Ice cream may be delicious, but when dropped, dripped or dribbled, it can wreak havoc on your home’s carpeting. Ice cream stains are not only one of the most common stains faced by homeowners, but they are also generally quite difficult to remove. This is particularly true for flavors such as chocolate, cherry or peanut butter, which often contain artificial dyes that can exacerbate the problem.
Fortunately, most ice cream stains can be removed from carpeting. All it takes is the right technique and a little bit of elbow grease. For the best results, try these steps:
Scoop
The first order of business is to get the bulk of the ice cream up off of the carpeting. Use a stiff piece of cardstock or a thin spatula and slide it underneath any large blobs of ice cream to gently lift them off the surface of the carpet. This lifting method prevents any additional ice cream from getting crammed down into the carpet fibers.
Blot
Next, combine a spoonful of dish soap with a half a cup of water to make a mild cleaning solution. Pour a small amount on the stain, and use a clean, absorbent cloth to blot it up. Avoid rubbing, since the back and forth motion can not only drive the stain further into the carpet, but can also wind up damaging the fibers. Repeat the blotting motion as many times as necessary to lift the stain.
Rinse
When the carpet looks clean, repeat the blotting process with clean water to remove any remaining dish soap from the carpeting. Finally, allow the damp area to dry completely before walking on it again.
One word of caution: always test your cleaning solution on an inconspicuous area first. That way you can be sure it won’t alter your carpet in any way. These simple steps will help you remove ice cream stains from your carpet with ease.
