How to Clean Dorm Room Carpet (+ Get Rid of Wine & Coffee Stains Too!)

Going to college is an exciting time. Suddenly you’re independent and free from the prying eyes of parents. However, it also comes with new responsibilities.

One of those responsibilities is keeping your dorm room clean. And, part of that cleaning process means getting any dirt and debris out of your carpets. Even if you enjoy slobbing away your days, your roommates might not!

To clean your dorm room carpet, you’ll need a good vacuum cleaner, some baking soda and vinegar, and a steam cleaner. 

To be perfectly clear, most of the time just vacuuming will do. But once every few months, when things get really bad, you’ll need some steam too!

Prep Your Carpets

When it comes to dorm room cleaning, the first step is to be prepared. That means purchasing or borrowing a vacuum cleaner and a steam cleaner for keeping your carpets in check. 

You need to make sure you have a good stain remover on hand as well. You can find inexpensive carpet cleaners in your grocery store or home store. 

For students that are in a pinch and need a carpet cleaner now, you can mix liquid dish soap and baking soda. This carpet cleaner lasts for a while and is great to have on hand for getting stains out of the carpet. 

You’ll also want to have an old brush. This will help you brush the fabric of your carpets or rugs to get any dust or other debris out of the fibers.

Those Beer Cans Won’t Kick Themselves Under the Bed!

Most students don’t worry about cleaning their carpets until it’s too late.

They simply let the carpet accumulate dust and dirt (not to mention other goo) until they run into a spill! 

However, routine carpet maintenance should be a part of your dorm room cleaning process. Some would even consider it a dorm room etiquette! That helps prevent dirt, mold, dust, and germs from getting into your carpets and causing problems. 

Fixed Rugs

If you’re dealing with fixed carpets, your process will work differently than with removable rugs. Start by sprinkling baking soda on the carpet and allowing it to sit for ten minutes. This helps remove odors from your carpets.

Then, you’ll want to vacuum your carpet. Make sure you run the vacuum cleaner from wall to wall so that you can get the worst of the dust out of every area of the room. 

Next, grab your trusty steam cleaner. Remove as much furniture as you can and make sure that the room is clear. Then, run the steam cleaner over every corner of the room being careful not to step on the areas you’ve already worked on.

Removable Rugs

If you have removable rugs, your job is a little easier. For these types of rugs, you’ll start by taking the rug outside to shake off dirt and dust. Then, use your brush to wipe off any materials that are stuck to the rug. 

After you’ve got the worst of the dirt off the rug, you can place it in a pillowcase and throw it in the laundry machine. If you’re not able to run it through the wash, steam clean the rug the same way that you did the carpet.

How to Tackle Dorm Room Carpet Stains

Aside from regular maintenance, you’ll also need to be prepared to clean stains on your dorm room carpet. Remember that the sooner you catch these stains, the easier it is for you to get them out of the carpet. 

To clean the stains, either use a 50/50 vinegar and water solution or a commercial carpet cleaner. Spray the cleaning solution onto the stain and let it soak into the carpet for a few minutes before sponging the area off.  (In fact, there are dozens of homemade stain cleaner recipes that can save you some cash.)

Then, steam clean your carpet to get the stain remover out. This prevents damage to the carpet and ensures your carpet is fully clean. 

If you’re really flush, you can also get a dedicated spot cleaner. But I doubt that many students will be able to afford both a regular and a spot steam cleaner!

Removing Coffee Stains

If you’ve got coffee stains on your dorm carpet you can get rid of it by applying club soda to the stain. Just wait a few minutes before blotting the stain with a paper towel. 

If that doesn’t work, you can mix 1 quart of warm water with half a teaspoon of laundry or dish detergent. Then, blot the stain and rinse it until it’s gone. 

Removing Wine Stains

Wine stains are another common type of stain on dorm room carpets. To get red wine out of your carpet, try diluting white wine and placing it on the stain. Then, clean the spot with cold water and cover it with table salt. 

After ten minutes, vacuum up the salt. The stain should be gone from your carpet!

If this doesn’t work, you can try using a mix of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda, as in the video below.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Are Dorm Rooms Cleaned?

Most of the time, students are responsible for cleaning their dorm rooms themselves. That means that no janitor will come in to clean your room for you on a regular basis.

How Often Should I Clean My Dorm Room?

How often you clean your dorm room is up to you, but once a week is a good rule of thumb. This prevents your carpets from getting overly dirty and making the task tougher.