How to Get Mud off the Carpet

No matter how careful you are at some point there will be mud tracked into your house. There will be mud carpet stains or on whatever kind of floor you have. Don’t worry, we can tell you how to get mud off the carpet and have your house look good.

If you have pets, you know they can’t remove their shoes when they come in on a rainy day! You might lay down a towel for the animals to walk over when they come in, but that is often not enough (and animals can be really sneaky about avoiding the towel).

Mud can get on your carpets all year round for all of the above reasons and other reasons. In the winter, it can become particularly bad; home dwellers wear boots and the weather tends to be wet with snow and/or rain. If you burn firewood in the winter, that can get mud on your carpets and rugs, too.

So what is the best way to get mud off the carpet? Here are some tips.

Let It Dry

It’s very tempting to jump right in and clean the mud immediately, but it may make things easier in the end if you allow the mud to dry. One thing you can do right away while the mud is wet is scoop up any clumps with an old spoon and paper towels. Then, allow the mud to dry.

Vacuum

Once the mud has become dry dirt, vacuum the area thoroughly, going over the spots multiple times. Use a full-sized vacuum, not a hand-held one, because you’ll need plenty of power to get the dirt up. If you need to, use a dry scrub brush to loosen the dried mud before and while you vacuum.

Stain Removal

If, after the scooping, drying, and vacuuming, there is still a stain, then you need to take more action. If you have a carpet that is not acetate or rayon, you can use a cloth to rub in some rubbing alcohol. Then cover the stain with several layers of paper towels dampened with rubbing alcohol. The paper towels will begin to absorb the stain.

As you see this discoloration happening, replace the paper towels with fresh, alcohol-dampened ones. Make sure you keep the stain and the paper towels damp with the alcohol.

Detergent

Another method to attacking the stain after vacuuming is to use dish detergent. Mix 2 teaspoons of liquid dish detergent with 2 cups of hot water in the mixing bowl of an electric mixer. Then whip the mixture at high speed until you get a thick, rich foam.

Using a sponge, apply this thick foam to the stain and rub it in well. Then rinse the sponge and go over the area with warm water. Finally, use clean rags or paper towels to blot the carpet. The stain should be soaked up into the rags as you blot.

Now that you know how to clean stains made by mud you don’t have to hover around the doors so much and police everyone’s shoes.