First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Scrape off what you can with a dull knife or spoon, without pushing it deeper.
- Lay the stain face down on paper towels and work from the back so the color moves into the towels.
- Blot, don't rub; rubbing spreads the color.
- Keep heat away from it, including the dryer, until it is gone.
Lipstick on carpet is a mix of oil, wax and strong pigment, so a simple wipe rarely finishes the job. Pressing harder or wetting the pile tends to push the red down into the backing, where it's far harder to reach. A fresh smear often lifts within a few careful rounds, while lipstick that has sat and set may only fade.
Getting red lipstick out of carpet is easier when you test the carpet spot cleaner on a hidden strip first. Dab with a white cotton cloth, moving from the edge of the mark toward the center. If the dried lipstick or lip gloss hasn't moved after a few rounds, stop and call a professional.
Before you start
What carpet & rugs can take
Use with care6
- Water
- Hot water
- Oxygen bleach
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
- Heat, once the stain is out
Avoid3
- Soaking
- Chlorine bleach
- Scrubbing and abrasives
7 items
What you'll need
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- White cloths or white paper towelsYou need to see the color move, and colored cloths can add dye to the carpet. (opens Amazon)
- Dull knife or rounded spoonLifts off what's left without pushing it deeper into the fibers.
- Non-flammable dry-cleaning-type spot solventDissolves the oily, waxy part of the lipstick.
- Liquid dish washing detergentThe mild mix for lifting the color, at 1/4 teaspoon per cup of water. (opens Amazon)
- White vinegarUsed diluted for the final step, after the detergent is rinsed out. (opens Amazon)
- Spray bottleMisting keeps the carpet from getting overwet. (opens Amazon)
- 3% hydrogen peroxide (optional)For a set-in spot only, after the steps are done. (opens Amazon)
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6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 6A few minutes
Test the solvent first
Put a few drops of dry-cleaning-type spot solvent on a white cloth, then dab it onto a hidden part of the carpet, such as inside a closet or under furniture. Wait a few minutes and check for any color change; if the carpet changes color, choose another solution before going further.
Step 2 of 6
Lift the oily part with solvent
Apply a small amount of solvent to a clean white cloth, then work gently from the outer edge of the spot toward the center without rubbing. Let it sit a few minutes, blot, and keep going with fresh sections of cloth for as long as color transfers.
Careful. Use solvents in a ventilated room away from flames.
Step 3 of 6
Rinse out the solvent
Mist the spot with lukewarm water from a spray bottle, just enough to dampen it. Blot with white paper towels and pat dry, repeating until the towels come up clean.
Tip. A mist sprayer keeps the carpet from getting overwet.
Step 4 of 6A few minutes
Lift the color with detergent
Mix 1/4 teaspoon liquid dish washing detergent into 1 cup of lukewarm water, then dampen a clean white cloth with a small amount. Work it in from the edge inward, let it sit a few minutes, then blot and repeat until no more color transfers.
Careful. Stronger detergent mixes can damage carpet.
Step 5 of 6
Rinse out all the detergent
Mist the spot with lukewarm tap water and blot it dry with a clean white towel. Repeat several times until the towel comes up clean and no soapy feel remains.
Step 6 of 6
Finish with vinegar and a final rinse
Mix 1 cup white vinegar with 2 cups of water, dampen a white cloth, and dab it onto the spot, then blot. Rinse with lukewarm water, blot until all moisture is gone, and leave the carpet to dry.
Careful. Use white vinegar only; colored vinegar can leave a stain.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for lipstick on carpet & rugs
Choose a spot solvent that is non-flammable or sold as a dry-cleaning-type solvent, and use it in a ventilated room.
Spot Shot Instant Carpet Stain Remover
Wine Away Red Wine Stain Remover
Utopia Kitchen White Flour Sack Towels
Empty Spray Bottles 16oz/4Pack
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on carpet & rugs, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
See what to do for what you're seeing →If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
Early on, the solvent should pull red and oil onto your white cloth, and each pass should bring up less. Once a dry cloth presses onto the spot and comes away without a shine, the oil is gone. If the same red keeps transferring after several rounds, it has probably set, so the set-in approach is the next move.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your carpet & rugs
Lipstick on carpet
Plain lipstick follows the steps above in order, so the method itself doesn't change. Spend your time on the solvent pass, since the oily wax is what holds the color in the fibers.
Don't move on to the detergent until the cloth stops picking up lipstick from the solvent pass.
Lip gloss and lip liner
Lip gloss is oilier than lipstick, so it usually needs more solvent passes before the cloth stops picking up color. Work the solvent in slowly and give it a few minutes before you blot.
Lip liner is waxier and can leave a thin line that's easy to miss. Check the spot in daylight after the vinegar step, and go back to the solvent pass if any color remains.
Matte, liquid, or old dried lipstick
Matte and liquid lipstick use the same solvent-first order, but you may need to repeat the solvent pass more often. Old, dried lipstick has had time to set, so give the solvent a few minutes to soften it before you blot.
If color still transfers after several passes, stop and use the set-in options below rather than reaching for stronger products.
Red lipstick
Red has strong color, so the detergent pass does most of the lifting. Repeat it several times, blotting and rinsing between passes, until no red comes onto the cloth.
Watch the carpet while you work, and if its own color starts to change, stop and test a different option. Turn the cloth to a fresh section on every pass so you aren't moving color back onto the spot.
