How To Get Lipstick Out Of Carpet – Effective Way of Removal

The lips are a great way to bring attention to your face, and this is something that the female folk would relate with a lot. There are colors that would not work anywhere else on the face except the lips. An example of the color I am referring to is red.

Red is a bold and dramatic color that screams, "look at me now". That kind of message would be 100% appreciated on your face, but if by some chance of fate, you get a red lipstick stain (or any shade for that matter), you would probably scream bloody murder.

Lipsticks from the earlier years have a very short shelf life once they are applied. Back then, a lady could only expect a good hour’s worth of use before it smudges and disappears completely. And this is only if she didn’t eat, drink or talk too much.

These days, lipsticks have been designed to last up to twelve hours. Some are so powerful that you would need a particular brand of makeup remover to get it completely off and they come in different beautiful shades — this information is good news for the lips but bad news for your carpet.

However, it doesn't spell doom and gloom. There are tried and tested ways to rid your carpets of this problem. And this article is going to work you through each step. So, whip out your tools and get to wiping!

Video Explainer

Removing Lipstick from Carpet Using Common Household Items that Multi-task

There are things in your home that you buy for a specific purpose, but they have an ingredient (or two) that makes them perfect for a stain removal process like this. An example would be your regular hairspray.

There are a lot of them but let us get started with the most common ones

What You Will Need

Use one of any of the following:

1. Hairspray
2. Nail polish remover (use an acetone-based variety)
3. Rubbing alcohol
4. White vinegar
5. Windex

Choose what is most accessible to you and pair these with:

1. Clean white cloth
2. Water

Step 1: Do a fabric test on your carpet 

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• Carpets are made from different fabrics and react differently to certain things
• Choose a hidden portion of your carpet and apply the preferred cleaning solution
• If it is good, there should be no stain. If there is, swap products

Step 2: Apply cleaning solution on the stain

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• For rubbing alcohol, nail polish remover and white vinegar, pour small amounts directly on the stain
• For Windex and hairspray, spray the mixture on the stain
• Allow the solution to sit on the stain for about 15 minutes

Step 3: Work the solution into the lipstick stain

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• Use the clean cloth to dab the area
• Rub gently and press the fabric down to absorb stain and cleaning solution
• Continue until the stain is no longer transferring from carpet to material

Step 4: Assess the stain

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• Look at the stain to determine progress
• If there is a need, repeat steps two and three
• When the stain is no longer visible, proceed to the next step

Step 5: Rinse off the cleaning solution

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• Dip the clean cloth in cold water
• Squeeze loosely and apply on stain area to dilute cleaning solution
• Blot and then allow the spot to get dry

How to Remove Lipstick Stain from Carpet with Hydrogen Peroxide

This lipstick stain removal method is most useful after you have tried everything else and yet, you can still spot that tiny bit of lipstick stain on your carpet. The chemical composition in the cleaning agents allows them to break down the stain making it easier to remove.

The hydrogen peroxide then bleaches the last of the stains making it invisible to the eye, and this will leave your carpet clean and pristine; just the way you want it.

What You Will Need

1. Hydrogen peroxide
2. Sponge or clean, dry cloth

Step 1: Apply hydrogen peroxide on the lipstick stain

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• You need to carry out this process cautiously
• If you have steady hands, apply little amounts of the hydrogen peroxide on the stain
• If not, pour the peroxide on the cloth or sponge before applying on the stain

Step 2: Leave the hydrogen peroxide to sit in ou the stain

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• The spot where you put the hydrogen peroxide should feel soggy
• Use the cloth to wet the stains in particular
• Leave it alone and set the timer for one hour

Step 3: Inspect the stain and assess it

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• When the one hour is up, take a closer look at the lipstick stain on the carpet
• There is bound to be some changes, but the stain may still be there
• If the stain is still there, repeat step two and three

Step 4: Allow it to dry

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• There is no need to rinse out the hydrogen peroxide as it is said to break down into the water
• Use a cloth to blot when it does become water
• Try to keep the room ventilated and allow the carpet to air-dry

If the lipstick stain has been there for a while, obliterating it might be difficult. You may only succeed in visibly reducing the size of the stain. Especially when it has been stepped on smudged into the fabric of the carpet.

You may have to carry out this method at several different times and if after that you don’t see progress, try this next lipstick stain removal method.

How to Get Lipstick Out of Carpet When it is Still Fresh

Whether you dropped your lipstick and stepped on it or the toddler in your family used your carpet as a coloring board, none of that is consequential right now. What matters is what you do in the next few minutes; flutter your fingers around in panic or swing into action?

Remember, time is of the essence. The faster you act, the higher the chances of getting the stain out 100%. And the best part is that you only need things that you can easily find in your cleaning supplies closet.

What You Will Need

1. Carpet cleaning product (or a dry-cleaning solvent)
2. Clean white cloth
3. A blunt instrument to scrape the stain
4. Laundry detergent
5. Warm water
6. Cool water

Step 1: Scrape the top layer of the carpet

• If the lipstick stain has chunks, this is the next thing to do
• Use the dull end of a knife or a spoon to scrape off the lipstick chunks
• Try as must s possible not to rub the stain further into the carpet

Step 2: Apply the cleaning solution

• Spray the cloth you want to use with the cleaning solution
• Press this on the stain and switch sides when it becomes too stained
• Wash off the fabric and repeat the process

Step 3: Allow the cleaning solution to sit in the carpet

• After applying the solution initially, there should be changes
• Spray the cleaning product directly on the stained portion of the carpet or rug
• Allow it to sit for a minimum of 5minutes

Step 4: Wash out the cleaning solution from the carpet

• Mix a tiny amount of detergent in a glass of water
• For a more concentrated washing solution, mix the same amount of detergent with a tablespoon of water
• Apply on the stained area and scrub out the solution using a clean cloth

Step 5: Rinse the stained area and allow to dry

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• Use a wet cloth that was just freshly steeped in cold water to massage the spot
• Blot out the stained spot as much as you can
• Place a dry cloth over the spot and put a heavy object on it to absorb the wetness

This cleaning exercise is more elaborate than the previous methods discussed, but if you compare the timeline to the other techniques discussed, this is basically faster and, in my experience, more effective.

Whatever you do, you must remind yourself that your speedy response to the stain is going to make all the difference. If you act quickly, it won’t matter what method you use as the results would be astounding.

For very tough stains, there are a few other options that you can try. Using a carpet stain remover would act fast on the stain, for instance. Just be sure to use products that are specially created for carpets.