How to Remove Carpet Stains Before Moving Out
Carpet stains are one of the most common deposit deduction triggers — not because landlords are being dramatic, but because stains are obvious at checkout, easy to photograph, and hard to argue as wear and tear. The good news: most stains can be removed or massively improved if you use the right method for the right stain. The wrong method makes them worse.
Why Carpet Stains Are a Big Deal at Checkout
Landlords and inventory clerks don't inspect carpets casually. They check them under strong lighting, sometimes from low angles where stains show up more clearly. They'll examine living rooms, bedrooms, hallways, stairs, and the high-traffic paths between sofas and doors.
Stains that tenants commonly miss until inspection day include darker patches near doorways, light bleach marks, coffee rings, pet urine areas that look clean but smell, makeup marks near mirrors, and candle wax spots. Once the checkout report says "stained", "marked", or "requires professional cleaning", deposit deductions become very likely.
#2
Most common deposit deduction after general cleaningEasy
For inspectors to photograph and evidence8–10yr
Typical carpet lifespan — age limits deductionsFair Wear and Tear vs Carpet Stains
This is where tenants get confused — and where understanding the distinction can save you money.
✓
Slight flattening in high-traffic areas
✓
General dullness or pile compression over time
✓
Light fading from sunlight near windows
✓
Minor wear proportional to a long tenancy
✕
Wine, coffee, tea spills
✕
Pet urine stains and odours
✕
Food and grease marks
✕
Burns from irons or cigarettes
✕
Paint, ink, or makeup stains
Stains are treated as avoidable — they aren't the result of normal living the way carpet flattening is. But deductions aren't unlimited, which is where betterment rules come in.
The Betterment Rule: Why Carpet Age Matters
Betterment means the landlord shouldn't end up better off than they were when you moved in. If a carpet is already old and you cause a stain, you may be liable — but only for the remaining value, not a brand-new replacement. Deposit protection schemes consider carpet age, original condition, tenancy length, and stain severity in every dispute.
Betterment: How Carpet Age Limits Deductions
Your landlord can't charge you for a brand-new carpet just because you stained an old one. Tap each scenario to see how carpet age affects what they can realistically claim.
Carpet is 2 years old, wine stain in living room
A relatively new carpet with a clear stain gives the landlord a strong deduction case. The remaining lifespan is significant (6–8 years), so the proportional claim will be substantial. Professional stain treatment or partial replacement cost is likely reasonable.
Carpet is 5 years old, multiple coffee stains
The carpet is halfway through its expected life. The landlord can claim, but the deduction should reflect the remaining value — not the full replacement cost. Professional carpet cleaning (not replacement) is the typical reasonable claim here.
Carpet is 8+ years old, general wear and pet stains
An 8-year-old carpet is near the end of its expected lifespan. Even with stains, the landlord can only claim for the remaining proportional value — which may be very little. In deposit disputes, adjudicators regularly reject full replacement claims for old carpets.
No check-in inventory recorded carpet condition
Without a check-in inventory documenting the carpet's condition, the landlord has no baseline to compare against. This makes it significantly harder to justify deductions — the burden of proof is on them to show deterioration, and without check-in evidence, that case weakens considerably.
Before You Touch Any Stain
This is the most important part of DIY stain removal — what you do before applying any product determines whether you fix the stain or make it permanent.
Check the inventory and check-in photos
If the stain was already there when you moved in and it's recorded, you shouldn't be charged for it. This is the first thing deposit adjudicators check. See our deposit-back guide for more on using your inventory effectively.
Test on a hidden area first
Some carpets react badly to chemicals. Test behind a door or in a corner before applying anything to a visible area. You don't want to bleach or discolour the fibres and turn a cleaning issue into a damage issue.
Blot — never scrub
Scrubbing spreads stains deeper into the fibres and can damage the pile texture, especially in cheaper rental carpets. Always blot from the outside of the stain inward.
Use cold water first
Hot water sets protein-based stains like milk, blood, pet urine, and food. Start cold, and only use warm water where the stain-specific method calls for it.
Stain Removal: Find the Right Method
Different stains need different treatments. A tannin stain (wine, coffee) needs a different approach to a protein stain (blood, urine), which needs a different approach to a grease stain or a chemical stain. Using the wrong method can set the stain permanently.
