How To Get Soap Out of Carpet (Both: Dry & Wet)

Using soaps and detergents for carpet cleaning will leave sticky and soapy residues that will cause the carpet to regather all the dirt and reduce the quality of breathable air of your home.

Carpet maintenance is vital to keeping your carpet in excellent condition so that it can last for a long time. And, yes this maintenance also means not letting the soap remain in the carpet as much as possible.

Let us first understand, what all can cause soap to make its way into the carpet.

How Does Soap Get Into the Carpet?

There are two ways:

Spillage

One of the common ways through which soap finds its way into the carpet is through spillage, which occurs when you or someone in the house spills soapy water or other liquid cleaning agents.

Residual Soap After Cleaning

Soap and water are usually required for cleaning the carpet. Not rinsing the carpet thoroughly, to ensure that it is free from soap, will leave residuals of soap in your carpet.

Getting Soap Out of Carpet – The Process

Now that you understand the basics of the processes involved in getting soap out of carpet, the next thing to do is to get started with ridding your carpet of soap.

There are 2 different kinds of soap spills on the carpet; the wet and the dry spill.

– The wet type of spill is a very fresh one, where you can still see the soap on the carpet.

– As the name suggests, the dry spill is the kind of spill where the soap spill has dried up and can hardly be seen on the carpet.

The kind of spill on the carpet is the primary determining factor in getting soap out of the carpet.

Here’s how to clean these different types:

1- For a Dry Spill

1- Since a dry spill has spent more extended time on the carpet, the first thing to do would be to find a way to neutralize the soap. So, use warm water to dissolve the soap. The addition of vinegar to the water makes the process faster because of its absorbency.

2- Proceed to pour the mixture of water and vinegar on the affected section of the carpet. You can also soak the towel in the mixture and place the wet towel on the carpet to blot out the soap.

3- Repeat this process until you are sure that you have gotten rid of most of the soap in the carpet. The absence of foaming and soap bubbles are signs that the carpet is free from soap.

4- After the soap has been absorbed from the carpet, pour additional warm water on the carpet’s affected area to rinse out any soap residue left in the carpet.

5- Finally, use a dry towel to absorb excess water from the carpet. For this process, you can use a wet-dry vacuum cleaner to dry the carpet completely. However, it is usually best to air dry the carpet.

2- For A Wet Spill

Wet Spills are usually more evident and pronounced than dry spills because the soap is still very noticeable on the carpet.

1- Begin by using a clean, dry towel to dry out as much of the soap as possible.

2- After using a clean towel to wipe the soap, there is likely to be some soap residue on the carpet’s surface. To effectively remove the extra soap residue, press a damp towel against the carpet.

3- Please get a new damp towel, or rinse the former one, place it firmly on the carpet to soak excess water left in the carpet. Squeeze the water from the towel and repeat the process until you are no longer able to squeeze any water out of it.

4- The drying process of a wet spill is not different from that of a dry spill. Use a wet-dry vacuum cleaner or allow it to dry naturally.

3- Soap Residue from Washing

If you do not adequately rinse your carpet with water after washing with soaps, you will likely have soap residues on your carpet.

To get rid of soap in the carpet due to residue from washing, pour more water on the affected area and towel dry until all foams and bubbles are out of the carpet.

When drying water from the carpet, it is best to always start from the carpet’s edges and finish at the center. This allows the drying process to be faster.

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Here is a quick recap:

1- Determine whether it is a dry or wet spill.
2- Use a clean towel or absorbent clothing material to get rid of the soap.
3- Dry away excess or residue water with a towel.
– In case of a dry spill, mix vinegar with warm water, soak a towel in the mixture and use it to dry the carpet.
– In case of a wet spill, warm water and a clean absorbent cloth or towel will do the job.
4- Leave the carpet to dry naturally, or use a wet-dry vacuum cleaner.

Getting Shampoo Out of Carpet

No matter how careful about getting liquids spilled on your carpet, now and then, mistakes would happen, and you or someone else will spill something on the carpet, say a hair shampoo or dishwashing liquid.

Since most shampoos are also foam-like soap, the removal process is similar to the general process of getting soap out of the carpet. However, you may want to add vinegar to the water to remove the stains left behind by the shampoo effectively.

Getting Carpet Cleaner Out of Carpet

Removing carpet cleaners from your carpet should be easy. It is similar to re-cleaning the carpet again. However, getting the carpet cleaner out of the carpet depends on whether the cleaner is liquid or solid.

1- Get a dry cloth to wipe the carpet cleaner away from the carpet’s surface.

2- Then proceed to add water to the part of the carpet.

3- After this, put another dry cloth, preferably a towel over the wet place, to soak up the water.

4- Finally, allow the carpet to dry naturally.

Let me give you a bonus.

Getting Bubbles Out of Carpet

Sometimes a carpet might bubble after cleaning, especially when the water has not thoroughly dried, and there are residues in the carpet.

If water or soap is the cause of bubbles in your carpet, the efficient way of getting rid of it is to get a dry towel to dry out the water.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Soap getting into the carpet can sometimes be unavoidable, no matter how careful you are. If you find yourself in a situation where you have to get the soap out of your carpet, waste no time and follow the outlined steps.

Cheers!