How To Get Alcohol Smell Out Of Carpet

Alcohol spills on carpets can not only be difficult to remove in the first place, but they can also leave behind a nasty lingering smell; so let’s learn how to get alcohol smell out of carpet in this guide.

The key to getting rid of the smell is to thoroughly clean using detergent followed by a vinegar solution and then deal with any remaining smell using baking soda. 

This isn’t the only way, however, and in the rest of this article, we will explore the different techniques that you can use to get that alcohol smell out of your carpet for good.

Method For Removing Alcohol Smell From Carpet

Before we dive into the methods for removing the smell itself, the first crucial step is to deal with the stain first.

Depending on how long since the alcohol was spilt there may also be some liquid present as well, so you first want to deal with this.

Remove Excess Liquid

If the alcohol has recently been spilt you need to remove any excess liquid first.

This can be done by gently blotting with a clean paper towel. Don’t apply a lot of pressure at this stage as you are just wanting to absorb any excess moisture that may be present.

Blot With A Cloth And Detergent

Once you have used the paper towel to get rid of the excess liquid you can need to get a clean cloth alongside a small container, like a bowl.

Fill the container with lukewarm water and carpet-friendly detergent (most of them are!), and let the cloth soak into it. Wring the cloth out and begin blotting the affected area, working from the outside towards the centre in circular motions.

Rinse the cloth regularly to keep it clean, and once the cloth remains clean during blotting you can be certain that you have removed all of the alcohol possible.

If there is still a visible stain or alcohol left behind, then you can move on to the next step to deal with more stubborn stains.

Vinegar and Water

Rinse out the container previously used for the detergent mixture and make up a new solution of one part white vinegar to two parts lukewarm water.

Repeat the same steps as before with a new cloth, ensuring to rinse it out every so often to keep it clean. Vinegar and water is a great way to tackle any stubborn stain that is left behind after using the detergent mixture, so this should hopefully be the last cleaning step to remove the stain itself.

Last Resort – Carpet Cleaner

If you have tried using detergent as well as vinegar and the stain is still there then using a carpet cleaning machine may be the best option.

You can either rent out a machine or pay a professional to clean your carpet for you, but the results will be similar either way. This is a great option if you already own a carpet cleaner, though, so we definitely recommend using one if you have it.

Allow The Carpet To Fully Dry

No matter which method you chose it is crucial to let your carpet fully dry before moving on to the final stage.

This is because we recommend using baking soda after tackling the stain to get rid of any remaining odor. So, let your carpet dry out properly before you move on to the next step.

Baking Soda

Once the carpet is dry sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda over the area where the alcohol stain was. Leave the baking soda for a generous amount of time – ideally overnight – and vacuum it up afterwards.

Baking soda does a great job of making your carpet smell fresh, especially against alcohol smells. In fact, you can use baking soda regularly as part of a carpet cleaning schedule.

FAQs

What Types Of Alcohol Cause The Worst Smells And Stains?

Not all alcohols are made the same, and some will cause much more hassle than others if they end up on your carpet.

Wine, for example, can cause very strong stain marks that can prove very tough to remove. Beer on the other hand will not cause so much of a stain but it can leave a sticky residue that can be difficult to remove.

In general, the worst type of alcohol to spill on your carpet tend to be wine due to their strong color.

Does It Matter How Long The Alcohol Is On The Carpet?

Time plays an important role in how hard the stain and smell will be to remove, and you really should aim to clean up the spill as soon as you can.

It can be difficult however given the nature of alcohol to be motivated to clean it up quickly, and most alcohol spills on carpet tend to be left overnight as a minimum.

Does Beer Smell Go Away From Carpet?

Over time the smell of beer will fade from your carpet if you don’t do anything about it, but it will take a few weeks a least for it to become not noticeable.

This is not advisable though as this can cause permanent damage to your carpet as the sugars ferment. The best idea here is to clean the spill as soon as possible using the methods above rather than waiting for the smell to go away on its own.

Final Thoughts

We hope you have learnt how to get alcohol smell out of carpet by reading this article, if you have any other methods for getting rid of the smell then please let us know!

Don’t forget that time is of the essence when it comes to alcohol on the carpet, don’t leave it too long or the stain and smell may prove very difficult to remove.