How To Get Slime Out Of Carpet
If you have a child, you will eventually have to deal with cleaning up a mess they have made. It may be crayons or markers on the walls and furniture, food spills, or even messes on the carpet. What is the best way to remove slime from your carpet?
Removing slime from your carpet isn’t a difficult task if you use the proper cleanser and techniques to remove it. Dried slime may take a few added steps, but with a little patience, you will have your carpet slime free in no time. Avoid causing more damage to the carpet when removing the slime.
Published: December 16, 2022.
Below we will look at some of the best methods and cleansers to remove slime from your carpet.
What is Slime?
Slime is equal parts children's toy and science experiment. It is considered a non-Newtonian fluid. It can act as a solid or liquid, depending on how it is handled.
It is a popular toy with children since it can be stretchy, slimy, gooey, or even solid enough to bounce. It can be colored or contain glitter and even glow in the dark.
Slime can be made at home from water, borax, glue, and food coloring. To make your slime, dissolve a teaspoon of borax in a cup of water. In a separate bowl, mix half of a cup of glue and half a cup of water. You will then mix the two solutions. The slime will start to form in just a matter of seconds.
Adjusting the ingredients will determine what properties your slime will have.
Is Slime Harmful to Carpets?
None of the ingredients used to make slime are harmful to carpet or carpet fibers. Slime by itself should not cause discoloration or a stain if it contacts your clothing or carpet fibers. Some slime may contain added ingredients such as food coloring or dyes which could be harmful to your carpet and clothes.
Using harsh chemicals or cleaners which would damage your carpet when attempting to remove the slime will usually cause more damage to your carpet than the slime will.
Before You Begin
There are a few considerations you need to make before you start to remove the slime from your carpet.
You will need to determine if the slime is wet or dry, you will also need to consider your carpet type, and finally, you will need to look at the size and severity of the stain.
Is The Slime Wet or Dry?
Before you can begin to clean the slime out of your carpet, you will need to determine if the slime is still in a fluid state or if it has completely hardened.
The slime will be easier to remove if it has not hardened. If it has hardened you may need to soften the slime before you can attempt to remove it.
We will cover each cleaning method below to determine the exact steps taken to remove the slime from your carpet.
Carpet Type
The type of carpet you are dealing with will also affect the cleaning method you can use. If it is made from delicate or natural fibers, you will need to avoid harsh chemicals that will damage your carpet.
If you are dealing with low-pile commercial carpeting, it will be easier to remove the slime from these fibers.
If you are unsure you will be able to remove the slime from the carpet without damaging it, you should seek professional help. They will be able to assess the situation and provide their recommendation for removing the slime.
Size of The Carpet Affected
The size of the carpet affected by the slime will also determine what treatment options are available to remove it.
If it is a smaller area, you should be able to remove the slime with ease. Larger stains may require a professional and their equipment to get the carpet slime free again.
How Severe is it?
The last thing you will need to consider before you begin trying to remove the slime on your own is the severity of the stain.
Most slime should not harm your carpet, but if it is deep in the fibers or a dark-colored slime, it may require stronger chemicals to remove from your carpet without causing permanent damage.
Dried Slime in Your Carpet
We will first cover what to do if the slime has dried. Dried slime will be more difficult to remove than wet slime. You may need to loosen the slime before you can remove it from the fibers. Let's look at a few methods to remove dried slime from your carpet.
Rubbing and scrubbing
Dried slime may just require a little elbow grease to remove. Scrubbing the dried slime with a stiff brush may be adequate in breaking up the slime and removing it from the fibers of the carpet.
Once it is free, you will be able to vacuum it up, leaving your carpets clean and slime free.
Putty Knife
If scrubbing the slime with a brush is ineffective in loosening it from your carpet, you can try scraping it with a putty knife to remove it. Be gentle when you are scraping the hardened slime, and avoid damaging the fibers of the carpet.
If you do not have a putty knife available, you could also use a spoon or even a butter knife to loosen the slime from the fibers of your carpet.
Vinegar
Vinegar is a natural cleanser and can be used to loosen the hardened slime from your carpet without harsh chemicals that may damage your carpet. You can use either plain white vinegar or apple cider vinegar to make a cleanser to apply to the slime on your carpet.
Mix equal parts white vinegar and water and apply it to the slime stain on your carpet. Allow it to sit for a minimum of 15 minutes before you blot it with a clean cloth or towel to remove the slime. You may need to re-apply the vinegar a few times for the best results.
