How to Fix Bleached Carpet – Stain Removal Tricks

When you get a stain on either your clothes or carpet, your first instinct is usually to reach for the bleach…dodon't. Not all fabrics are compatible with bleach. This fact is true for clothes, and the same things go for your carpet. The result could be damaging.

But, since this warning is coming a little too late and the bleach stain on your carpet is expanding as you read this, have no fear. You can still remedy the situation. Depending on the extent of the damage, with these few tricks, you should be able to salvage your precious carpet.

For minor bleach stains, you should be able to get your carpet back to its former glory but probably at 98% if we are working with percentages. That's not bad. If you had a significant bleach stain, your expectation should be carpet restoration to a point where you don’t have a garish physical reminder of your bleach mishap.

Remember, the goal is to fix the bleached carpets. A complete overhaul of the stain might be asking for too much. That said, keep an open mind. These tricks, if done right would significantly improve the physical appearance of your carpet post the bleach spill accident.

Video Explainer

How to Remove Bleach Stains on Carpet Using Water

Water has a way of containing the damaging effects of bleach on carpet. If you act quickly, you can stop the stain from spreading and then reverse the damages that your carpet is undergoing. Use this bleach stain removal method for right after a spill.

If the spill has happened for over an hour, skip to the next method straight away. You will have better results. With that little caveat out of the way, let us get down to the business of saving you carpet from bleach stains.

What You Will Need

1. Warm Water
2. Cold Water
3. Liquid dishwashing soap
4. Clean white cloth (or an absorbent sponge if you prefer)
5. Paper towel

Step 1: Blot the bleach stain immediately

• Pour cold water on the stained area
• Grab your paper towel and blot to get out as much of the bleach as you can
• Be careful not to rub the spot as this only works the bleach deeper into the carpet

Step 2: Create a soap solution

• In a mixing bowl, pour 1 cup of warm water
• Add a quarter teaspoon of the liquid dishwashing soap
• Allow both ingredients to mix before you use

Step 3: Soak the stained area in the soap solution

• Ensure that there is no paper residue from blotting the stain earlier
• Pour the soap solution on the stain gently
• Allow it to soak for about 5 minutes

Step 4: Activate the soap solution with the cloth or sponge

• Observe the stained area for any signs of bleach stain. It should be clear
• Rub the spot with the clean fabric or sponge gently to work off any stain residue
• Focus on the stained area to keep the bleach from spreading to other parts of your carpet

Step 5: Rinse the carpet

• Wash, rinse and dry the sponge or cloth that you used
• Now steep it in cold water, wring it out for excess water and the mop the stained area
• When you are through, leave the carpet to air dry

How to Fix Bleach Stains on Carpet with Vinegar

When bleach stains have already happened, and you are starring at a giant mess on the carpet; this is not the time to panic. Reach into your kitchen cupboard, whip out your favorite brand of white vinegar and reset the clock to a time when there was no stain on your carpet.

White vinegar is an open secret when it comes to stain removal, and even bleach is no match for it.

What You Will Need

1. White Vinegar
2. Warm water
3. Clean white cloth
4. Coldwater

Step 1: Create the anti-bleach stain mix

• Pour 4 cups of warm water into a mixing bowl
• Add two tablespoons of white vinegar to the solution
• Stir until it is thoroughly mixed

Step 2: Pour the vinegar mix into the stain and let it soak

• Position yourself directly over the stain spot
• Pour the blend gently on the stain
• Allow the mix to sit in the stain for at least 5 minutes

Step 3: Rub the mix into the stain

• At the end of the timeline set, the stained area with the solution mix should be soggy
• Use the clean cloth to rub the solution into the stain
• You want to ensure that the solution gets into the stan completely

Step 4: Investigate the stain

• As you work the mixture into the stain, observe the stain parameters
• If it doesn't look like it is reducing, you may need to repeat the last two steps
• You may need to repeat this step as many times as possible until you can observe a difference

Step 5: Rinse of the Vinegar solution

• When you are satisfied with the stain regression, rinse out the solution
• Start by steeping the cloth into a bowl of cold water and then squeeze loosely
• Apply the fabric to stain and scrub off the vinegar solution

Step 6: Dry of the stain spot

• After rubbing water into the stain spot, the next step is to dry it up
• Use a dry or semi-dry cloth to mop up the place with the stain
• Leave the area to air dry on its own

Note: This process may require several tries before you begin to notice the results. So, don’t feel bad if you don’t get the results that you want in the first try. You don’t need to add anything else to the process. However, you can try the next method.

How to Fix Bleached Carpets Using Crayon

I know that you did a double-take when you read that last bit, and I cannot say that I blame you one bit. What started out as a “rescue your carpet” mission is beginning to sound like a craft project for 5^th graders. But hear me out, it would all make sense in a minute.

When bleach gets into your carpet, it leeches the color of the carpet; this color loss is what presents itself as a stain. And it is for this reason I mentioned earlier that you shouldn't expect to get your carpet at 100% even in a situation where the stain is minor.

The best you can hope to achieve is to improve the physical appearance of the carpet. And this is where the use of a crayon comes in. This method would be most effective on carpets that have one color. Patterned carpets may require the help of professionals.

But before we go to the professionals, let us see what we can do.

What You Will Need

1. Water
2. Paper towels
3. Crayon (choose one that is the same or closest to the color of your carpet)
4. Regular clean towels

Step 1: Get out as much of the bleach as you can

• If the stain just happened, priority should be to get the bleach out of the carpet
• Pour a little water on the affected area
• Use the paper towels to blot out the bleach and water mixture

Step 2: Use the crayon to cover up the stain

• You must pay attention to the color of the crayon
• If the difference is too much, it might make things appear worse
• Drag the crayon across the stain as if you were painting on paper

Step 3: Blend the color into the carpet

• Wet the clean towel that you have. Let it be damp and not soggy
• Rub the area you have painted into the carpet to cause it to blend in
• Aerate the room and allow the carpet to dry

If you have some artistic abilities, this may be an opportunity to showcase that talent. You can work your crayon into the carpet in such a way that it becomes an aesthetic focal point. This solution will work if your carpet is patterned and multi-colored.

If not, keep it nice and straightforward. Pick the color that works best; apply it diligently to the stain and the crayon would do the rest.

Final Note

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For extremely tough bleach stains, you should use at least two out of these three methods. And if at the end of it, you are still not satisfied with the outcome, you may want to consider hiring a professional carpet cleaning company to take care of the stain for you.

A lot of them have the advanced technology and professional know-how that restore your carpet to its previous form. Give them a call today.