How to Clean Carpet With OxiClean: 7 Easy Steps (+ How to Prep Cleaning Spray)

OxiClean has been popularly used as an alternative brightener in place of regular bleach when cleaning garments, fabrics, and even carpets. It can be quite handy when dealing with wine spills, food drops, or vomits from pets and children.

To go about it, you just have to whip up a proper OxiClean stain-removing solution first. Afterward, you’ve got to spray the solution onto the stain and rinse it off right.

But, with the many reports of OxiClean discoloring people’s carpet, how do you safely go about it when mixing and cleaning?

Read on to find out.

How to Make OxiClean Cleaning Spray

When you want to clean your carpet, using OxiClean as a spray solution works better. For cleaning clothes and softer fabrics, OxiClean works best in its powdered form.

However, you’d have to be really careful when mixing the solution to ensure that you get a cleaning agent that’s potent, but not too potent!

So, how do you make your own OxiClean spray solution at home?

You will need:

• A clean spray bottle
• Water
• OxiClean cleaning powder
• A scooper

Steps:

1. Prepare the spray bottle. You may use a new bottle bought from the store or repurpose one that’s lying around in your house. Make sure that it’s clean before you move to the next step.
2. Mix the solution. Using a scooper (may be provided with the product) take a ¼ scoop of the OxiClean powder and put it into the clean spray bottle. Afterward, add about 16 ounces of water to the bottle.
3. Shake to mix. Put back the spray cap on and tightly screw it to seal the contents in. Shake the bottle until there is no powder residue at the bottom.

That’s basically it. You can now start kicking stain butts off your precious carpets!

How to Carpet Clean with OxiClean

OxiClean, when used properly, can be a great alternative for cleaning small or some of the larger stain spots on carpets.

Here’s what to do:

1. Remove excess solid residue from the carpet. Once you notice the spill or food drop on your carpet, you have to act immediately to prevent the matter from blowing out of control. Wipe the food away or absorb it (if it’s a spill, like wine) using a clean cloth.
2. Spray the OxiClean on the stain. Use the solution you prepared from the first section and hold it a few inches away when spraying. This will prevent the mixture from oversaturating the carpet or making it too wet.
3. Leave the cleaning agent to set in. Let it work into the carpet’s fibers for about 10 minutes. Do not let the OxiClean sit on your carpet for too long, otherwise, it may damage it. Also, you should do a quick spot test by applying a small amount of the cleaner on a small patch on the carpet. Leave it for a while and stop everything if you see any reaction on your carpet.
4. Blot the stain. Use a clean cloth or a sponge and dab it on the problem area to remove the residue from the carpet. Repeat this step until all of the stains have cleared out.
5. Rinse with clean water. Dip the cleaning cloth in water and dampen it just enough to rinse the soapy residue off the carpet. Repeat this step as many times as necessary while taking extra care not to soak the carpet. Doing so could cause a problematic drying phase for your carpet which may lead to mold or mildew growth.
6. Dry the carpet. After you’re certain that the stains are gone, let the carpet air dry. You can fasten this process by opening the windows or turning on your home fans.
7. Vacuum. When the carpet’s fully clean and dry, you may opt to vacuum the treated area with a vacuum to lift the fibers and restore texture.

⚠️ If you ever come across advice to use OxiClean with your steam cleaner, forget about it! The only thing steamers can stomach is water (most manufacturers only recommend distilled water at that). Anything else could put your steamer’s engine at risk. But also your lungs, which will inhale the vapors! You should even be careful with a thing so benign as your favorite essential oil.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I use OxiClean on my woolen carpet?

You should avoid using OxiClean on your woolen carpet. The same also goes for other carpets made from silk leather or dry clean only materials.

Using OxiClean on these types of carpets will only damage them in the long run. The chemical contents have been, on several occasions, found to react with the above materials. That’s why it’s always a good idea to do a ‘spot check’ on a small area of your carpet before you start cleaning.

If you notice any funny discoloration or change of fiber texture, then you should stop on your tracks and seek other methods of carpet cleaning.

2. How long can you keep an OxiClean spray?

OxiClean spray solutions should not be kept around for so long.

Their product page recommends that you should discard the contents 6 hours after you first mix the solution. Otherwise, the pressure build-up inside may cause the spray container to rupture – and cause injury in other cases.

3. How do you remove OxiClean stains?

If by bad luck, OxiClean stains your carpet in the end, then your best chance of removing the stains is by using a steam cleaner.

Unlike OxiClean, steam cleaners only use water as the active ingredient. They deliver powerful jets of extremely hot vapor that can knock any residue stain off your carpet.