How to Get Dried Paint and Old Stains Out of Carpeting

Step 1

Spray the paint stain with Goo Gone. Wait 5 minutes then gently scrape up loosened paint using the putty knife. Do this gently, so you are not tearing the carpet fibers or pulling it out. Wipe the edge of your putty knife with a clean rag often as you lift away old paint.

Step 2

If the paint does not come up easily, wait another 5 minutes and try again. You may need repeated applications to get up all of the paint.

Step 3

Fill the spray bottle with hot water and add a couple drops of liquid dish soap. Gently swirl to combine, then spray the area with this mixture. Do not spray excessively, though. Drenching the carpet pad can cause mold and mildew.

Step 4

Dab the area with a clean white cloth to lift away paint residue. (White cloths work best because they don't transfer dyes back onto your carpet.) Do not rub — you're looking to transfer paint from the carpet to the cloth. Be sure you rotate the rag as you work, so you're constantly working with a clean area and not smearing paint back on the rug's surface.

Step 5

Proceed with the methods below to remove other carpet stains if needed, or skip to the instructions for shampooing your carpet if you've removed all of the stains.

Step 6

Open the windows! You'll be working with household ammonia, which has a very strong smell. Adequate ventilation is essential.

Step 7

To a clean spray bottle, add 1 cup hot water and 2 tablespoons household ammonia. Swirl to combine. Spray this mixture lightly onto the pet stain. Do not drench the area — you don't want to soak the carpet pad.

Step 8

After lightly spraying the area, gently work the mixture into the carpet fibers using a scrub brush. Take care not to rub too vigorously — you don't want to damage the carpet — just ensure that the spray is coating the strands on all sides, from top to bottom.

Step 9

Wait 1 hour then use clean white rags to blot the area. Do not rub — you're looking to transfer the stain from the carpet to your rag, so rotate your cloth to ensure you're consistently working with a clean area. You may need to respray and blot to lift away all of the stain.

Step 10

Once you've lifted the stain, place a dry, clean white cloth over the area and press down firmly with both hands — or stand on it — to remove as much moisture as possible.

Step 11

If you have no further dried carpet stains to get rid of, proceed to the section on shampooing your carpet. If you have cats, do not skip the shampooing step or the lingering ammonia may encourage them to use that spot to do their business.

Step 12

This step works like a professional carpet steamer to reactivate then lift away old stains like spilled coffee, food, or other stains you can't identify.

Step 13

Open the windows! The household ammonia used in this step can be overpowering without adequate ventilation, so be sure your windows are open to let in some fresh air.

Step 14

In a clean spray bottle, combine 1 cup hot water and 2 tablespoons household ammonia. Swirl and then lightly spray the stain with this mixture.

Step 15

Fill your clothes iron (or steam mop) with water and turn it to the steam setting.

Step 16

Place a clean white rag over the stain and iron it, keeping the iron in constant motion, for 20 seconds or so. Lift, rotate the fabric to a clean spot and repeat. (If you’re using a steam mop, keep the mop moving as you run it over the stain. Letting it stay in one place too long can damage the glue on the carpet’s backing as well as the flooring beneath.)

Step 17

Once you've removed the stain, proceed immediately to shampooing the carpet. If you have cats, it's especially important that you do not delay or skip this step, or the scent of ammonia may lead them to do their business on your carpet.

Step 18

On the first pass, fill your carpet cleaner's tank with plain water only. This step helps rinse away any Goo Gone, soap, or water left in the carpet. Repeat suction passes and do them slowly to extract as much moisture out of the carpet as possible.

Step 19

Let the carpet dry overnight (keeping any cats out of the area) or speed up the process using fans.

Step 20

The second pass neutralizes ammonia and dissolves any remaining residues on your carpet, leaving it clean and soft. To perform this step, combine equal parts VERY hot water and white distilled vinegar in your carpet shampooer's tank. (Do not use apple cider vinegar, which contains pectins that may attract household pests.)

Step 21

Go over your carpet at a right angle to the direction you used on the first pass. Work very slowly during extraction, so you get as much moisture out of the carpet as possible.

Step 22

Let the carpet dry overnight and then vacuum it thoroughly to fluff the fibers. Enjoy your fresh, clean carpet!