Cleaning Vomit Stains: Tips & Home Remedies

by Taylor

Below I've collected tips for cleaning vomit stains, focusing mainly on home remedies you can use for this icky, but sometimes necessary task.

Right now I've only got instructions for how to get vomit out of carpet (of both the pet and human variety), since this is where such accidents often occur.

Of course, you can also make such a mess in other locations as well, so if you've got your own tips for these other surfaces, including clothes, upholstery, or hard surfaces, I'd love to hear from you too. You can share your own tip here, and I'll add it to this page.

Remember, no matter what method you use for clean up, it is best to act as quickly as possible, to prevent more staining, as well as to cut down on the odor involved.

Scroll down to see the tips already provided!

Vomit Stains - How To Remove From Carpet - Video And Instructions

Below is a video which gives instructions for removing these messes from your carpet.

This is a slightly different set of instructions from those I provide in my page about vomit stain removal, but the idea is similar.

In this video the instructions deal a lot with odor removal, which I think is a practical and good idea since vomit stains imply there will also be a pretty nasty odor.

Some of the suggested actions to reduce odor are also pretty common sense, including opening windows to let in fresh air, and sprinkling the area with baking soda, which will help absorb the smell.

The video also suggests using carpet shampoo and water to clean up the stains, which can work.

However, if you have trouble getting out the stains with this method I would suggest checking out the A-Z Stain Removal Guide, because the stain may need some extra attention based on whatever substance was contained in the vomit. (Yuck, I know, but true.)

Photo by zenilovac

Clean Up Vomit By Soaking It Up With Sand & Then Brush Up

by Modest Maiden
(Bahrain)

My mom used to immediately put sand over the vomit and then easily use a dustpan to brush up the sand with the vomit.

The next step was to clean with carpet shampoo, and then lastly dust the carpet with baking soda.

It would always work.

Photo courtesy of Amazon.com, Oxo Good Grips Dust Pan & Brush Set

Pet Vomit Stain Removal With Home Carpet Cleaner

Katy shared these before and after pictures of her dog's vomit stains on her carpet.

This stain was composed of some nasty stuff. Apparently, Katy's dog ate the contents of the grease trap under her grill, which was a combination of charcoal and grease drippings. Yuck! No wonder her dog vomited it up.

She eventually used the Bissell Big Green Deep Cleaning Machine Professional Grade Carpet Cleaner (shown on the left) to remove it, using the Bissell Pet Stain & Odor Formula for machines along with it.

As you can see from the after picture this did the trick.

However, she tried several things to spot clean the stain before this, which did not work.

The things that didn't work included:

• White vinegar


• Folex carpet stain remover


• Nature's Miracle; and


• Resolve carpet cleaner

The moral of this story is that sometimes spot removers just don't work for getting rid of tough carpet stains, especially certain things in throw up.

If that's the case, before you give up all hope go ahead and try something else, like using a home carpet cleaner or shampooer, typically with water extraction and steam and high heat, to remove these tough spots.

Bissel Carpet Shampoo {Referral Links}

If you're looking for a carpet cleaning machine, make sure to check out the reviews of home carpet cleaners I've gotten on the site, to get one that works well for your needs and budget!

Before and after photos courtesy of Amazon.com

Cleaning Cat Throw Up From Carpet

Pida shared before and after pictures of when her cat thew up on the carpet, after eating too fast, and how she cleaned it up.

She used the Bissell Little Green Multi Purpose Compact Deep Cleaner (see picture on right) to remove the stains.

This just shows that you can use a small carpet cleaner as easily as a larger model with good results!

Before and after pictures courtesy of Amazon.com

Cleaning Pet Vomit On Carpet - Video Tips

Cleaning pet vomit off carpet is no fun. No one denies that.

However, here are some tips to make the job easier, including a video giving a demonstration.

First, get paper towels and remove all the solid pieces (yuck! I know), and then blot up as much liquid as possible from the carpet.

Next, use a carpet cleaner or pet stain remover that can be used on carpet to clean the spot or stain.

Finally, the video suggests using rubbing alcohol to cut the smell and finish cleaning the carpet.

Here is the video for full details:

Do you have a tip about cleaning pet stains from carpet to share? If so, submit your carpet pet stain removal tip here, or read others that have already been submitted.

***Update: A reader, Angela, shared a homemade carpet stain remover recipe for how she cleaned spaghetti vomit from her beige carpet, which is simple and doesn't require scrubbing. Please check it out if you're interested.

In addition, another reader, Colleen, explained how she used baby wipes when her daughter got sick. ***End Update

Further, you can share your other tips for removing stains here.


Photo by Sean Scoggins

Related Pages You May Enjoy

Stain Removal Tips & Tricks For Busy Moms

Carpet Stain Removal Tips

Go From Cleaning Vomit Stains To Home Page

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