How To Get Charcoal Out Of Carpet (Step-by-Step Guide)
Sitting around a fireplace during the chilly weather is cozy but it is not so cozy when some of that charcoal gets onto your carpet. Or during the summer when you are barbequing, you may have tracked some charcoal in from the deck. Don’t panic! You can fix it.
Mix 1 tablespoon of mild dish soap with 1-2 cups of warm water let a rag sit in the solution. Blot the stain with the rag and let the solution soak into the carpet for up to 5 minutes. Apply more solution as needed and blot the stain until it is dry with a towel once the stain disappears.
Before you begin, make sure whichever cleaning solution you decide to try is not going to make things worse by staining your carpet further. Test it on an inconspicuous spot in a closet or someplace else nobody ever sees.
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How to Get Charcoal Out of Carpet with Dish Soap
- Use the suction hose or nozzle attachment on your vacuum to suck up as much of the loose charcoal as you can get. Do not rub the spot or use any pressure or you will make the stain worse.
- After you remove as much as you can, mix one teaspoon of mild dishwashing liquid with one cup of water in a spray bottle.
- Spray the stain thoroughly to saturate the area.
- Blot, but do not rub, the spot with a clean dry cloth to see if the stain is coming up. If not, apply more solution and wait five minutes.
- Repeat steps 3 and 4 as needed.
- Let the carpet fully dry before you vacuum it.
How to Get Charcoal Out of Carpet with Laundry Soap
- Vacuum as much of the charcoal as you can from the carpet with your nozzle or suction hose without applying pressure.
- Put on gloves to protect your hands from the harsh detergent in the laundry soap.
- Mix one cup of cold water with one tablespoon of laundry soap in a bowl.
- Using a clean cloth or sponge, soak up some of the laundry mix and squeeze it onto the stain. Apply as much as you need to soak the whole spot.
- Allow the solution to soak in for five minutes.
- Blot with the sponge until the spot is gone. Keep dipping the sponge in the soap as needed.
- After the stain is gone, place a folded towel on the spot and soak up the excess water before allowing it to air dry.
- Once the spot is completely dry, vacuum the area as usual.
How to Get Charcoal Out of Carpet with White Vinegar
- Using the nozzle or hose on your vacuum, remove as much of the loose dirt as you can without rubbing or putting any pressure on the spot.
- Mix one cup of white vinegar with one cup of water in a spray bottle.
- Spray the entire area thoroughly with the solution.
- Use a soft bristle brush or toothbrush to lightly brush the fibers to work in the vinegar.
- After you let it sit for five minutes, use a white cloth or paper towel to see if the charcoal is coming up. If not, apply more spray and wait 15 minutes.
- Blot again and if it is not working, add a few drops of dish soap to your spray bottle and shake it up before spraying the stain again. Let it sit for another 15 minutes.
- Use a clean cloth to carefully pat the area to remove the stain. Add more spray as needed.
- Allow the spot to air dry before vacuuming.
How to Get Charcoal Out of Carpet with Rubbing Alcohol
- Vacuum up as much of the loose dust from the spill as you can with your vacuum’s hose or nozzle attachment. Make sure you do not rub on it because it will just push the loose particles deeper into the carpet.
- Wearing gloves to protect your hands, apply rubbing alcohol full strength onto the spill until the whole area is saturated.
- Let it sit for 10 minutes before using a clean cloth or paper towel to remove the charcoal from the fibers. Use more alcohol as needed.
- After the stain is clean and dry, vacuum the spot thoroughly.
How to Get Charcoal Out of Carpet with Hydrogen Peroxide
- Remove as much of the charcoal as you can with your vacuum. It is best to use your hose or nozzle, so you do not force the particles deeper into the carpet.
- Put on your gloves and mix one cup of water and ½ cup of hydrogen peroxide in a bowl.
- Dip a clean sponge or cloth in the bowl and squeeze the solution onto the spill until it is completely wet.
- Wait about five minutes before checking to see if it comes up with a clean cloth. If not, apply more solution and wait another 15 minutes.
- Repeat step 4 until the stain is gone and let it air dry before vacuuming.
How to Get Charcoal Out of Carpet with Ammonia
- Vacuum the loose coals from the carpet with your vacuum’s nozzle or hose. Be careful not to rub or press on the spot.
- Get your gloves and a mask on because ammonia is harsh on your skin and your lungs.
- Mix one cup of water with ¼ cup of ammonia in a bowl.
- Soak a sponge in the mixture and squeeze out enough to soak the whole stain. Pat it gently to allow the ammonia to get deep into the fibers but do not rub.
- After five minutes, use a clean dry cloth to absorb as much of the dirt as you can.
- Repeat steps 4 and 5 until the spot is gone.
- Allow it to dry before vacuuming.
How to Get Charcoal Out of Carpet with Baking Soda
- Sprinkle baking soda on the spot until it is covered. Wait two minutes before vacuuming with the hose or nozzle attachment on your vacuum.
- If the spot is still there, apply more of the baking soda and spray it with warm water.
- Wait two minutes and vacuum it up with the hose or nozzle again.
- If the stain persists, use ¼ cup of water mixed with ½ cup of baking soda to make a paste. Using a soft-bristle brush or toothbrush, work the paste into the stain until it is covered.
- After it dries, vacuum it up and the stain should be gone.
How to Get Charcoal Out of Carpet with Borax
- After vacuuming up the loose charcoal, put on your gloves to mix the borax because it can irritate your skin.
- Mix one tablespoon of borax with one cup of cold water in a spray bottle.
- Spray the spot and wait 15 minutes to let it soak in.
- Sprinkle dry borax over the spot and cover it with a clean wet cloth.
- Using the curved side of a large spoon, press onto the cloth to work the borax into the stain without rubbing it into the fibers.
- Leave for five minutes before removing the cloth and spraying the spot one more time.
- Use a cloth to blot the area until it is clean. You may have to add more spray but do not add more powder.
- Rinse well with clean water and then let it air dry before vacuuming.
How to Get Charcoal Out of Carpet with Dry-Cleaning Solvent
- Vacuum up all the loose coal and dust from the carpet with your vacuum hose or nozzle attachment.
- Put on protective clothing, gloves, and a mask before using dry-cleaning solvent because it is not good for your skin or lungs.
- Apply several drops of solvent to a wet sponge and dab the stain until it comes out, using more solvent as needed.
- Rinse well with a clean cloth and vacuum after it is completely dry.
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Related Questions
Why not just use a steam cleaner?
If you want to use a steam cleaner, be sure to get all the dry charcoal and dust out of the carpet with your vacuum’s nozzle attachment or hose first. The pressure and steam of the steam cleaner may just make the spot worse. It is best to work it out by hand.
How much would it cost to let a professional do it?
If you tried these solutions and had no luck, you may need a professional carpet cleaner. You can find a carpet cleaner in your area who will clean the spot for less than $50 in most cases as long as it is not too bad. In fact, they will probably clean the whole carpet for you.
I am a DIYer who loves writing about anything home-related. When I am not writing, you can find me studying for my PhD in Psychology, photographing nature, and swimming at the lake with my grandkids.
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