First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Scrape off as much tar as you can with a rounded spoon.
- Blot any liquid with a dry white cloth.
- Test any remover on a hidden spot first.
Tar on carpet is greasy and clings to the fibers, so a rushed scrub drives it deeper into the pile. Solvent poured straight onto the carpet can reach the backing, which is why the solvent goes on a white cloth instead. Fresh tar lifts in a few rounds, while older tar may leave a dark shadow that takes several passes to shift.
Wet tar on carpet is a different job from dried tar, so work out which one you have before you reach for anything strong. Roofing tar or asphalt on carpet needs a test in an inconspicuous corner before you commit to any solvent. If you're dealing with dried tar on tan carpet, work one small area at a time so the mark doesn't spread.
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
6 items
What you'll need
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- Dry white cloths or white paper towelsThey show when tar is lifting and won't tint the carpet. (opens Amazon)
- Rounded spoonLifts semi-solid tar off the surface without digging in.
- Non-flammable spot remover or dry-cleaning solventLoosens the tar so it can be blotted up. (opens Amazon)
- Liquid dish soapMakes the mild wash that follows the solvent. (opens Amazon)
- Lukewarm water and a mist sprayerRinses the carpet without soaking it. (opens Amazon)
- VacuumPicks up the hardened pieces once they are broken up.
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6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 6
Scrape up the loose tar
Use a rounded spoon to lift whatever tar sits on top of the fibers, working gently so you don't spread it. Blot any liquid with a dry white cloth or white paper towels, then break up the hardened pieces and vacuum them up.
Step 2 of 6
Test the solution first
Pick an inconspicuous spot, such as a corner under furniture, and try the solvent and dish soap mix there first. Let the test dry, then check the color and texture before you go further.
Careful. If the test spot changes color, switch to a different solution.
Step 3 of 6A few minutes
Work the solvent in from the edges
Dampen a white cloth with a small amount of non-flammable spot remover or dry-cleaning solvent, and work gently from the edges of the spot toward the center. Let it sit for a few minutes, then blot with a clean part of the cloth. Keep repeating while tar keeps transferring to the cloth.
Tip. Work in a well-ventilated room, away from flames and sparks.
Careful. Never pour solvent straight onto the carpet; it can damage the backing.
Step 4 of 6
Wash with a weak dish soap mix
Mix 1/4 teaspoon of liquid dish soap into one cup of lukewarm water. Dampen a clean white cloth in the mix and blot the spot from the edges inward.
Careful. Stronger dish soap mixes are not safe on carpet.
Step 5 of 6
Rinse well with clean water
Rinse the area with cold water first, then with lukewarm tap water several times, using a mist sprayer if you have one. Blot with a dry cloth or paper towels and pat dry after each rinse.
Step 6 of 6
Blot until the carpet is dry
Keep blotting with dry white towels until all moisture is removed. Wait until the spot is fully dry before anyone walks on it.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for tar on carpet & rugs
Look for a non-flammable spot remover or dry-cleaning-type solvent, and avoid anything flammable. A dry, absorbent cleaning compound can be used as a substitute to minimize drying time.
Zep Advanced Oxy Carpet & Upholstery Stain Remover
Goo Gone Goo & Adhesive Remover Spray Gel
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.
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
Tar lifting onto your white cloth shows as dark, greasy transfer, and the spot should pull in toward the center with every pass. When the cloth stops picking anything up but a dark outline remains, that's your cue to move to the old-tar section. If dye from the carpet itself comes onto the cloth, pause and reassess.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your carpet & rugs
Roofing tar or asphalt
Roofing tar and asphalt are close relatives of tar, so the steps above still apply, but the material tends to be thicker. Expect more solvent passes, and switch to a clean white cloth each time the tar shows up on it.
Driveway sealer on carpet has no safe home solution, so call a professional for that. Once the carpet is clean, leftover tar on a driveway needs its own method, and the Concrete, Brick & Driveways guide covers that surface.
Wool carpet
Wool needs gentle handling, so use small amounts of solution and blot gently with each pass. Oxygen bleach is not safe on wool, so keep it off the spot entirely.
If you can't tell whether the carpet is wool, skip the wet steps and call a professional. Test any solvent on a hidden strand first.
White carpet
On white carpet the main risk is color change, so pretest every solution first and stick to white cloths and paper towels. Anything colored can tint the fibers, even when the spot itself looks clean.
After the spot is gone, rinse well and blot until dry, so no residue is left in the fibers.
