First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Treat it as soon as you can; the longer it sits, the less likely it is to come out.
- Blot rather than scrub, which works the stain further in.
- Start with cold water, and use only a small amount.
- Keep heat off it, including the dryer, until it is gone.
Self tanner on carpet is usually an oil-based product with dye added, so you're lifting both the oil and the color. Heat sets it, and the more time it has, the harder it is to lift. A fresh spot responds to a quick blot, but a dried mark needs more patience and the old-stain routine.
Work from the outside edge toward the center, and use white cotton cloths so the color doesn't transfer back onto the carpet. A carpet spot cleaner suits fake tan out of carpet, and a portable spot cleaner machine helps if the area is large. On cream carpet, stop if a faint tint remains after a few rounds, since more rubbing can spread it.
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
5 items
What you'll need
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- Clean white paper towelsThey lift the color off the carpet without pushing it around. (opens Amazon)
- Liquid dish soapThe mild cleaner for the oil and dye in the tan. (opens Amazon)
- Cold water and a clean, damp towelPlain water is the first cleaner and the rinse, used in small amounts.
- White vinegarOnly for older marks, in the set-in treatment. (opens Amazon)
- 3% hydrogen peroxideOnly for old marks that survive the main steps. (opens Amazon)
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6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 6
Blot the spot first
Press a clean paper towel onto the spot and lift up what you can, moving to a fresh section each time it picks up color. Work from the spot itself so the color doesn't spread across the carpet.
Careful. Keep heat off the spot, including the dryer, until it is gone, since heat sets the stain.
Step 2 of 6
Dab on a little cold water
Dampen a clean cloth with cold water, dab a small amount onto the spot, and blot it up. Plain water is a recommended first cleaner, but the carpet should only get a little, never a soaking.
Tip. Lukewarm is the warmest you should go; hot water isn't for home spot work.
Step 3 of 6
Work in the dish soap mix
Mix two cups of water with one teaspoon of liquid dish soap. Gently work a small amount into the carpet from the outer edges of the spot inward, so the color doesn't spread into clean carpet.
Careful. Keep the mix at this strength; a stronger dish soap solution is not safe on carpet.
Step 4 of 6
Blot until the color lifts
Keep blotting with a clean paper towel, moving to a fresh section each time it picks up color. Stop when the towel comes away clean or the color stops lifting.
Tip. If the spot starts to look bigger, lighten your pressure and blot rather than rub.
Step 5 of 6
Rinse with a damp towel
Blot the area with a clean, damp towel to take out the soap and any color left behind. Switch to a fresh section of towel as it picks up residue, until no soap is left.
Step 6 of 6
Dry without heat and check
Blot up as much moisture as you can with clean paper towels, then let the spot dry with no heat. Once it's dry, check it in good light; if color remains, go back to the dish soap mix and repeat the blotting.
Tip. Light carpet shows leftover color most clearly, so check in daylight if you can.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for self tanner on carpet & rugs
Choose a mild liquid dish soap, and white cotton cloths for blotting. Skip bleaching products, since the steps here work without them.
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
Rug Doctor Mighty Pro X3 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 healthy sign is the tint moving onto your cloth with each press while the spot loses its edge. If the carpet's own fibers show up on the cloth, though, put the cleaner down and stop. Once the cloth comes away clean, let the carpet dry fully before you judge the result.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your carpet & rugs
Spray tan
Spray tan usually lands as a fine mist over a wider patch than a dab of lotion, so the spot can look bigger than you expect. Start at the edges of the mist and blot in small sections, swapping in a clean paper towel as soon as it picks up color.
If the mist reached several areas, treat each one on its own and let it dry before you move on. Work the dish soap mix in from the outside edges of each patch so the color doesn't spread into clean carpet.
Fake tan lotion
Lotion often shows as a visible smear on the fibers rather than a clean drop. Look at the spot in good light before you start, so you can tell when the smear has come away.
If the smear has dried into the pile, the main steps may not finish the job, so move on to the set-in treatment once the fresh area is done. Let the mix work through blotting rather than rubbing, and check for color again after each pass.
