First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Blot up liquids with a dry white cloth and scrape up solids with a rounded spoon.
- Start with cold water, not warm or hot.
- Work from the edges toward the center, blotting without rubbing.
- Test any cleaning solution on a hidden spot before using it.
Dog vomit on carpet is a protein stain, and cold water is what keeps it from setting into the fibers. Stomach acid can change the carpet dye itself, so a yellow or faded patch can stay even after the mess is gone. Fresh vomit usually lifts with patience, but a spot that has sat for hours may only lighten and need repeat rounds.
Scrape up the solids with a spoon, then blot with white cotton cloths instead of rubbing, which only spreads the mess. A carpet spot cleaner works well on cat vomit on carpet once the bulk is gone. If you're dealing with dried cat puke, keep the cleaner on the spot longer and plan on a second round rather than pushing harder.
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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- Dry white cloths or white paper towelsA white surface shows you what is lifting out of the carpet. (opens Amazon)
- Rounded spoonLifts semi-solid vomit off the carpet without pushing it deeper.
- Mist-type sprayerKeeps the water light so the carpet does not get overwet. (opens Amazon)
- Liquid dish washing detergentMakes the mild detergent solution for the first cleaning. (opens Amazon)
- White vinegarThe acid solution to use when the detergent stops lifting the spot. (opens Amazon)
- Enzyme productReach for it only on dried spots or stains that the first round leaves behind. (opens Amazon)
- 3% hydrogen peroxide (opens Amazon)
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6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 6
Scrape and blot up the vomit
Start now, because delay may make the spill a permanent stain. Scrape up any solids with a rounded spoon, break up what is left and vacuum it. Blot liquids with a dry white cloth or white paper towels, pressing rather than wiping.
Step 2 of 6
Rinse with cold water first
Dampen the spot lightly with cold water from a mist-type sprayer so you do not overwet the carpet. Blot it with paper towels and pat it dry after each pass. Plain water is the first cleaner here, but use it in small amounts.
Careful. Never start with hot water; it cooks the protein and can set the stain.
Step 3 of 6
Mix and test the detergent solution
Mix 1/4 teaspoon of liquid dish washing detergent into 1 cup of lukewarm water. Test it on a hidden spot of the carpet first, and only use it on the stain once the test area looks fine.
Careful. Never make the detergent solution stronger than this recipe.
Step 4 of 6A few minutes
Work the detergent in from the edges
Dab a small amount onto a white cloth and work gently from the edges of the spot toward the center, without rubbing. Let the solution sit on the spot for a few minutes, then blot it up. Keep going while the spot keeps transferring to the cloth.
Tip. Turn the cloth to a clean section each time color transfers onto it.
Step 5 of 6
Switch to the vinegar solution
If the spot is still there, mix 1 cup of white vinegar with 2 cups of water and work it in the same way, from the edges inward. Keep going until the spot stops transferring to the cloth, and repeat the work if it takes several passes.
Careful. Use white vinegar only; colored vinegar can leave a stain.
Step 6 of 6
Rinse thoroughly and dry
When the spot is gone, rinse with cold water and blot with a dry cloth until all moisture is removed. Rinse the area several times, blotting after each one, so no cleaner is left in the fibers.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for pet vomit on carpet & rugs
A spot-removal kit can be used if you follow its directions closely, but check whether it includes a stain-resist solution. That solution goes on only after the spot is completely removed.
Zep Advanced Oxy Carpet & Upholstery Stain Remover
Resolve Carpet Cleaner Spray, Stain & Spot Remover for Carpet, 32 Fl
BISSELL Little Green Portable Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner
Hoover PowerDash Pet Compact Carpet Cleaner
Utopia Kitchen White Flour Sack Towels
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.
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
A spot that's responding leaves a little more color on the cloth with each round, and the carpet fibers feel cleaner once the area dries. If the cloth comes up clean but a yellow tint stays put after several rounds, the stomach acid has likely changed the dye, and blotting won't reverse that.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your carpet & rugs
Cat vomit
Cat vomit follows the same steps as dog vomit, so start at the first step and work through them in order. Nothing about the cold water, the detergent solution or the vinegar changes for it.
Scrape off any dried crust with a rounded spoon before you begin. If the spot is still there after the wet steps, move on to the set-in section.