Berber carpet
Use the same gentle method as the steps, because Berber's looped fibers are easily distorted. Scrubbing or using a brush can distort the loops and spread the spot, so lift the tar with the cloth instead.
Test the solvent and dish soap mix on a hidden loop first. If the spot is still there after the steps, the set-in treatment applies, with the same pretest.
Black tar spots
Treat each black spot on its own, working each one from its edge inward so the tar doesn't spread into the carpet around it. Finish one spot before starting the next, so you don't drag tar from one onto another.
The steps don't change for black tar, since it is the same kind of stain as the wet kind. Once each spot lifts, blot it dry before moving on.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Tar gets harder to remove the longer it sits, and a delay can make it permanent. For a dried or old spot, keep a pad moistened with dry-cleaning solvent on the stain, and change it as it picks up tar.
Then work in a dry spotter made from 1 part mineral oil to 8 parts dry-cleaning solvent, tamping it every 5 minutes. If it still won't lift, alternate a small amount of mineral oil with the solvent, flushing until the tar comes away, and let the area dry. Pretest the dry spotter on a hidden spot first.
Keep heat off the spot while you work, because the heat of drying sets the stain and makes it more permanent. If it still shows after all this, moisten the tufts with drugstore hydrogen peroxide (the mild antiseptic kind, not the stronger hair-bleaching kind), leave it for one hour, blot it, and repeat. Pretest that too, since colored carpet that isn't colorfast can change.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on tar on carpet & rugs?
Most home remedies you'll find online are built for other stains, so only a few apply to tar on carpet. Some of these fit tar on carpet, some are worth holding back for a stubborn spot, and others should stay off the carpet.
Works1Skip5
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't use gasoline or lighter fluid
Both are flammable, and neither is a safe spot remover for this stain. Stick with the non-flammable remover or dry-cleaning solvent from the steps.
Don't reuse a towel that has picked up tar
A saturated towel just moves the tar back onto the carpet. Swap in a fresh white towel as soon as the current one stops picking up tar.
Don't use lard or cooking oil as a lubricant
Cooking fats that aren't fully removed can age and form yellow stains on carpet. Mineral oil is the only lubricant to use, and only in the set-in treatment.
Don't pour solvent straight onto the carpet
Solvent that soaks through can reach the backing and weaken the latex that holds the tufts in place. Dab a small amount onto a white cloth and work the stain from there.
Don't work from the middle outward
Starting in the center pushes tar into clean carpet and enlarges the mark. Begin at the outer edge and move inward as the cloth picks up color.
Don't make the soap mix stronger
A stronger mix won't lift tar any faster, and it's the wrong move on carpet. Keep it at a quarter teaspoon of liquid dish soap per cup of lukewarm water, and rinse thoroughly.
When to call a professional
An oily tar mark that survives the solvent rounds usually needs a pro with hot water extraction, and so does any spot large enough to cover a good section of carpet. If a test patch changes the carpet's color, stop there and hand it over. Mention what you've already applied so they don't layer on something that clashes.
Questions
Can you use a penetrating lubricant on tar in carpet?
A penetrating lubricant isn't a listed carpet remover, so don't rely on one. Use a non-flammable spot remover or dry-cleaning solvent on a white cloth instead, after a pretest on a hidden spot.
Why does the spot look clean but come back?
Usually it's residue that wasn't rinsed out. Rinse several times with lukewarm water, blotting after each rinse, and let the spot dry completely before you judge it.
What if the tar came from my shoes?
Scrape as much tar off the shoe as you can before it touches the carpet, so you're treating less. Once the carpet is done, the Shoes & Sneakers guide covers the shoe itself.
How long should I wait before walking on the carpet?
There's no set drying time, so wait until the spot is fully dry. Blot with a dry cloth until no moisture comes up, and only then walk on it.
Can I run a steam cleaner over a tar spot?
Steam is the wrong tool while tar is still on the fibers, because the heat locks it in. Finish the solvent and soap rounds first, and bring in a pro with hot water extraction if the spot is big or stubborn.
Is laundry detergent okay for a tar spot on carpet?
No, and dishwasher detergent is off the list too, since both can contain bleaching agents that wreck carpet dye. Stick with a quarter teaspoon of liquid dish soap per cup of lukewarm water, and test a hidden spot before you start.
How do I dry the spot once I've rinsed it?
Blot with a dry white cloth until no moisture comes up, then set a stack of absorbent towels on the area with something heavy on top. Swap in dry towels when they feel damp, and fluff the pile with your fingers as it dries.
Tar 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.