 1/4 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup white vinegar, and one tsp dish soap. 
• Apply the cleaning solution to the stain and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
• Scrub the stain gently with a scrub brush.
• Blot the area with a clean cloth until the stain is no longer visible.
• Dampen a fresh cloth with water and use it to wipe off any leftover cleaning product.

Air dry

Let the carpet air dry.

Method 2: Ammonia and water

Ammonia is a potent cleaning agent against vomit smells and stains. However, it should only be used in well-ventilated areas and should never be mixed with any other cleaning product or chemicals as this can emit fatal gasses. 

Always test your ammonia solution on an inconspicuous carpet area to make sure it won't stain or otherwise harm your carpet.

What you’ll need

• Club soda
• Ammonia
• Water
• Scrub brush
• Cloth

Steps to clean 

Remove the excess

Start by as much excess vomit as possible by scraping it off with a spoon or spatula.

Pour club soda onto the spot

As a first step to remove the mess, pour club soda onto the carpet, covering an area roughly 1.5 times the size of the stain.

Wait 30 seconds, then use a fresh, dry cloth to blot the stain, soaking up the water and the stain as you go. As the fabric gets wet, replace it with a fresh one.

Continue doing this until the bulk of the stain on the carpet has transferred to the cloth.

Prepare and apply ammonia cleaning solution

• Combine 1/4 cup ammonia with 1 cup warm water.
• Apply the cleaning solution to the stain and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
• Scrub the stain gently with a scrub brush.
• Blot the stain with a clean cloth until it is no longer visible.
• Dampen a towel with clean water and use it to remove any leftover cleaning solution.

Air dry

Let the carpet air dry. After it dries, vacuum the carpet to lift and soften the fibers. 

Method 3: Hydrogen peroxide and baking soda

Hydrogen peroxide and baking soda are another great cleaning product pair for removing tough vomit stains on carpets. 

What you’ll need

• Hydrogen peroxide
• Baking soda
• Dish soap
• Scrub brush
• Cloth
• Water

Steps to clean 

• Blot up as much of the vomit as possible using a clean cloth.
• Combine 1/4 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup hydrogen peroxide, and one tsp dish soap.
• Apply the cleaning solution to the stain and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
• Scrub the stain gently with a scrub brush.
• Blot the stain with a clean cloth until it is no longer visible.
• Blot the area dry with a second clean cloth.

What gets vomit smell out of carpet?

If you’ve used any of the cleaning methods above and there are still lingering smells, you can try these extra steps.

Baking soda 

Sprinkle baking soda on the area and leave it for 10 to 15 minutes, then vacuum it up. Baking soda is a natural deodorizer that helps absorb any lingering smells. 

Vacuum + essential oils

Blot the area with a mixture of white vinegar, essential oils, and warm water. Let it air dry. 

Can vomit permanently stain carpet?

The gastric acid in vomit can permanently discolor your carpet if you don't deal with it immediately. The secret is to clean the vomit using any of the methods in this article immediately after it happens.

If you don’t catch the vomit stain before it dries, all is not lost. Not every vomit patch stains a carpet, and the type and color of your carpet makes a difference too. If you’re worried about dried-on vomit staining your carpet, use the hydrogen peroxide solution listed in Method 3. 

Hydrogen peroxide is a safe but powerful solution for many carpet stains. 

Carpet cleaning tips from experts: extend the life of your carpet 

These pro tips for routine carpet cleaning will help extend the life of your floors. 

Vacuum regularly 

Vacuum the carpets near the entry and in high-traffic areas twice a week. Other areas can be vacuumed once a week, or more as needed.

Make use of welcome mats

Use walk-off mats indoors and outdoors to keep dirt off the carpets.

Act quickly with stains

Act immediately when a stain comes from candle wax, chocolate stains, or ash. The longer a stain chemically interacts with the carpeting; the more challenging it is to remove.

Dab, don’t scrub

Avoid the temptation to start scrubbing as soon as a stain or spill happens. It will cause the stain to sink into the carpet fibers. Instead, use a clean microfiber cloth or paper towel and a cleaning solution to dab the spot gently.

Be extra mindful of chewing gum and slime

Chewing gum can permanently harm the fibers of your carpet and is difficult to remove. The same is true for slime (AKA that gooey stuff your kids make as a craft project.) Learn how pro cleaners tackle these two tricky messes: 

• How to get gum out of carpet
• How to remove slime from carpet

Clean your carpet like a pro

There you have it; cleaning vomit from carpet may not be fun, but it’s possible. With the methods in this article, you'll be left with a carpet that is clean, hygienic, and smells great.

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