Find Your Stain — Get the Right Method
Different stains need different treatments. A "one spray fits all" approach usually fails. Find your stain type below for the correct removal method.
Red Wine
Can you DIY this?
Yes — if treated quickly. Older stains may need professional help.
How to remove it:
→
Blot immediately with dry paper towels — never rub
→
Pour a small amount of cold water onto the stain to dilute
→
Blot again with clean cloth, pressing firmly
→
Sprinkle baking soda or table salt generously over the damp area
→
Leave for 15–30 minutes to absorb the pigment
→
Vacuum up the residue
→
If stain remains, apply carpet stain remover and blot
⚠️
Do not rub — you'll push wine pigment deeper into the fibres. Even a faded wine stain can be visible under strong inspection lighting, so if the spill was large, professional cleaning may still be needed.
Coffee
Can you DIY this?
Yes. Coffee stains respond well to detergent — but rinse properly or residue creates new marks.
How to remove it:
→
Blot up as much liquid as possible
→
Mix warm water with a small amount of washing-up liquid
→
Dab onto the stain with a clean cloth — don't soak the carpet
→
Blot repeatedly, working from the outside inward
→
Rinse by dabbing with a cloth dampened in clean water
→
Blot dry thoroughly
⚠️
If you don't rinse out the detergent properly, the residue attracts dirt and creates a new dark patch within days. This is the most common mistake with coffee stains.
Tea
Can you DIY this?
Yes. Tea stains behave like coffee but are usually lighter and need fewer treatment cycles.
How to remove it:
→
Blot up excess liquid immediately
→
Mix warm water with a drop of washing-up liquid
→
Dab onto stain, blot, and repeat
→
Rinse with clean water and blot dry
Pet Urine
Can you DIY this?
Surface stain — yes. But odour that's soaked into underlay usually needs professional treatment.
How to remove it:
→
Blot as much urine as possible with paper towels
→
Apply enzyme cleaner following the product instructions (best option)
→
Alternative: mix 50/50 white vinegar and water, apply lightly, blot
→
Sprinkle baking soda over the area and leave overnight
→
Vacuum thoroughly in the morning
⚠️
Pet urine is one of the easiest landlord deductions to justify because odour is hard to dispute. Even if the carpet looks clean, the smell can remain in the underlay. If you've had pets, professional carpet cleaning is almost always worth it before inspection.
Vomit
Can you DIY this?
Yes — if treated promptly. Enzyme cleaners work best for both stain and odour.
How to remove it:
→
Remove solids carefully with a spoon or scraper
→
Blot the area with cold water and a clean cloth
→
Apply enzyme cleaner or mild detergent solution
→
Blot repeatedly — don't soak the carpet
→
Dry thoroughly and ventilate the room
⚠️
Use cold water — hot water sets protein-based stains. If odour persists after treatment, a second enzyme cleaner application usually helps.
Blood
Can you DIY this?
Yes if fresh. Dried blood is much harder — may need hydrogen peroxide (test first).
How to remove it:
→
Blot with cold water immediately — never hot
→
Apply a small amount of hydrogen peroxide (3% solution) to the stain
→
Blot again with a clean cloth
→
Repeat carefully until the stain lifts
→
Rinse with cold water and blot dry
⚠️
Test hydrogen peroxide on a hidden patch first — it can bleach some carpet colours. Always use cold water; hot water permanently sets blood stains into carpet fibres.
Candle Wax
Can you DIY this?
Yes — the freeze-and-iron method works well for most wax spills.
How to remove it:
→
Place ice cubes in a plastic bag and press onto the wax to freeze it
→
Once hard, scrape off gently with a blunt tool (butter knife or spoon)
→
Place a clean paper towel or brown paper over the remaining residue
→
Press gently with a warm iron on low heat — wax transfers into the paper
→
Replace paper and repeat until no more wax transfers
→
Dab any remaining colour with carpet stain remover
⚠️
Too much heat melts wax deeper into the fibres. Keep the iron on the lowest setting, use short presses, and always have paper between the iron and the carpet.
Chewing Gum
Can you DIY this?
Yes. Freeze method works reliably.
