How To Get Chewing Tobacco Stains Out Of Carpet

How To Get Chewing Tobacco Stains Out Of Carpet (Like a Pro)

*As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. The price to you remains the same.

Chewing tobacco is a popular hobby, especially in the Southern United States. This vice does have one downside, however – chewing tobacco can lead to nasty stains on the carpet that are tough to get out. 

The good news is that with a couple of quick tricks, you can get these stains out of your carpet in no time. 

To remove tobacco stains from your carpet you’ll need a dry-cleaning solvent, sodium thiosulfate, and cold water. You can use these substances to get your carpet stain-free in just a few short steps. 

Bring the Dry-Cleaner to Your Home

Most of us dry-clean our clothes on occasion. But wait, did we just say you can dry clean your CARPETS?! 

That’s correct! You can use dry-cleaning solvents on your carpets, and in fact, it’s a great way to get rid of tough nicotine stains. 

Even though most of us think of dry-cleaning solvents as being meant for clothing, these chemicals are actually just substances that will clean surfaces without incorporating water. That’s why they work well for delicate clothes – you don’t have to put them through the rough and tumble laundry machine.  

Keep in mind that there’s no single dry-cleaning chemical. Instead, dry-cleaning solvents refer to a group of chemicals that can remove dirt and stains from fabrics and upholstery. 

If you’re nervous about using it on your carpet, just read the labels carefully. Most dry-cleaning solvents will state what materials they’re safe for, so you’ll be able to figure out if it will work for your floors or not. 

Woman And Man At The Dry Cleaners

Soap, Suds, and Sponge Away the Stain

Okay, we know what you’re thinking: surely a product MADE for cleaning stains will work, right? Well, not necessarily.

Sometimes it really does come down to a bit of elbow grease for you to fully get rid of tobacco stains in your carpet. 

When that’s the case, you might need to use a bit of soap and water. The good news is that soap and water can work some true magic on tough tobacco stains!

All you need to do is mix a few drops of your regular old dish soap with warm water. Then, use a sponge to soak the liquid into the carpet. 

Once you’ve soaked the liquid into the carpet, it’s time to rinse it off. Using cold water, blot at the stain. As you pat the carpet, you’ll notice that brown water comes out – that’s the tobacco lifting out of your carpets.

Then, pat the area dry with paper towels. Once the carpet’s dry, you should notice that the stain is gone!

Gloves Sponge And Soap

Say Sayonara to Stains With With Sodium Thiosulfate

Tougher stains may not lift with the use of dish soap and water alone. In that case, you can make a mixture of sodium thiosulfate. 

To make this stain remover, mix one cup of warm water with one tablespoon of sodium thiosulfate. What is sodium thiosulfate, you ask? This special salt can be used to help counteract poisons and clean tough stains!

Although it’s certainly not a common household product, you can absolutely find it if you need it. Just look in hardware shops or in the cleaning section of your grocery store.

Use the solution to sponge the stain. Keep blotting at the stain until all the liquid is absorbed into the carpet. 

Bonus: Steam Clean

After working on the stain, you can steam clean your entire carpet. Just follow the instructions on your steam cleaner to make sure you don’t damage the carpet or the machinery. 

Steam cleaning should remove any lingering debris that’s trapped in your carpets. It will also ensure that your carpets are deep-cleaned. 

Tackling Tough Tobacco Stains

Chewing Tobacco In A Mans Hand

From time to time the above steps won’t get the stain completely out of your carpet. That’s most often the case if you’re working with older tobacco stains that have long since dried into your carpet’s fibers. 

If that happens, you can allow the fabric to completely air-dry. Then, apply a small amount of glycerine to the stain. Rub the glycerine into the stain lightly. 

Then, steam clean your carpet. If when you finish you still notice a bit of a stain, you can use more of the sodium thiosulfate method to clean your carpet. you can also use a couple of drops of ammonia to get the rest of the stain out of the carpet. 

Another stain remover you can use is vinegar and water. For this method, just mix one cup of distilled white vinegar with one cup of warm water and spray it on the stain. You should be able to get rid of the nicotine stain on your carpet this way. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Tobacco Stains Come Out?

With a little bit of patience, hard work, and good cleaning agents, you can get tobacco stains out of your carpet without a problem. Even though they can be stubborn, you’ll usually be able to get them out without a problem. 

What Stains Cannot Be Removed from Carpet?

Coffee Stain On Carpet

While some stains are tougher to get out of carpet than others, there are few stains that are impossible to remove. The toughest substances to get out of carpet are coffee, blood, ink, and Kool-Aid.

How Do You Remove Old Nicotine Stains?

You can use sodium and water to get rid of nicotine stains, both old and new. Just keep in mind that you may need to follow the additional steps for tackling tough stains if the stains are older. 

Does Tobacco Spit Stain?

Many people are unaware that tobacco spit can leave brown stains on their carpet. The longer the spit is allowed to soak into the carpet the harder it will be to remove the nicotine stain. 

Top Picks