How To Get Soot Out Of Carpet – Removal Guide

There are six walls in every room. That is if you are not counting living spaces that are circular or have a unique architecture. Barring those technical differences, the six walls of a room includes the floor and ceiling. For you to add visual interest to an indoor space, the floor and ceiling are used to create texture and give depth to a room.

Ceiling decoration options are somewhat limited, but with carpets, there is so much that you can do. Most people, however, prefer carpets for their durability, versatility and low cost compared to other flooring options.

You would be forgiven if you expected this to be an article on decoration, but as it says on the title, we are here to talk about carpets; specifically, getting soot out of the carpet. A stain is the biggest fear for any carpet owner. Once a stain gets on a carpet, it is understandable that you get frantic about the situation. All it takes for a carpet to go from fancy to ugly is a horrible stain. Of all the stains that can get on your carpet, soot is the worst.

Thankfully, soot stain, no matter how bad, can be removed if you put your back and head into it. What you need are the right kind of information (that is what we are here for) and the right tools. You don’t even need to get the fanciest cleaning equipment. There are everyday household items that when used correctly, can avert a stain crisis. But before we get into the steps (which are super easy by the way), we need to understand the subject matter; soot.

Video Explainer

What Is Soot?

Soot is what you get when certain materials burn or combust as the science geeks like calling it. The particles are so fine, and it disintegrates so quickly that any attempt to wipe it off a surface would only serve to make matters worse.

How This Guide Works

phase one: little drops of soot on the carpet that haven’t been smeared in

Getting Soot Out of Carpet with a Vacuum Cleaner

Stain Scale: Minor

Tools Needed: Vacuum Cleaner

The vacuum cleaner is perfect for soot removal from carpets because soot is typically like dust particles. This cleaning method is the first line of defense when it comes to soot stains, so do this the second you see the soot drop on the carpet.

Please take note, when this happens, don’t try to take out the soot with a dust brush, dustpan or any other cleaning tool. Just reach for your vacuum cleaner and use the attachment nuzzle to draw out the dust.

It is that quick and easy. If the soot has already gotten into the carpet, you would have to use any of the other methods I will discuss.

phase two: you have large chunks of soot stains on your carpet

One of the downsides of having a traditional fireplace is that you have to deal with the problem of soot. For health and safety reasons, you need to have the soot buildup in your chimney cleaned out frequently. In the process of taking care of that mess, you end up with another mess… on your carpet no less!

Perhaps the story of how you got that soot on your carpet is different. Whatever it is, it is unsightly, messy, but totally removable. Before you reach for water and detergent which would undoubtedly make the situation worse, try these standard soot removal methods

How to Get Ash Out of Carpet with Absorbing Agents

Stain Scale: Small to Medium

Tools Needed:

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1. Vacuum Cleaner
2. Baking Soda (or White Talcum Powder or Cornstarch)
3. Spoon or Paper Towel
4. Timer

Step one: Scoop the dirt

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• Use the spoon or any material that can act as a scoop without smearing to scoop out the excess soot.
• You can use a paper towel too, but it can be very difficult to get the soot out without smudging the stain deeper into the carpet, and you want to try and avoid this.

Step two: Sprinkle absorbing agents on the ash or soot stain

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• After disposing of the soot you just collected, sprinkle the baking soda generously on the area affected by the stain.
• Don’t try to mix it or blend it in. Just ensure that the entire stained area is covered.
• If you are opting for corn starch or the talcum powder, the process is the same.

Step three: Allow the mixture to set

• Set the timer for one hour and allow the baking soda/cornstarch/talcum powder and soot mix to sit for that duration.
• This would allow the powder to absorb the soot completely.

Step four: Vacuum the cakey mix

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• When the one hour is up, the soot and stain absorbent mixture should have a cake-like consistency.
• Connect your vacuum to its power source, turn it up to the highest setting and concentrate on the area with the stain.
• For faster and more effective extraction of stains, run your vacuum over the area more than once.

phase three: smeared soot stain on the carpet

This scenario is what usually follows after you have worked on step three in the previous stage. In some cases, using a dry ingredient like baking soda on soot or stains in general and leaving them to sit for a while can eliminate the stain entirely but in a situation where that does not happen, you can follow these easy steps.

Before we get into the details of this cleaning process, there are some things you should bear in mind. There are two cleaning agents (rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide) listed here, and these options are put here for a reason.

The rubbing alcohol works best on carpets with colors that might be affected by the bleaching agent in the hydrogen peroxide, which is best suited for white, beige or neutral colored carpets that can handle bleach. Consider this before making a choice.

Stain Removal Method: Dry Cleaning Agent

Stain Scale: Small to Medium

Tools Needed:

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1. Rubbing Alcohol or Hydrogen Peroxide
2. Warm Water
3. Clean White Cloth (have 2)
4. Absorbent (Baking soda, white talcum powder or cornstarch)
5. Fan (optional)
6. Vacuum

Step one: Prep your ingredients

• Prepare the preferred cleaning agent.
• If you are going to use rubbing alcohol, one tablespoon is all you need for the next step.
• If you are using hydrogen peroxide, use the same measurement but dilute it with three tablespoons of warm water.

Step two: Apply the mixture to the stain

• Pour the dry-cleaning agent on the clean white cloth and dab on the stained area.
• You need to get as much cleaning agent on the surface as possible without spreading the soot on the carpet.
• So, what you want to do is keep the pressure minimal as you blot the stain.

Step three: Clean out the stain

• Dip the other clean cloth in warm water
• Squeeze the water out and use it to dab the spot to absorb the cleaning agent.
• Try as much as possible to ensure that the cloth is damp and not wet.

Step four: Assess the stained area.

• If it doesn’t look like it is gone, you would need to get the area dry for you to proceed to the next step.
• You can either give it a few hours to completely dry off or get a fan to hasten the process.
• Just ensure that the spot is completely dry.

Step five: Follow steps two to four of the previous phase.