How to get old unknown stains out of a rental carpet cheap
Carpet machines can push dirt deeper and make set-in stains worse, and replacing the carpet is completely out of a tight renter's budget. Using the wrong DIY fixes like standard cleaning methods or harsh chemicals can permanently lock in unknown spills, leaving you stuck with unsightly spots right before a lease ends.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Using a carpet cleaner machine with a home mix of water and soap
- 2Flushing the carpet with just water
- 3Using rubbing alcohol and cotton rounds
- 4Using acetone soaked after rubbing alcohol
- 5Pinching the stain to lift it rather than rubbing
- 6Cutting fibers from a closet to patch the damaged area
- 7Using damp rid containers
- 8Applying Peerless JAL Attack An Odour
- 9Smoking a cigarette in the same room
- 10Opening windows for airflow
- 11Shampooing the carpet
- 12Using an ozone generator
- 13Sprinkling baking soda, letting it sit overnight, and vacuuming
- 14Used Clorox wipes and all purpose cleaner
- 15Used oxiclean
- 16Used laundry stain remover
- 17Used a mixture of dawn, vinegar, and water
- 18Using Folex carpet cleaner
- 19Applying a homemade 2:1 ratio of cold water to white vinegar with a drop of dish soap
- 20Using Ecostrong's enzyme cleaner
- 21using a Bissel Little Green machine
- 22hiring professional carpet cleaners
- 23trying enzyme cleaners like up & up or Biokleen Bac-Out with a wet/dry shop vac and microfiber cloths
- 24Used vanish stain remover and hydrogen peroxide and scrubbed or blot dried.
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“It’s got very old stains, spills, and all sorts, and it looks awful.”source ↗
“We rent, and replacing the carpet isn’t even almost in our budget.”source ↗
“some general dirt-like stains around that actually seemed to get worse after we used the carpet machine a few times.”source ↗
“i’m pretty sure even after they had it professionally cleaned it kind of smells.”source ↗
“anyways i was gonna hire someone to do carpet cleaning but genuinely it’s just right in the door and i own the little green machine from bissel. So does anyone know any good hacks or cleaning solutions that do best.”source ↗
“Accidentally stained my carpet with blue gel nail polish. Any advice on getting the stain out or am I screwed?”source ↗
“There is an ungodly bad smell of what i would describe as like stale marijuana or bongwater in the carpet. Its making us feel sick and we need some help to remove the smell.”source ↗
“We've tried putting a couple of damprids in the room and used Peerless JAL Attack An Odour to no avail.”source ↗
“The red salsa has stained my rug. I have tried oxiclean, laundry stain remover, and a mixture of dawn/vinegar/water. It is still stained a faint orange color :(”source ↗
“My parents are on vacation and I am pet sitting, and the dog had an accident on the carpet. I have tried resolve, skouts honor and nellies pet stain remover, plus a scope pet solution in a handheld carpet cleaner, what can I try to remove the stain here? The carpet being so thick makes this harder”source ↗
“My dog threw up on this rug a few weeks ago and at the time, all I had on hand was vanish stain remover and hydrogen peroxide.”source ↗
“there is still this dark looking stain on it. It’s been a few weeks now and I haven’t done anything else. Is it too late to try and make it not so obvious?”source ↗
“I can’t replace the rug right now but would love for there to not be such an obvious dark patch.”source ↗
Where this came up
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