Gravy is one of the major factors in any food that can enhance its taste too many folds. Apart from this, gravy allows you to handle your cooking mistakes in an efficient manner such as balancing the salt or pepper. Although all the things about gravy are just amazing, they can become a mess when get dropped on your clothes, shirts, sheets, or carpets.
The question is not about gravy but how to remove gravy stains from the carpet as it is probably the toughest thing to get rid of from any kind of stains.
What is a gravy stain
Gravy is just a small amount of liquid material that is a combination of water, oil, onions, tomatoes, chilies, and many other ingredients included in the food. It contains some fats as well that can cause oily stains. The best thing about gravy stains is that it is not that tough and can easily be removed from all kinds of surfaces and fabrics as well.
Does gravy stain carpet
As said earlier, gravy contains various kinds of fats and ingredients and the oil in the meal is like an extra mess. We all know that most of the ingredients included in food can stain clothes or any other fabrics especially if they are wet or have been combined with oil and fats.
Even though food ingredients can cause stains, oil and fats are the major reason as they leave an oily mark on your fabrics which can be seen from far away. If you get a gravy stain on your carpet, it will not only affect its appearance and charm but can emit a weird smell as well that will become worse with passing time.
Does gravy come out of the carpet
Gravy stains can come out of the carpet as they are not so tough but are quite messy. You need to use the right products with the right procedure so that you can remove stains instead of making them worse.
If the stain is completely fresh, just wipe off the excess liquid from the carpet and wash off the area using laundry detergent or dishwashing soap. It will be very beneficial if you use water boiled to the highest suitable temperature for your carpet’s fabrics.
What gets gravy stains out of carpet
Various commercial products in the market can help you to remove gravy stains from the carpet but you should use kitchen ingredients as they are safe for the carpet’s fabrics.
White vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice, and cornstarch are probably the best products to be used for this process.
You can use isopropyl alcohol or nail polish remover as well but such products should be tested on a hidden corner to see if they are safe for your carpet’s fabrics or not.
Is carpet the toughest fabric to remove gravy stains
Comparing carpet with other fabrics such as simple dresses, clothes, shirts, pants, etc, carpet is a lot more different from them in many aspects. The major thing that makes carpet a tough surface is that it cannot be removed from the floor and needs to be treated at its very place.
You have to apply the procedure and remove liquids without displacing them. Apart from this, carpet has very long fabrics which allow the gravy to go deep inside and get stuck in them. This makes it difficult for you to take out oil and debris from the bottom and each fabric of the carpet.
How to clean gravy from carpet
- Start by scraping the excess amount of gravy from the fabrics of the carpet with the help of a dull plastic scraper or an expired credit card.
- Put a good amount of baking soda on the stain. You can use cornstarch or any other ingredients as well that can absorb gravy from the deep fabrics of your carpet.
- Let the baking soda stay on the stain for about 5 to 15 minutes so that it can blot each drop of liquid properly.
- Wipe off the soda from the satins. Repeat this step one more time if necessary.
- Clean the remaining stain from the fabrics of the carpet using a clean towel, soft cloth, or tissue paper.
- Apart from this, you can also use any solvent to clean the stain using some kind of dry cleaning method.
- Now use absorbent cloth, vacuum, or sponge that can blot the used solvent in an efficient manner.
- If there is still a stain on the carpet, prepare a solution of hand dishwashing or any liquid detergent along with vinegar (one tablespoon each) and mix it in 2 to 3 cups of hot water.
- Now dip a sponge or soft cloth in this mixture and apply it to the stain.
- Blot the excess amount of solution from the carpet and wash it off thoroughly.
- Let it dry for a few hours or use a hairdryer for the rapid drying process.
How to protect the carpet from gravy stains
- One of the best and first things that you should do is to make a habit or a strict rule. You should never eat on a carpet without a mat or sheet over it. Putting a meal on a sheet will drop gravy on that sheet instead of the carpet itself.
- Fabrics of carpet can play a vital role in preventing stains. If you have kids or you eat on the carpet very often, buying a tough carpet with stain-resistant properties can help you to a greater extent.
- Install a carpet of dark color. This factor may not protect your carpet from gravy stains but if you are unable to remove it for some time or in an efficient manner, oil stains will be a lot less visible on the dark carpet as compared to pale or bright colors.
- Buy a dining set that is suitable and make it safe to eat on the carpet. Your plates and bowls should have an extended outside curve so that gravy drops can fall within the bowl instead of your carpet.
- Buy sippy cups for your kids if they like to eat gravy just like soup.