Makeup powders, powdered ingredients, and craft supplies are just a few of the powders we have in our homes. Although these products are useful and many of us enjoy owning them, they also make a huge mess when they spill, especially on carpet. Keep reading to learn how to clean powder spills out of your carpet so you can keep using powder products without worrying.
Be Quick and Gentle
As soon as powder hits your carpet, you have to act. It doesn’t matter if it’s your sister’s eyeshadow or your instant coffee—powder sets into fibers quickly, so you must start cleaning as soon as possible. However, that doesn’t mean immediately grabbing a scrub brush and going to town. Aggressive scrubbing or cleaning can force powder further into your carpet fibers, resulting in a long-lasting stain. Avoid stains by responding quickly to the spilled powder and cleaning gently.
Use a Vacuum
One of the best ways to quickly and gently clean up spilled powder is with a vacuum. Vacuums feature powerful suction that will immediately clean up any loose powder and prevent it from getting into your carpet. While the wheels could crush some of the spilled powder further into your carpet, the suction should gently pull most of the powder out before it can stain. To avoid embedding the mess, disconnect your suction hose from the back of your vacuum and use it to clean up the powder by hand.
Make a Cleaning Paste
Many events in our life call for pigmented powder, from using glow-in-the-dark pigment powder for late-night celebrations to everyday makeup looks. However, these pigmented powders are the hardest to clean from the carpet. Luckily, it is possible.
After vacuuming the loose powder, create a cleaning paste that will get into your carpet fibers. Start with around half a cup of baking powder and three tablespoons of water. You may need to add more baking powder or water until the cleaning paste is a consistency you can easily spread. Once you’ve made the cleaning paste, gently rub it into the spill. Allow it to dry before vacuuming it up and gently cleaning the area with cool water.
Now you know how to clean powder spills out of your carpet by being quick and gentle, using a vacuum, and making a cleaning paste. If the stain persists after these cleaning efforts, you can try blotting the area with rubbing alcohol, ammonia, or a bleach-water mixture. If you still can’t get the powder stain out after these harsher methods, contact a professional carpet cleaner.