Don’t Let Muddy Carpet Ruin your Day – Here’s Some Tips to get Mud out Fast!

It’s finally Fall! Colorful leaves, cooler weather, and hopefully lots of rain! While Northern California desperately needs the rain, our homes do not need the mud! It’s inevitable that mud will enter our homes at some point this season. Whether it’s from the rain boots, a muddy pet, an afternoon playing in the rain, or world’s best mud pie, mud will come through our doors, onto our floors, and into our carpets.

But, the good news is mud comes out of carpets! It only takes a little patience and a few simple cleaning steps and your carpet will be mud-free and beautiful again.

Removing Mud from Carpet 101

1. Let the mud dry. As anxious as you are to get your carpets back to their original glory, exercise patience and let the wet mud dry. Rubbing wet mud deeper into the carpet fibers will only create a larger problem. If the mud is very wet, blot it gently (don’t rub!) so the moisture doesn’t reach the carpet pad. Then, be patient and let it dry. When mud is dry it is much easier to clean up.
2. Once the mud is dry, it’s time to vacuum. Vacuum very slowly over the dried mud. If you vacuum too quickly, you will not pick up as much dirt. Vacuum back and forth across the muddy area at least 12 times, making sure you vacuum in all directions. Once you think you’ve vacuumed enough, pass over it a few more times.
3. Make a detergent solution using one teaspoon of mild dishwashing detergent and a cup of lukewarm water. If you need more, you can double this recipe.
4. Take a white cloth and blot the solution onto the carpet. By using a white cloth, you can not only see the stain lifting, you won’t risk transferring color from a cloth onto your carpet. It’s important to use the least amount of water as possible. Large amounts of water can cause damage to the carpet and carpet pad.
5. Continue blotting, using a clean portion of the towel, until the stain is gone.
6. When the stain is completely gone, use a new clean cloth or paper towel to dry the affected area.

If your kids decided to bring the mud party inside or the neighborhood dogs come by for a muddy visit, you may need to call Baker’s Chem-Dry. We have powerful vacuums and cleaning solutions that will clean even the biggest mud stains. Don’t let wet weather and mud take you away from enjoying this fabulous season. Contact us today for a free carpet cleaning consultation.