Can You Use Pinesol On Carpet? (Find Out Now!)

Heather Robbins
by Heather Robbins

Pinesol has been around since the late 1920s and has made its way into every household in America at one time or another. People use it as an all-purpose cleaner to clean their showers, toilets, floors, and countertops. But, are you able to use this on your carpet? That’s the real question.

You can use Pinesol on the carpet for stains and odors. You do not need to dilute it with water, just pour it straight onto the stain or the odor and let it eat its way through the problem area. Always test an inconspicuous area on your carpet before using it in an obvious area.

Now that you know you can use Pinesol on the carpet, we thought it would be wise to explain precisely how to do this in different scenarios. So whether you’re trying to get the stain out of your carpet, cover up a bad smell, or maybe you’re trying to cover up the strong smell of Pinesol itself after using it, we’ve got you covered.

What Is The Purpose Of Pinesol?

Pinesol was created by the Clorox Company to have an all-purpose cleaner available that disinfects and removes tough stains and grease from all sorts of surfaces, from dishes to carpets, to walls. The active ingredients include:

  • Alkyl alcohol ethoxylates
  • Pine oil
  • Cleaning agents
  • Sulfonic acid
  • Isopropyl alcohol

The reason people love it so much is because it smells good, and it gets the job done. While it’s not an organic formula, it’s gentle yet powerful, and it comes in all sorts of scents such as original, lemon, lavender, and more. However, we prefer the original. Pine and lavender smell weird together, but to each their own!

What Can You Do With Pinesol?

Most people think about mopping floors or washing toilets when they think of Pinesol; however, there are many more uses for it, such as:

  • Deodorizing Carpet
  • Removing carpet stains
  • Removing strong odors 
  • Cleaning stains in your car
  • Cleaning hardwood floors
  • Keeping flies and bees away

And since, yes, you can use it on the carpet, we figured it would be a great idea now to explain to you how exactly you apply it to the carpet. That way, you use it correctly, and you aren’t left with many questions unanswered.

Cleaning and maintaining your carpet regularly is important for your well-being, as well as keeping away unwanted visitors. Learn more about How Long Can Roundworm Eggs Live In Carpet?

Removing Stains From Carpet With Pinesol

If you have a stubborn stain stuck in your carpet, grab your Pinesol to get it out right away. Follow the steps below for the best outcome:

  • Gather your materials. For this, you will need water, Pinesol, and a microfiber cloth. If you want, you can get a white cloth to see if the stain is lifting from the carpet.
  • Soak the stain in Pinesol. Next, douse the stain with your Pinesol. You want to make sure it’s covered in the middle as well as the borders. You should be able to see that the spot is fully saturated.
  • Let the Pinesol sit. Let everything sit for about 5 to 10 minutes so that the solution can get into the stain and release its grip on the fibers of your carpet.
  • Dry the affected area. After the solution has sat for a bit, take your microfiber cloth and dab the site until it’s mostly dry. This is when you should see the stain begin to lift as well.
  • Repeat the process. Keep repeating steps 1 through 4 until the stain is completely gone from the carpet.

Deodorizing Your Carpet With Pinesol

Not only does Pinesol help to loosen up tough stains, but it can also remove any unwanted, dirty odors that are stuck in the depths of your carpet. It’s super easy to do to this.

All you have to do is soak the affected area and let the Pinesol sit overnight. Then vacuum your floor, and that’s all. Some odors that Pinesol can help get rid of include:

  • Cigarettes
  • Pee
  • Vomit
  • Poop
  • Bad milk
  • Old food
  • Sweaty feet

Of course, this is not a comprehensive list. It’s essential to check a little corner of the carpet before using it to ensure that it will not stain your carpet.

How To Remove Stains In Your Car Using Pinesol

Pinesol isn’t just a ‘household cleaner’ as you are also able to use it for your automobile, as well as a plethora of other places. We tend to drop and spill a lot more in our cars than we realize.

  • Gather materials. First, you will need to make sure that you have some warm water in a bowl, an empty spray bottle, a cloth, Pinesol, and a scrub brush.
  • Dilute the Pinesol. Add 1 part water to 1 part Pinesol to a water bottle and shake it to mix. You should make sure that it’s about 1/4 bottle Pinesol with 1/4 parts water to have plenty of room to mix it.
  • Wet the area with water. Take your cloth and dip it in the water that you have in the bowl, and apply it to the stain. Make sure it is thoroughly covered. However, your seat should not be dripping.
  • Apply the Pinesol and scrub the stain. Once the surface is wet, spray the mixture onto the spot and scrub. You should scrub this with a scrub brush or a toothbrush. Make sure you get down into the fibers.
  • Dry the seat. Next, wipe up the mess with your wet cloth, and then rub it dry with a dry cloth. Let it sit overnight to dry.

Can You Use Pinesol In A Carpet Shampooing Machine?

Some of you may not have the time to scrub spots on your carpet with Pinesol, and you might want to try putting it into your shampooing machine. However, you will want to read to ensure you know what you can and cannot use with it, as some models only allow for use with a unique solution.

In the event that your shampooer doesn’t say you have to use a special formula, you can mix some Pinesol with water and shampoo your carpet that way. This isn’t ideal for stubborn stains, which will require more scrubbing. But it is excellent for easy stains, as well as persistent odors.

Remove The Odor Of Pinesol

Pinesol is excellent, but it’s powerful. It can cause headaches and nausea if it’s not used in a well-ventilated area. Plus, the smell can be overbearing as pine is a very strong scent. Therefore, after using Pinesol, you may want to take these steps to remove the odor:

  • Set baking soda around the room. The first thing you will want to do is absorb the odor with a few bowls of baking soda. The powder will soak up the smell of Pinesol so that it won’t be so strong.
  • Add activated charcoal powder. Take the charcoal powder and set it in a makeshift 1-inch thick cardboard box. Then, ut the powder into it and let the box of powder sit in the room overnight. This will also help to neutralize the smell of Pinesol.
  • Open windows. While your baking soda and charcoal are sitting, you will need to open the windows to let any leftover odor out of the room. It’s better to open two windows to encourage a cross breeze over the space.

Wrapping It Up

Pinesol is a fantastic multi-purpose cleaner that you can use on a variety of surfaces, including carpets. If you don’t have the time to apply it by hand, you can always put it in your carpet shampooer as long as your manual doesn’t specify otherwise. The downside of Pinesol is that it has a strong odor.

If you find the odor of this cleaner too overbearing, you can set some baking soda and activated charcoal boxes around the room while letting some fresh air blow through. That way, you will have a nice clean carpet without the strong pine odor.

Related Articles

Heather Robbins
Heather Robbins

Heather is a passionate writer who loves anything DIY. Growing up, she learned everything from home repairs to design, and wants to share her tips with you. When she's not writing, she's usually hiking or searching for her next DIY project.

More by Heather Robbins

Next