How to remove it:
→
Place ice cubes in a bag and press onto the gum until it hardens
→
Break off hardened gum carefully with a blunt tool
→
Dab remaining residue with a small amount of rubbing alcohol on a cloth
→
Blot clean and dry
Paint (Water-Based)
Can you DIY this?
Yes if still wet or recently dried. Older dried emulsion is harder but often treatable.
How to remove it:
→
If still wet: blot immediately, then dab with warm soapy water
→
If dried: dampen the area, apply warm soapy water, leave a few minutes
→
Gently scrape softened paint with a blunt tool
→
Blot and repeat until clear
→
Rinse with clean water and dry
Paint (Oil-Based)
Can you DIY this?
Difficult. White spirit or specialist removers needed — but solvents can damage carpet backing. Professional help usually safer.
How to remove it:
→
Blot excess paint — don't spread it
→
Apply a small amount of white spirit to a cloth (not directly to carpet)
→
Dab carefully at the stain edges, working inward
→
Blot with clean cloth, repeat slowly
→
Rinse area with soapy water to remove solvent residue
→
Dry thoroughly
⚠️
Solvents can damage carpet backing and dissolve adhesive on some carpet types. Test in a hidden area first. If the stain is large, professional carpet cleaning is the safer option — the risk of making it worse is high.
Ink
Can you DIY this?
Possible with rubbing alcohol — but ink spreads easily. Go slow and never pour alcohol directly.
How to remove it:
→
Dab rubbing alcohol (isopropyl) onto a clean white cloth
→
Blot the ink stain gently — don't rub or press hard
→
Replace the cloth frequently so you're always blotting with a clean section
→
Repeat slowly until ink transfers to the cloth
→
Rinse lightly with water and blot dry
⚠️
Ink is one of the hardest stains to remove and one of the easiest to make worse. Never pour alcohol directly onto the carpet — it spreads the ink. Work slowly with a damp cloth.
Makeup / Foundation
Can you DIY this?
Yes. Dish soap handles most makeup. Oily foundations may need a touch of rubbing alcohol.
How to remove it:
→
Scrape off any excess with a blunt tool
→
Mix warm water with a small amount of dish soap
→
Dab onto the stain and blot with a clean cloth
→
For oily foundation: dab a small amount of rubbing alcohol onto the residue
→
Rinse with clean water and blot dry
Grease / Cooking Oil
Can you DIY this?
Yes. Baking soda absorbs the oil first — then detergent lifts the residue.
How to remove it:
→
Sprinkle baking soda or cornflour generously over the grease stain
→
Leave for 30 minutes to absorb the oil
→
Vacuum up the powder
→
Dab warm water + dish soap solution onto remaining stain
→
Blot and rinse with clean water
→
Dry thoroughly
Mud / Dirt
Can you DIY this?
Yes — but the key is letting it dry completely before vacuuming. Cleaning wet mud smears it.
How to remove it:
→
Let the mud dry fully — do not touch it while wet
→
Vacuum up the dried mud thoroughly
→
Dab any remaining mark with warm soapy water
→
Blot and rinse
→
Dry the area
⚠️
The most common mistake: cleaning wet mud immediately. This smears it into the carpet fibres and makes a small mark into a large stain. Let it dry first.
High-Traffic Discolouration
Can you DIY this?
Difficult with DIY methods. Carpet shampoo or a rental machine can help, but professional hot-water extraction gives the best results.
How to remove it:
→
Vacuum the affected area thoroughly first
→
Apply carpet shampoo following the product instructions
→
Use a rental carpet cleaning machine if available (don't over-wet)
→
Work in sections — hallways and paths first
→
Dry thoroughly with ventilation and fans
⚠️
High-traffic greying is ground-in dirt mixed with body oils from shoes. It's not a single stain but accumulated grime. DIY spot cleaning usually doesn't fully resolve it — rental machines improve it, but professional hot-water extraction is the most effective method.
Burns / Iron Marks / Cigarette Burns
Can you DIY this?
Burns are physical damage — not a stain. Small burns can sometimes be reduced by trimming fibres, but most require professional patching or are treated as damage deductions.
