How To Clean Dog Vomit From A Wool Rug In 6 Steps (With Pictures)
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Wool rugs are an expensive, luxurious, welcome addition to any living space or bedroom. Pets are a proven healthful and meaningful addition to the life of any individual or family. Sometimes things that are good separately can be frustrating when mixed the wrong way – like when your dog vomits on your wool rug.
- DISCLAIMER: If your wool rug is from a known dealer/manufacturer that you can reach or visit their website, DO THAT FIRST. The manufacturer will know more about the specific makeup of your rug and have specific directions that you can follow to ensure an optimal outcome. Skipping this step may increase the risk of discoloration/failure to remove the stain from your rug.
If you don’t have a way to get specific directions, what do you do? This article will give you a good place to start in restoring your rug to usability.
Preparation
Examine the area. Make sure the mess is vomit and not something else requiring a different sort of cleaning approach. Ensure you’ve identified all the vomit spots. You want to avoid accidentally stepping on and grinding in vomit you didn’t realize was there.
Once you’re sure you’re dealing with vomit and that you’ve identified all the spots, gather the following:
Materials
- Nylon spatula or spoon (the flexible kind used for cooking on the stove)
- Cotton towel or paper towels
- Spray bottle with cold water (faucet cold, you do not need to cool the water further)
- Baking soda or Alka-Seltzer or club soda
- Absorb-It or another clay type absorbent
The 6 Easy Steps to Remove Dog Vomit from a Wool Rug
1. Remove Chunks
If the vomit contains clumps, chunks, or congealed semi-solids, lift these off the carpet using the spatula and discard them in the trash. Remove as much as you can without scraping or pressing the vomit deeper into the rug.
2. Blot
Mix a solution of 1 tablespoon of baking soda to 8 ounces of water OR
Mix Alka-Selter according to the directions on the box OR
Use club soda.
Using whichever mixture you have, moisten a cotton towel or paper towel thoroughly, then blot the area. Press down just enough to soak up vomit and lift straight up. Do not press and move the towel side to side – that is to say, don’t wipe, scrape, or rub. This can press the vomit more deeply into the wool. Do this until most of the vomit is absorbed.
If you do use a cotton towel, launder it immediately.
3. Spray
If there still seems to be a lot of sticky or semi-dried vomit in the rug, spray the vomit area with cool water from a spray bottle and let it soak for a few minutes.
Repeat step 2, absorbing as much vomit as you can.
4. Stand
Place a clean cotton towel or paper towels over the area and stand on the towel(s) to do the last blot.
5. Sprinkle
Sprinkle baking soda or a clay absorbent material like Absorb-It over the area. Cover a few extra inches of the area around the vomit spot as well, and let it sit overnight.
6. Vacuum
Vacuum the baking soda or absorbent material the next day. If the rug is still stained, consult with a business specializing in carpet cleaning. It may require a professional dry cleaning service to ensure the stain is completely removed.
- Related Read: How to Get Pee Smell out of a Leather Couch: 5 Practical Options
- You might also like: How to Position an Area Rug in a Bedroom: 11 Tips and Tricks
Conclusion
Cleaning your expensive wool rug can be frustrating. The steps we’ve outlined in this article are among the best to mitigate the damage at home. Be sure to consult any manufacturer’s recommendations before trying these steps, and do not use bleach or other cleaners that may damage or discolor your rug unless directed to do so. If these steps do not work, reach out to a local carpet cleaning company for expert service.
Featured Image Credit: Kazantseva Olga, Shutterstock
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