What To Do If You Get Bleach On Your Carpet?

Bleach is an inexpensive product that whitens your white clothes, removes accidental stains, and disinfects surfaces around the house. However, spilling it accidentally on your carpet can leave a huge stain. Being an oxidizing agent, it'll strip your rug of its color (unless your carpet is pearly white) rather than add a colorful stain as most other spilt things do. In the case that you notice the spill immediately, dampen a towel with cold water and use it to blot (not rub) the affected area.

Ensure you put on gloves before attempting to remove the stain, as bleach can harm your skin. This is important since bleach will remain active until neutralized. But if plain water doesn't work, use a bleach neutralizer to balance out the pH and then work to eliminate all signs of the spill. With these methods, you may not have to replace your carpet or have a professional look at it after all.

The first step is to use a bleach neutralizer to offset the spilt bleach. After you've got the neutralizing crystals, boil some water and pour it into a bowl. Get your wet vacuum, too. Now, place some crystals in the bowl and stir the concoction to help them dissolve. Once done, pour the mixture over the stain, applying it only on the affected area. Let it sit for five minutes before using the vacuum to remove the residual mixture from your carpet. If you still notice the stain, repeat the steps until you're satisfied.

Once the stain disappears, let the carpet air dry. You can open the windows and employ a fan to speed up the drying process. Though this is the best DIY method to remove bleach from your carpet, it works best on fresh stains and might not give satisfactory results if the bleach has set in. Under such circumstances, combine dish soap and water to get rid of the stains.

According to Coit Cleaning & Restoration, get a bowl (or another container) and mix 1 cup of warm water with ¼ teaspoon of mild dish soap. Dip a clean microfiber cloth in the solution to blot the stain from the carpet. You might have to repeat the steps a couple of times till you notice a difference. Once the stain lifts from the carpet, fill the bowl with cold water and dip another microfiber cloth. Blot the stain to let the cloth soak in the cleaning solution. Finally, use paper towels to absorb excess water and let it air dry. After it's dry, vacuum it to prevent clumps in your carpet's fibers.

You could also try using baking soda as another method to remove the stain. Professional carpet cleaning company Nuway states that you should cover the stain with baking soda and then add water until it has a pasty consistency. Then, simply rub the mixture into the stain until it's disappeared. Nuway stresses not to let the paste touch your actual carpet fibers.

While these are two recommended methods, it is important to note that you should never use vinegar to clean bleach. According to the Washington State Department of Health, mixing vinegar and bleach will cause chlorine gas to form, which could lead to respiratory issues or worse.