How to remove it:
→
For very small surface burns: carefully trim the singed fibre tips with small scissors
→
Blend surrounding fibres over the spot by brushing gently
→
For larger burns: this is damage, not a stain — cleaning won't fix it
⚠️
Burns are usually treated as damage rather than cleaning. Document the carpet's age and check-in condition — betterment rules mean an old carpet with a burn gets a proportional deduction, not a full replacement cost.
Always test any cleaning method on a hidden patch of carpet first (behind a door or in a corner) before treating the main stain.
The Most Common Mistake: Leaving the Carpet Damp
✕
Damp carpets develop mould smell. Inspectors notice odour immediately, and a damp smell at checkout suggests the clean was rushed. If mould develops, see our mould removal guide.
✕
Water-ring stains appear as carpets dry. Cleaning product residue wicks to the surface as moisture evaporates, leaving visible rings exactly where you cleaned. Proper rinsing and blotting prevents this.
✕
Trapped moisture damages underlay. Underlay that stays damp develops persistent odour that's impossible to fix without replacement — and that's a larger deduction than the original stain.
✕
Don't close windows and leave it wet overnight. Ventilate after cleaning. Use a fan if you have one. The carpet should be touch-dry within hours, not the next day.
Protecting Your Deposit: The Evidence That Matters
If you want to defend against carpet deductions, documentation is everything. Take photos of each room's carpet from a wide angle, close-ups of any areas you treated, corners near skirting boards, hallways and stairs, and under-furniture areas once cleared.
Good lighting matters. Dark photos help landlords, not you. Take carpet photos in bright natural daylight with curtains fully open. If you're photographing in the evening, turn on every light in the room and use your phone's flash for close-ups. A slow video walkthrough captures context that still photos miss.
For the full breakdown of how deposit deductions work, what evidence landlords need to provide, and how to use free dispute resolution through deposit protection schemes, see our deposit-back guide. Your rights as a tenant include challenging any deductions that aren't backed by proper evidence.
When Professional Carpet Cleaning Makes Sense
DIY stain removal works well for isolated, fresh stains. But there are situations where professional carpet cleaning is the safer deposit move:
Pet odours
If you've had pets, professional cleaning with enzyme treatment is almost always worth it. Urine odour is the easiest deduction for a landlord to justify.
High-traffic greying
Ground-in dirt in hallways and walkways rarely responds to DIY methods. Professional hot-water extraction is the most effective option.
Stains that reappear
If a stain fades when wet but comes back when dry, residue is trapped in the fibres. A rental machine may help, but professional extraction gives the best results.
Inventory says 'professionally cleaned'
If the carpet was professionally cleaned at check-in, returning it to that standard yourself is difficult. Matching like-for-like is the safest approach.
The calculation is simple: if you don't clean it, your landlord will hire their own company and deduct from your deposit — and you don't control the price. Carpet cleaning is often bundled into professional end of tenancy cleaning. For pricing, see our cost guide.
Carpet Inspection Checklist
Run through each item before key handover. Good lighting and photos are your best protection.
No visible stains in daylight — check every room from multiple angles
No pet odours (especially urine) — get a second nose if you can
No damp patches from cleaning — everything fully dry
High-traffic areas treated (hallways, stairs, living room paths)
Stains treated and dried fully — no water rings from cleaning
Vacuum lines visible across all carpeted areas
Under-furniture areas cleaned once furniture is removed
Corners and edges near skirting boards checked
Wide-angle and close-up photos taken of every room's carpet
Video walkthrough recorded in good lighting
Bottom Line
Different stains need different methods — a one-product approach usually fails or makes it worse
Betterment limits deductions — an 8-year-old carpet with a stain isn't worth a brand-new replacement
Blot, don't scrub. Cold water first. And never leave carpets damp before inspection
Good photos in bright light are your best deposit protection — take them from every angle
Professional Carpet Cleaning — Bundled With End of Tenancy Clean
Our end of tenancy cleaning includes carpet stain treatment and can be combined with professional carpet cleaning for full coverage. 72-hour re-clean guarantee included.
Related Guides
Deni is a seasoned professional with over 10 years of experience in content marketing and vast knowledge in the cleaning business. He specializes in creating engaging content that drives growth and builds brand identity. Passionate about innovation, Deni believes in delivering value through impactful messaging and providing value to readers in a concise and comprehensive manner.
View all posts by Deni Ivanov →