ketchup

Ketchup! Talk about a true American dynasty! This stuff is devoured by Americans everyday by the truckload! Hamburgers, hot dogs, French fries are all American traditions…and so is the dribble of ketchup on your carpet.

Ketchup is one of the worst stains to have because it’s derived from tomatoes that contain a natural red dye. Ketchup also contains vinegar which is also acidic. This also helps the natural red dye bond to the carpet fiber. Trying to remove this type of stain can be somewhat difficult to remove.

In order to remove the ketchup from carpet you are going to need something just as acidic as the ketchup itself. But, there are many risks when removing this type of stain from your carpet. Acidic products such as vinegar, ammonia etc… must be used properly or you run the risk of damaging or discoloring your carpet. Also, any chemical product or solution must be used properly for safety purposes. Never use any chemical without proper ventilation or having read the caution statement on the bottle.

If you have this type of stain on your carpet then it must be removed immediately! If not, you run the risk of the stain setting in and then it cannot be removed easily or you will damage the carpet fiber in the process. So, when removing ketchup stains you need to blot…not rub! Never rub a stain! This action will cause the stain to heat transfer into your carpet from the friction. Here we will discuss some solutions for ketchup stain removal on carpet.

Things you will need:

  1. Ammonia (household)
  2. Laundry pre-spray
  3. Wet/dry vacuum
  4. White cloth (2)
  5. Spray bottle
  6. Toothbrush
  7. Warm water

Follow these steps:

First, you must get to the stain quickly! You need to remove as much of the excess ketchup as possible. But, as stated above…no rubbing! Also, in this case blotting will push the stain further into the carpet backing and fiber. So, you must use vacuum to remove the excess ketchup from the carpet. You need to use the wet/dry vacuum to remove the excess ketchup from the carpet. If you do not have a vacuum then you can use a butter knife of spatula to remove the excess ketchup. Next, you need to treat the stain with the laundry pre-spray solution. Spray on full strength and let sit for 15-20 minutes. After wait time, vacuum up the laundry solution and rinse with warm water. At this point, the stain should be dramatically lightened with this treatment alone. It’s possible that you might be satisfied with this result and not go any further. If not, then you can continue with the next step.

Second, mix 1 part ammonia to 4 parts warm water into the spray bottle. Shake well! Do not use too much ammonia or you will discolor the carpet! Use 3-4 sprays directly onto the stained area and agitate lightly with the toothbrush. Agitate the stain in a circular motion lightly for about 10-15 seconds. Use the wet/dry vacuum to remove the excess solution shortly after. Continue this process until desired results are achieved. Last you need to rinse the stained area from any excess ammonia solution. Pour warm water directly onto the stained area and saturate well! Vacuum up immediately! Continue this process until desired results are achieved. Your mustard stain should be removed or lightened enough to where it cannot be noticed.