A stained carpet is a no-go for any homeowner, and diarrhoea is one of the most dreaded types of carpet stains. Whether you’re dealing with baby poop or dog poop, there’s nothing worse than diarrhoea stains making a mess of your beautiful carpet.

Time is of the essence when cleaning diarrhoea from your carpet fibres, but you might encounter plenty of challenges during the process. Diarrhoea can get deep into your carpet fibres, making removing it more difficult than with other stains.

While you might fear the worst when your carpet faces diarrhoea stains, you’ll be happy to know that cleaning diarrhoea from carpet stains is possible. This guide will help you understand how to clean diarrhoea out of carpet stains like a professional, ensuring you have what it takes to bring your damaged carpet back to its former glory! Let’s get started.

Table of contents:

  1. What Safety Precautions Should I Consider?
  2. What Cleaning Supplies Will I Need?
  3. How to Approach the Initial Cleanup?
  4. How to Pre-treat the Stain?
  5. How to Remove Diarrhea Stain from Carpet?
  6. How to Rinse and Dry the Carpet After the Cleaning?
  7. How to Remove Poo Smell from Carpet?
  8. What should be done for post-cleaning maintenance?
  9. What are Some Common Mistakes to Avoid?
  10. When Should You Call Professionals?
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How to clean diarrhea out of carpet Banner

What Safety Precautions Should I Consider?

Before cleaning fresh or dried diarrhoea from your carpet, it’s paramount that you take the proper safety precautions. As you might expect, diarrhoea is jam-packed with germs, making it essential to take the right steps when approaching a DIY cleaning solution.

Before cleaning diarrhoea stains, ensure you have access to the proper personal protective equipment. This equipment includes rubber gloves and a face mask, which will help avoid coming into direct contact with the stains.

Once you’ve gathered your safety equipment, guarantee that others aren’t around when you clean the stubborn stains – that means keeping children and pets away from the affected area throughout the cleaning process.

What Cleaning Supplies Will I Need?

Preparation is everything when cleaning diarrhoea until the stain disappears. Before you begin cleaning, collect everything you’ll need for a successful cleaning. Some essential supplies for cleaning diarrhoea stains include:

  • Baby wipes
  • Microfiber cloth or paper towels
  • Fairy liquid
  • Spray bottle
  • Dish soap
  • Baking soda
  • Distilled white vinegar
  • Soft-bristle brush
  • Warm water
  • Hydrogen peroxide – this is important for stubborn stains on very light-coloured carpets
  • Trash bags
  • Vacuum cleaner

You can also use specific store-bought cleaning products to remove diarrhoea stains from your carpet. One useful option is Nature’s Miracle enzyme cleaner and odour remover, which includes powerful enzymes that help break down the components of diarrhoea stains that make them so difficult to tackle.

No matter what cleaning agents you use to remove stubborn stains, take the proper precautions to handle these solutions safely and effectively. Safety includes wearing latex gloves to avoid your skin coming into direct contact with the cleaning products and washing your hands if they come into contact with the solution.

Whether you use a store-bought or DIY cleaning solution approach, ensure the affected area is void of pets and children who could be harmed if they come into contact with cleaning products.

gloves, vinegar, soda, vacuum

How to Approach the Initial Cleanup?

Now, let’s get into how to clean diarrhoea out of carpet stains. The first step in this process is the initial cleanup stage, where you’ll start by removing as much solid material from the stain as possible.

If there’s any visible poop on the stain, use latex gloves and your prepared cleaning supplies to eliminate the wet poop. Once you’ve cleaned the surface of the stain, begin by blotting the stained area with a paper towel, disposable cloth, or baby wipe, as this will help you eliminate excess diarrhoea that hasn’t settled into the carpet fibres yet.

During this first step, ensure you follow the proper disposal procedures for contaminated materials. Once you’ve blotted the area, throw away all paper towels or microfiber cloths into a secure plastic bag and remove the bag from the affected area before proceeding. Wear latex gloves during this process to avoid coming into contact with the diarrhoea.

baby wipes, gloves, plastic bag

How to Pre-treat the Stain?

After the initial cleanup, you can start pre-treating the affected area. You can use a prewash stain cleaner or soak the stain with warm water and enzyme-containing cleaning solutions like Nature’s Miracle. If you’re selecting a store-bought cleaning solution, look for enzymatic ones, as these are best at breaking down the components of diarrhoea stains that cause them to be so stubborn.

If you’re not using a store-bought pet stain remover and prefer to stick to DIY cleaning solutions, combine 2 cups of cool water with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and 1 tablespoon of non-bleach dish soap. You can also choose a warm water and white vinegar solution by combining these ingredients in a 1:1 ratio.

Once you apply your pre-treatment solution, let it sit on the stain to burrow deeper into the carpet fibres. Always test your solution on an inconspicuous carpet area, such as the corners of your carpet, to ensure it’ll work on your carpet type. Some carpets, like wool carpets, might not respond to every cleaning solution, whether you choose a store-bought option or a homemade cleaner.

How to Remove Diarrhea Stain from Carpet?

You can use different cleaning methods to remove carpet stains, such as from your dog’s diarrhoea. Once you’ve removed all the liquid from the surface of your carpet and allowed your cleaning solution to penetrate the carpet fibres, you can start cleaning with methods like blotting and scrubbing the stain.