If you are using apple cider vinegar, mix ⅔ cup of apple cider vinegar with ⅓ cup of water and apply to your slime satin. Again, let this mixture sit for at least 15 minutes before attempting to remove the slime with a clean cloth or towel.
If you do have pets, be careful when using vinegar around them. Vinegar can be harmful to pets if they ingest it. Ensure your pets will be kept away from the area until the slime is completely cleaned up and the carpet has fully dried.
Ice
You can also use ice to help break up the dried slime on your carpet. Applying ice or ice packs to the slime will freeze it and make it easier to break up.
You can then scrape or pick the frozen slime out of the carpet fibers. If there is any remaining slime, it can be cleaned with the wet slime cleaning methods discussed below.
Wet Slime Removal from Carpet
Wet slime will be easier to remove from your carpet than slime that has dried. If you are able, you should remove the slime before it dries. We will cover some household products that are proven to be effective when removing wet slime.
Dish Soap
Using a solution made from dish soap is the most popular method to remove wet slime from your carpet. Mix a small amount of dish soap with water and apply it to the affected area of your carpet.
You can blot the slime with a cloth or towel to remove it. When the carpet is clean, you can use warm water to remove any remaining soap residue.
Salt
Salt can be used to break down any slime on your carpet. Cover the slime with salt and allow it to sit for at least 15 minutes.
You can then vacuum up the salt and slime, leaving your carpet looking fresh and clean.
Rubbing Alcohol
If there was any food coloring in your slime, you should consider using rubbing alcohol to clean it from your carpet. Pour the rubbing alcohol on a cloth or towel and scrub the stain to remove it. You should rinse the carpet with water after cleaning and allow it to dry.
Rubbing alcohol is effective at removing slime from clothing also. You can scrub them or soak the affected area in the alcohol before washing according to the label.
Baking Soda
Sprinkling baking soda onto the slime in the carpet should help lift the slime.
After it is allowed to sit for a few minutes, it can then be vacuumed out, bringing the slime out with it.
Additional tips and tricks
Cleaning the slime as soon as possible before it has the chance to dry will be the most effective method of removing slime from your carpet. Do not wait if there is slime in your carpet. The faster you begin cleaning it, the easier it will be to remove.
Once you do begin cleaning, take your time. Rubbing or scrubbing gently will keep you from damaging your carpet. If the slime has dried and you need to scrape it out, be sure to remove the slime without excessively pulling the carpet fibers. You want to remove the slime without causing any damage to that carpet.
If the slime is not coming out when scraping, you will need to try freezing or softening the slime before applying more force which can cause damage to the carpet.
Limit the amount of water you use to clean the carpet. You will also need to completely dry the carpet and padding underneath after you have fully cleaned the carpet. Using an excess of water or not fully drying the carpet out can promote mold growth under your carpet causing more problems in the future.
You should avoid any cleaning products not designed to be used when cleaning carpets. These products may do more harm than good and could stain your carpet rather than clean the slime from it. Any product with bleach should be discarded for a mild, natural cleaner.
If there is any doubt that the product may harm your carpet, don’t use it.
When to Seek Help
If you have a delicate carpet, if the slime covers a large area or is proving difficult to remove, you should consider hiring a professional to remove the stain.
They will be able to assess the situation properly and employ the best methods to remove the slime without causing damage to the carpet.
Prevention
The best way to keep your carpets clean and slime free is prevention. Covering your carpet with a playmat or tarp will go a long way in preventing any damage to your carpet in the future. You can also use an old rug for your children to play on to protect the carpet.
Even with the best prevention, accidents can happen, so if you do need to clean slime or any other substance from your carpet, you will already have some experience.
Conclusion
Removing wet slime from your carpet is easier than removing dry slime. You should clean any slime from your carpet immediately to prevent it from drying and becoming more difficult to remove.
The ingredients in slime shouldn’t harm your carpet, so you should only use mild soap or vinegar to remove it. You should avoid harsh cleansers or chemicals which can damage your carpet during the cleaning process.
If the slime has dried into your carpet, it will be more difficult to remove. You can attempt to scrape it out gently. Be careful not to damage any carpet fibers during the process. If it is not coming out, you will need to loosen the slime from the carpet with vinegar, ice, or another method.
If you can not remove the slime from your carpet, or a large area of your carpet is affected, you may want to consult professional help. They will be able to remove the slime without causing further damage to your carpet.