White, cream, wool, or Berber carpet
Light carpet shows every trace, so check the spot in daylight before you call it done. Test each product on a hidden spot first, since any color change will show clearly on a light carpet.
If you can't tell whether the carpet is wool, Berber, or another fiber, don't guess. Skip the oxygen bleach and stick to the solvent, detergent, and vinegar steps.
Pink, dark, black, purple, or bright lipstick
Strong shades like these take patience, so repeat the detergent pass several times rather than rushing to the next step. The cloth should come up clean before you rinse.
Check the carpet after each pass, and if it starts to change color, stop. A color change in the carpet means you should pick a different option, not push on.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Old lipstick that has sat for a while is harder to lift, and every day it sits makes it worse. Start by repeating the solvent pass and the detergent pass until the cloth stops picking up color.
If the spot has dried, give the solvent a few minutes to soften the wax before you blot, and rinse out all residue before the next product. Don't skip the rinse between products, since mixed products can give off fumes.
If a faint color still shows after the full sequence, you can add ammonia to the detergent: mix 1 tablespoon household ammonia per cup of water, test a hidden spot first, and rinse thoroughly before any vinegar. The other option is 3% hydrogen peroxide, moistened onto the tufts for one hour, then blotted and repeated. If the spot still shows after that, stop there, because a professional can finish what home treatments can't.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on lipstick on carpet & rugs?
You'll find a lot of home fixes for lipstick, so here is where each one fits. Some do the main work, one is a set-in option, and the rest are best skipped for this stain.
Works1Helps2Skip3
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't pour solvent onto the carpet
Solvent poured straight onto the carpet can soak down to the backing and dissolve carpet materials. Keep it on the white cloth and use only a few drops at a time.
Don't skip the test spot
Any product can change the carpet's color, and you only find out after the damage is done. Test each product, from the solvent to the vinegar, on a hidden part of the carpet first.
Don't rinse before the oil is lifted
Water spread over the red before the solvent has loosened the grease just pushes it deeper into the fibers. Lift the oily part first, rinse the solvent out with cold water, and only then move on to the detergent.
Don't work solvent without fresh air
Dry-cleaning-type solvents give off strong fumes and are flammable, so use them in a ventilated room. Keep flames, pilot lights and sparks well away from the spot until the solvent has been fully rinsed.
Don't stack products without rinsing
This stain moves through a solvent, a detergent and a vinegar rinse, and it's tempting to layer them to save time. Rinse thoroughly between each product, and never mix chlorine bleach with vinegar, ammonia or rubbing alcohol.
Troubleshooting
If the stain is still there
Pick what you're seeing:
The cloth keeps picking up color but the spot looks the same
Keep going with the same agent; progress on a dense pile is slow. Switch to a clean section of cloth every time so you are not reapplying lifted color.
A faint ring appears after drying
Residue has wicked to the edge. Mist the whole area lightly with lukewarm tap water, blot from the outside in, and pat dry with paper towels.
The spot feels stiff or sticky
Detergent is left in the fibers. Rinse residues several times with lukewarm tap water and blot after each rinse.
The pretest changed the carpet color
Do not use that solution on the stain. Select another solution and pretest it, or call a professional carpet cleaner and describe what changed.
When to call a professional
If the spot still feels greasy after the solvent rounds, stop and call a professional carpet cleaner rather than adding more product. Tell them which solvent and detergent you used and whether the test spot changed, since that shows them what to avoid.
Questions
Does hairspray get lipstick out of carpet?
No. None of the methods for this stain use hairspray, so start with the solvent pass and work through the steps in order.
Can I use baking soda on lipstick on carpet?
No, skip it and start with the solvent pass. The solvent and detergent passes do the lifting, and a home mix you haven't tested can change the carpet's color.
Will lipstick come out of carpet if it's been there for days?
It can, but it gets harder with time, so start as soon as you can. Repeat the solvent and detergent passes until no more color transfers to the cloth, then move to the set-in options below.
Can I use dish soap on lipstick on carpet?
Yes, as long as you use the diluted mix from the detergent step, which is 1/4 teaspoon of liquid dish washing detergent per cup of lukewarm water. That mix lifts the color without the strong household cleaners that can harm carpet, so there's no need for anything stronger.
Will lipstick come out of white or wool carpet?
It can, and the same steps apply, but test each product on a hidden spot first. If you can't tell whether the carpet is wool, skip the oxygen bleach entirely, since wool can't take it.
Can I run a steam cleaner over lipstick once the solvent has done its job?
Not while any color is still in the fibers, because heat can lock what's left in place. Keep warmth away from the spot until the lipstick is fully gone, and leave hot-water extraction to a professional for anything unusually large.
Is a dry absorbent cleaning compound a good alternative to a solvent?
It can be, since a dry absorbent cleaning compound is an acceptable substitute that keeps moisture off the carpet and shortens drying time. Follow the label closely, though. Some spot-removal kits also include detergent or stain-resist products, so check what's in yours before using it on lipstick.
How do I dry the spot after the final rinse without leaving a ring?
Blot with dry white paper towels until no moisture comes up, and pat after every rinse. A mist sprayer keeps the rinse light, so there's less water to pull back out of the pad. Stop only when a dry towel comes away clean.
Lipstick on other materials
Other stains on carpet & rugs
Start from the bigger picture
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.