Clean the affected surface until the stain disappears using the following steps:

  1. Use a paper towel or clean cloth to scoop up as much poop as possible. Toss the towels into a waste bag to eliminate the diarrhoea immediately. Repeat as many times as necessary.
  2. Prepare your mixture if you haven’t already, or gather the cleaning solution you’ll use for the cleaning process.
  3. Use a fork or similar cleaning supply to scrape up dried faeces that the initial blotting didn’t remove.
  4. Once you’ve scraped up dried faeces, vacuum the affected area to remove chunks loosened with the fork.
  5. Apply your cleaning solution to what remains of the carpet stain, allowing it to sit for about 15 minutes.
  6. Blot the solution with paper towels to remove excess moisture. You can also use a soft-bristled brush to gently scrub the stain instead of blotting it, which is particularly effective if the stains are deep-seated in your carpet’s fibres. Repeat this process as necessary.
  7. Sprinkle the stain’s surface with baking soda.
  8. Vacuum the area again to eliminate the baking soda and leftover faecal matter.
  9. Use a disinfecting spray and apply it to the affected area to eliminate bacteria.

Before you start cleaning, consider your carpet type and choose a cleaning solution suitable for a synthetic or wool carpet. If you’re cleaning wool rugs, you can use the same DIY cleaning solution with white vinegar and baking soda, but you’ll need to use cold water instead of warm water. Cleaning a wool carpet might take longer than a synthetic carpet, but eliminating diarrhoea stains is still possible!

You might also like: How to Clean Wool Carpets Yourself?

removing poop stain

How to Rinse and Dry the Carpet After the Cleaning?

After you’ve finished the initial cleaning process, rinse the treated area with clean water. If you’re cleaning a synthetic carpet, you can use warm water, but a wool carpet requires cold water.

Once you’ve rinsed the area, take the proper steps to dry your carpet and remove poop completely. Drying your carpet after cleaning out pet or human faeces is critical because it’ll help prevent mould and mildew.

While you should use a towel to blot dry, the drying process lasts longer than the initial step of drying excess liquid with a paper towel. For a thorough drying process, you’ll need to use fans, a heater, or natural ventilation and oxygen to restore your carpet to its original quality.

How to Remove Poo Smell from Carpet?

Once you’ve gotten rid of pet stains, you might think your job is done – however, there’s one final step to take advantage of all the tips for a thorough cleaning process. Use natural deodorising options like baking soda to deodorise the surface.

When applying baking soda, focus on the affected area. Sprinkle baking soda over the previously stained surface and allow it to penetrate the carpet before vacuuming the baking soda up and getting rid of your diarrhoea stain completely!

If you’re choosing a commercial carpet deodorizer, look for a cleaner with enzymes to ensure your carpet is as clean as possible. Always pay attention to ingredients and conduct any research to ensure you’re choosing the right solution for your carpet.

vacuum the carpets

What should be done for post-cleaning maintenance?

Whether you’re a parent or a dog owner, having to remove poop from your carpet is a hassle you don’t want to face again in the future. Maintaining your freshly cleaned carpet is possible when you take the proper precautions and maintenance steps to promote a better environment.

  • Once you’ve removed as much diarrhoea as possible, use the following tips to prevent future accidents and regularly maintain your clean carpet:
  • Act quickly when a stain happens – the sooner you address the issue, the better.
  • Blot the affected area, don’t rub. Rubbing drives the stain to spread, which can make your problem worse.
  • Frequently vacuum your carpets and rugs to remove dust, debris, and dirt, especially in high-traffic areas.
  • Use the right cleaning products for your carpet type, and always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
  • Always have a clean dog – the cleaner your pet, the cleaner your carpets!
  • Schedule professional carpet cleaning at least once annually to ensure a deep clean and revitalise your carpet.
  • Frequently clean high-traffic areas to extend your carpet’s lifespan.

What are Some Common Mistakes to Avoid?

While finding a diarrhoea cleaning solution is possible, homeowners should take precautions to prevent common mistakes made during carpet cleaning.

  1. If you’re using a commercial carpet cleaner to eliminate excess poop from your carpet fibres, always follow the manufacturer’s instructions before dousing your carpet in it. Remember that some products can harm your carpet if they sit too long, so always clean the solution as soon as the manufacturer states you should.
  2. When cleaning human or dog poop stains, always avoid rubbing the stain. Rubbing will cause the stubborn stain to spread and make it more difficult to remove. Focus on blotting the area to remove stains instead.
  3. Before you clean your carpet, test your cleaner on an inconspicuous floor area. This step will help you determine whether your chosen cleaning solution will help your carpet or cause further damage.
  4. Finally, avoid using hot water on a wool carpet. Hot water damages wool carpets, so it’s always best to stick to cold water solutions if you’re not handling synthetic carpets.
Dog on carpet

When Should You Call Professionals?

Pet owners and parents face challenges when handling a diarrhoea carpet stain. To properly clean these stains, you must perform an initial cleanup, pre-treat the area, and blot the area clean using a premade cleaning solution. Properly drying the affected area is important to avoid mould or mildew from forming. Always address stains promptly to mitigate damage.

Taking action to maintain clean, sanitary carpets is vital. When the stain remains, it’s time to turn to experts. Professional carpet cleaners use specialized products and equipment for effective stain removal. Moreover, steam carpet cleaning helps extend your carpet’s lifespan and revitalises your floors.

Check also: What to Look for in a Carpet Cleaning Company?

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