How to Get Red Gatorade Out of Carpet
Find out how to remove red Gatorade stain from your carpet and learn how to prevent carpet stains so your carpet can keep looking spotless and great.
Gatorade is a fantastic and great-tasting drink, but it is packed with as many colorants as electrolytes. Those colorants mean that a spill of Gatorade on your carpet will likely become a permanent fixture if you do not take action.
For the best results in removing Gatorade from a carpet, begin the cleaning process as soon as the spill happens.
First, dab the spill with paper towels or an old cloth towel – clean from the outside of the stain toward the center. Lift the stain using vinegar, warm water, and club soda until the color has been removed. You may need to use several products and attempts to rid your carpet of a red Gatorade stain.
If you have spilled Gatorade on your carpet, you are not alone. Many of us have been in this unfortunate situation, and although it is difficult, it is not impossible to remove a Gatorade stain.
Gatorade uses several intense colorants to give it that vivid color we know and love, but can leave an unsightly stain on your carpet if spilled.
Read on as we uncover how to get red Gatorade out of a carpet. And the good news is, you can also use these methods for removing yellow, orange, green and blue Gatorade stains.
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How to Remove Red Gatorade Stain from Carpet – 4 Simple Steps
When red Gatorade is spilled on any material, it will likely stain immediately. Fortunately, you can take a few simple-to-follow steps to ensure the stain does not become a permanent feature on your precious carpet.
Let’s look at a few vital and helpful steps to help remove the Gatorade stains.
The steps we provide are all great stain-remover options. If you do not have a mentioned ingredient on hand, try another. They do not have to be tested in the order we have provided.
However, step one should be done first, as it is to be completed before any products are applied.
Step 1
The first step is possibly also the most important and time-sensitive one of them all. This step involves dabbing the spill as soon after it happens as possible.
Use paper kitchen towels or an old cloth to dab the spill before the colors have a chance to set in completely. Dab from the outer edge of the spill, moving toward the center.
You dab rather than rub since rubbing this sort of spill may result in the color spreading and sinking further into the carpet’s weave.
Continue dabbing the spill until you have collected as much moisture as possible.
Step 2
If the spill is not entirely removed by dabbing it, as in step one, it is time to visit your pantry and begin a more stringent attack on the Gatorade stain.
Step two involves using club soda. Spread a little of the liquid over the stain. Use just enough to moisten the area in question, not to make it completely wet.
Leave the club soda on the stain for about five minutes, then begin blotting the stain once more. Again, use paper towels or an old cloth towel for the process. While dabbing, you should notice the color from the dye being transferred to the cloth.
If, after you have completed this step, a little color is still evident on your carpet, it may be time to attempt step three.
Step 3
This step involves using a little dish soap, alkaline detergent, and cool water. Mix a solution containing two cups of water with one tablespoon of dish soap and detergent.
Be wary of using dish soap directly on your carpet, as it will likely not remove the Gatorade and will leave a stain of its own.
Once you have stirred your mixture of soap, detergent, and water, use a cloth or sponge to add a small amount to the stained area. Leave it for around fifteen minutes.
Return to the carpet’s stain and dab it again, using paper towels or an old cloth. Should the stain persist, repeat the process a few times.
Step 4
If your carpet is a light color or white, you may consider using Hydrogen Peroxide on your Gatorade stain.
This method uses a mixture of 3% Peroxide and water. Dampen the stain and leave it to get to work. After about fifteen minutes, begin the process of removing it.
For the final part of this step, you can place a clean towel over the stain and iron over it, using the steam setting on your iron. Better yet, if you have a steam cleaner, give the area a steam clean to make your job easier.
(You may also want to read this article for more tips on how to get rid of carpet stains).
How to Prevent Carpet Stains
If you find that your carpets bear the brunt of multiple adventures in the dirt, it may be time to take some precautionary measures to avoid having them become dirty in the first place.
Here are a few of the most pristine ideas to help keep your carpets in Pinterest-worthy condition.
1. Designated Eating Areas
Whether or not you have children, this rule can help keep crumbs and stains to a minimum throughout your home. Ensure that your designated eating area is fitted with a plastic or machine-washable mat for easy cleaning.
Do not permit the eating or drinking of anything other than water in other areas of your home, and you will notice an improvement in the overall cleanliness of your floors.
2. No Shoes Inside
In the past, this rule was particular to Asian cultures, but the practice has now caught on in many other countries, too. When you remove your shoes as you enter your home, you prevent dirt from outside from entering the house.
Removing your shoes also helps keep your carpets clean, as socks or bare feet are less likely to carry as much dirt as shoes with grip soles.
Ask family members and guests to remove their shoes at the front door. You may wish to provide socks or covers of some kind if guests do not want to be barefoot.
3. Take Immediate Action
It is only natural to drop, drip, and spill things. When these accidents happen, the best we can do is take immediate action to clean them up. If the spill on your carpet is wet, dab it with a paper towel or old cloth.
Always dab from the outside of the spill inward toward the center, and do not rub the spill to avoid spreading it. If the spill is not entirely cleaned after dabbing, begin cleaning it with vinegar, club soda, hydrogen peroxide, or dish soap with water.
When using cleaning products, always dilute them, and allow them to remain on the spot for a few minutes before dabbing them off to assess whether or not the process was successful.
Final Thoughts on How to Get Gatorade Out of Carpet
Removing Gatorade stains from a carpet could entail using various cleaning materials. Luckily, many of the best options are likely already in your pantry or home. It is best to clean Gatorade spills as soon as they happen to avoid having them become permanent stains.
If you have a particularly stubborn and unsightly stain, you may wish to consider applying hydrogen peroxide; however, club soda, vinegar, or dish soap should do the trick. You may need to use the cleaning solution a few times before it takes effect, but be assured that removing red Gatorade from carpets is almost always possible.