White, wool, berber or light carpet
Light carpet shows every bit of color that lifts, so test each cleaner on a hidden spot before it touches the stain. If you don't know the fiber, stick to cold water and the detergent solution, and skip the vinegar and peroxide until you do.
Wool and other delicate fibers should only be blotted, and oxygen bleach stays off them. Berber loops can snag and distort, so lift the spot by blotting alone.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Old pet vomit that has sat for a while needs more than the basic steps. Scrape off any crusted matter with a rounded spoon first, then test an enzyme product on a hidden spot before using it.
Mix 1/2 teaspoon of enzyme product into 1/2 cup of warm water, then keep an absorbent pad damp with it on the stain for 30 minutes. Flush the area with water afterward and blot it dry. Dried and old protein stains may need several rounds before they are fully gone.
If the stain still shows, moisten the tufts with 3% hydrogen peroxide, leave it for one hour, then blot and repeat. If it is still visible after that, a professional can use hot water extraction, and pet odors are better handled by one too.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on pet vomit on carpet & rugs?
You will see a lot of home remedies for this stain, so here is where each one stands on carpet. Many of these can set a protein stain or aren't made for carpet, so only a few suit this one.
Works1Helps1Skip4Avoid1
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't use heat to dry or speed it up
Hair dryers and heaters count too, not just hot water. Heat sets protein stains and odors in man-made fibers, so a warm spot can end up permanent.
Don't skip the final rinse
Cleaner left in the pile can leave a residue behind. Keep rinsing with cold water until the blotting cloth comes away clean.
Don't pour solvent straight onto the carpet
Solvents can dissolve carpet materials and destroy the backing. If the spot is still visible after the steps, use the set-in option instead.
Don't skip the hidden-spot test
Carpet dyes vary, and a solution that's safe on one fiber can lighten another. Dab a little on a hidden corner or inside a closet, wait for it to dry, and check the white cloth before you treat the visible stain.
Don't mix the solutions stronger than the recipe
Extra soap or vinegar leaves a residue that attracts soil, and the spot can look darker a few days later. Measure one-fourth teaspoon of liquid dish detergent per cup of lukewarm water, and one cup of white vinegar per two cups of water.
Don't leave dried vomit overnight
Stomach acid can keep changing the dye while the spot sits, and a stain that dries can turn yellow or lose its color. Treat it the same day, even if you only get it partway.
When to call a professional
If the smell is still there once the carpet is dry, the vomit has probably reached the pad, and a certified carpet cleaning firm can extract it with equipment you won't have at home. Bring up the spot's age and every product you've used, since that tells them where to start.
Questions
How long can dog vomit sit before it sets?
Not long. Delay may make the spill a permanent stain, so start blotting as soon as you can. A spot that has dried needs the set-in steps, which take longer.
Does white vinegar get dog vomit out of carpet?
It helps as the second solution, once the detergent has lifted what it can. Yes, it is the one acid worth using on dog vomit. Rinse it out with cold water afterward, since leftover vinegar can leave residue.
Will bile or yellow dog vomit stain carpet permanently?
It can leave a tint, because stomach acid can permanently change carpet dyes. Clean it with the same steps and keep going while the spot keeps lifting. If the color stays, test the peroxide option on a hidden spot before using it on the stain.
Why does the smell come back after cleaning?
Usually some of the vomit is still in the carpet, and heat sets odors in man-made fibers. Rinse thoroughly and keep heat away from the spot. If a pet smell lingers after the spot is dry, call a professional carpet cleaner.
Is dried cat vomit harder to get out?
Yes. Dried and old protein stains may need several rounds of treatment before they are fully gone. Use the set-in steps and expect more than one pass.
Is it okay to run a rented steam machine over pet vomit?
Not on the vomit itself, because heat locks the protein and odor into the carpet fibers. Stick to the cold-water steps, and if the spot is still visible after them, a professional can decide whether hot water extraction is the right tool.
Which soap is safe to mix for carpet vomit?
Skip laundry and automatic dishwasher detergent, since both can strip carpet dye and leave residue behind. Liquid dish soap at a quarter teaspoon per cup, stirred into lukewarm water, is the mix to test on a hidden spot before the visible stain.
How do I dry the carpet after I've rinsed out the vomit?
Blot with a dry white cloth until no more moisture comes up, then press a stack of dry towels onto the area and weigh it down lightly. Point a fan across the spot to finish, and rinse by blotting rather than pouring water on, so less of it wicks down into the pad.
Pet Vomit 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.