How to Remove Makeup Stains from Carpet with Ease? – Follow Our Expert Tips!

You’re getting ready for a girl’s night out, you’re sitting on the floor in front of the mirror doing your makeup, drinking a glass of wine, and listening to music, until you notice that your foundation has dripped on the carpet. Wet wipes only make it worse, and you’re in a hurry, so what do you do? Don’t panic, we’ve got you covered! Follow our guide on how to remove makeup stains from carpet quickly and effectively!

How to Remove Makeup Stains from Carpet?

There are different methods you can apply to clean makeup stains from a carpet, depending on its material and also the type of makeup. Normally, long bristle carpets are a bit more tricky to clean, but not impossible! Here are some universal methods you can use to combat these smears and have your carpet look as good as new!

Foundation Stains

• If the splatter is fresh, use a paper towel to gently blot the foundation. Do NOT rub, otherwise, you will rub it into the fibers of the carpet, which will make it harder to clean.
• Pour 2–3 drops of dish soap onto the stained area and rub it gently using a cloth or a soft-bristled brush.
• To prevent the stain from getting bigger, work the brush from the outside towards the center of it.
• Allow the dish soap to penetrate the carpet well for a couple of minutes, then blot the stain using a clean damp cloth or a sponge.
• If the stain is still slightly visible, repeat the whole process until it’s fully gone.

Note: Do NOT apply bleach or products with harsh chemicals onto the carpet, as they will damage the fibers.

Read also: How to Remove Foundation Stains From White Clothes, According to Pros!

Old Makeup Stains

High-pigmented makeup, such as foundation, concealer, and some lipsticks, is quite difficult to remove from fabrics, especially if the stains have dried and penetrated deep into the fibers. To clean them effectively, you need to go through the following steps:

• Gently scrape off the dried makeup from the carpet using a dull knife or a spoon.
• Create a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and water, and pour it into a spray bottle.
• Sprinkle generously the stained area with baking soda.
• Then, spray the white vinegar and water solution on top. This will cause a chemical reaction that creates a fizzing effect. Let it sit for 10–15 minutes.
• Use a soft-bristled brush to gently work the solution into the carpet with circular motions, from the outside towards the center.
• Blot the treated area with paper towels to absorb any residue from the baking soda.
• Rinse the area with clean water, blot it again with a clean cloth or a paper towel, and let it air dry.

Eyeshadow Stains

Eyeshadow is another tricky type of makeup to remove from a carpet because creamy or powdery formulas adhere strongly to fabrics. Most of them are also oil-based, which is another reason for them to penetrate deep into the bristles, making the removal process much more difficult than cleaning water-based makeup, for example. As discouraging as this may sound, these stains are very much treatable, you just have to act fast otherwise the pigment will bond with the fibers and require a much more aggressive cleaning approach. Here’s what you should do to remove them successfully:

• In a spray bottle, mix 1 tbsp of rubbing alcohol with 2 cups of warm water.
• Add 2–3 drops of dish soap to the mixture and shake well until you get a homogenous concoction.
• Spray the solution onto a clean cloth and blot the eyeshadow from the carpet without rubbing it in.
• Let the solution sit for a couple of minutes so it can break down the makeup particles.
• Take a clean sponge and use it to gently rub the stained area from the outside to the center of the smear.
• Rinse the area with water, then blot it with a clean paper towel or a cloth to remove the excess moisture.
• If you can still notice the stain, repeat the process until it’s completely gone.

Lipstick Stains

Because lipsticks are oil-based, they penetrate really deep into the fibers of the carpet and therefore require a more serious cleaning approach. The most effective way to combat them is with WD-40. This is your best friend when it comes to grease and oil stains, however, it’s good to test it on a small patch first just to be sure that it won’t lift off any of the colors of the carpet. Once you’ve done that, you can proceed to the following steps:

• Spray WD-40 directly onto the stained area.
• Let it sit for 5–10 minutes.
• Gently blot the area using paper towels or a clean cloth.
• If the stain is still visible, continue to reapply the WD-40 until it’s removed.
• Rinse with warm water to remove any WD-40 residue and absorb the moisture with clean towels.
• Let the carpet air dry completely.

Read also: Top 10 carpet cleaning tips – how to clean stains, spills and odors?