Tanning lotion
Tanning lotion is usually an oil-based product with added dye, like self tanner, so the steps treat both parts the same way. Check the carpet after each blotting pass, because the dye can still show after the oil has lifted.
If a bottle has spilled, blot up the pool before you do anything else so it doesn't spread across the carpet. Then start the steps from the outer edges of the spot, working in small amounts.
Cream or light carpet
Light carpet shows leftover color more easily, so blot with fresh paper towel often and check the spot in daylight before you call it clean. Test the dish soap mix on a hidden corner first, and if the test spot changes color, don't use the mix on the stain.
Because the pale fibers show so readily, the spot can look bigger than the actual stain. Resist the urge to work over the whole area to even it out.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Older fake tan has had longer to set into the carpet, so it takes more work the longer it has been there. Start with the vinegar mix of equal parts white vinegar and water, applied in small amounts and blotted to loosen the color. Then go back through the main steps from the dish soap mix onward.
Dried tan is harder still, so blot the vinegar mix in gently instead of working it hard. If color is still there, moisten the tufts with 3% hydrogen peroxide, leave it for one hour, blot it up, and repeat if needed.
If the item has already been through a dryer, the heat has set the mark, so expect more rounds before it lifts. If color is still there after the peroxide rounds, stop and hand it to a professional rather than pushing harder.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on self tanner on carpet & rugs?
You'll see several home remedies for fake tan, but only some of them belong on carpet. A weak mix of dish soap and water is the main treatment, and most other remedies are better skipped.
Works1Helps2Skip3
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't stop after the first pass
The carpet can look clear while oil and dye are still in the pile. Check the spot once it's dry, in good light, and repeat the dish soap steps if you can still see color.
Don't pour solvent straight onto the carpet
Solvents can dissolve carpet materials and destroy the backing, so the oily part is handled by the dish soap mix instead. If an oily film is still there after that, the set-in section covers what's realistic.
Don't warm the spot up
Heat makes self tanner set, so warm water or steam can lock the mark in place. Stick to cold water on the spot, and keep the carpet cool while you work.
Don't wait on a fresh spot
Self tanner gets harder to lift the longer it sits, and a spot left overnight can turn permanent. Start blotting as soon as you see it, even if you're still deciding on the next step.
Don't reach for benzoyl peroxide
Acne products that contain benzoyl peroxide are a powerful bleach and can permanently damage carpet. Keep them, and any other bleach product, well away from the spot.
When to call a professional
Bring in a certified carpet cleaning firm when the mark outlasts the blotting, a test patch shows any color shift in the pile, or the spot is large enough to need hot water extraction. Mention that it's self tanner, when it went down, and which products you've already tried.
Questions
Will fake tan come out of carpet completely?
Often a fresh spot lifts out well, but a faint tint can stay in the pile after one round. Repeat the steps once the spot is dry, and check it in good light before you decide it's done.
Can fake tan stain carpet permanently?
It can, especially once it dries or goes through a dryer, since heat sets the stain. The longer it sits, the less likely it is to come out, so act as soon as you can.
Can I use white vinegar on old fake tan?
Yes, for older marks: repeat the dish soap mix in small amounts, and blot to loosen the color. Skip any colored cleaner, since it can leave its own stain.
Is 3% hydrogen peroxide safe for carpet?
Yes, with care: use only the 3% strength, moisten the tufts, leave it for one hour, then blot. Test a hidden area first, since dyed carpet may react.
What if it's still there after one round?
Repeat the dish soap mix and blotting once the spot has dried, and check it in good light between rounds. If color remains after repeated rounds, move on to the old-mark treatment.
Is a steam machine okay for getting self tanner out?
Not on the mark itself, since warm moisture can drive the dye deeper into the pile. Once the spot is gone, a pro's extraction service is the better bet for a large area.
Can I use laundry or dishwasher soap on the spot?
Skip both. Laundry and dishwasher products can carry bleaching agents that strip carpet dye. The mild dish soap mix in the steps is the gentler option, so stick with that.
How should I dry the carpet after rinsing?
Let it dry without heat, so no dryer, hair dryer or heater near the spot. Blot the last bit of moisture with a dry cloth, then check the area in good light before deciding it's finished.
Self Tanner 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.