Wool rugs can come with a hefty price tag, and with that investment, it can be frustrating if one of your animals makes a mess on it.
Dog vomit, in general, is an unpleasant thing to clean up, but dog vomit on that expensive wool rug can be a daunting task to attend to.
When cleaning up dog vomit from a wool rug, it is essential to take the correct steps to avoid harming the rug.
If you find yourself in this situation, don’t worry, we have been there and done some research to figure out how to remove vomit from wool rugs.
Continue reading down below to learn how to clean dog vomit from wool rugs.
What You’ll Need:
- Vacuum
- Clean cloths
- Water
- Baking soda
- White vinegar
The above items are all that you will need to remove dog vomit from a wool rug.
Most of these items you probably already have lying around in the house, but if not they are easily accessible online or from the local store.
Continue reading for step-by-step instructions on how to clean dog vomit from a wool rug.
1. Vacuum The Wool Rug
Remove any solids from the rug, first by removing them with a cloth.
Be careful not to rub the dog vomit into the wool rug.
Scoop or pull the vomit up rather than scrubbing.
Then take a vacuum and vacuum up any dust and other particles on the wool rug.
Vacuum from side to side to avoid catching any fringe on the wool rug.
2. Blot Up Liquid From Stain
For any liquid on the dog vomit stain, use a clean cloth and blot it up.
Doing this will help to remove any liquid from the dog vomit from the carpet.
By removing any existing fluid, the remaining stain will be easier to remove!
3. Dilute The Stain
To aid in the removal of the dog vomit stain, spray some water onto the stain.
Doing this will dilute the stains and help to remove the stain from the wool rug.
Do not over soak the wool rug, as this will cause the rug to take much longer to dry and delay the stain removal process.
4. Blot The Stain
Using a clean cloth, blot the now wet dog vomit stain.
Continue to do this, removing the stain as you blot.
Be sure to check the cloth to ensure you are still pulling the dog vomit.
Once you are no longer pulling the dog vomit stain, continue.
5. Make A Baking Soda and Water Paste
Create a paste of baking soda and water.
Be sure to use enough of each to make a paste-like consistency – not too wet, nor too dry.
Ensure you are also creating enough of the paste to cover the entire stain on the wool rug.
6. Apply Cleaning Paste To Stain
Once you have made enough paste and at the right consistency, apply the paste to the dog vomit stain on the wool rug.
The baking soda and water paste should absorb the dog vomit stain and any lingering odor of the vomit.
7. Vacuum Up Paste
Allow the paste to dry on the dog vomit stain.
Once it has thoroughly dried, bring out the vacuum and vacuum up the baking soda paste.
8. Repeat, If Necessary
The baking soda should have removed the remainder of the dog vomit stain from the wool rug.
If there is a stain that persists, repeat the steps above as necessary.
Consider leaving the baking soda on the stain for a more extended period of time.
9. Dilute With White Vinegar
If the stain still remains on your wool rug, dilute the dog vomit stain with white vinegar.
The white vinegar can help to remove any remaining stain.
In addition, the white vinegar should also get rid of any odor that is present on the wool rug.
10. Let Air Dry
Allow the white vinegar to air dry on the wool rug.
The pungent smell of the white vinegar will dissipate once it dries.
Video Instructions
- Step 1 (:11) — Vacuum the wool rug
- Step 2 (:33) — Blot up extra liquid
- Step 3 (:35) — Dilute the stain
- Step 4 (:40) — Blot the stain
- Step 5 (:45) — Create paste
- Step 6 (:53) — Apply paste
- Step 7 (:57) — Vacuum
- Step 8 (1:03) — Repeat
- Step 9 (1:18) — Dilute with white vinegar
- Step 10 (1:24) — Let air dry
FAQ
What Types Of Cleaners Should I Not Use On Wool Rugs?
Do not use any commercial products that are not explicitly meant for wool fibers.
As Oxyclean can often be used to clean many things, this can harm the wool rug fibers and should be avoided.
The same goes for hydrogen peroxide, and Oxidizers in these cleaners harm the fibers and alter and remove the color.
Avoid at-home steam cleaning as it will take too long to dry that it is at risk of growing mildew.
If there is any remaining dust in the wool rug, the water will create mud on the rug.
In addition, steam cleaning is too hot for the wool.
If you think you need your wool rug steam cleaned, be sure to hire professional cleaners.
What Are Other At Home Cleaners I Can Use On Wool Rugs?
Some people use chamomile tea in a similar way to white vinegar.
First, brew some chamomile tea in a large container and pour it on the carpet.
Lightly scrub the spot with a toothbrush or similar tool.
Others use oatmeal boiled with water.
After it has cooled, you can pour it onto the wool rug and use a brush to scrub the spot.
Then you can vacuum up the remaining oatmeal.
You can also add a small amount of dishwashing soap to white vinegar, hot water, and baking soda.
Once the solution has cooled down, you can use this as a typical stain remover.
Why Is It Bad To Get Wool Rugs Too Wet?
While the outer surface of wool repels water, the inner layer of wool fibers will attract and absorb moisture.
Thus when wool rugs are too wet, they will not dry quickly enough and grow mold and mildew.
Once there is mold and mildew in wool rugs, it cannot be reversed and must be discarded. When applying liquids to wool rugs, do it sparingly.
