How To Get Mashed Potato Out Of Carpet (8 Simple Steps!)
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Everyone loves a good helping of mashed potatoes on the side—especially when it’s buttered and seasoned right! However, when this meal drops onto your carpet, it can turn things from a jolly get-together party into a frantic cleaning exercise.
So, what can you do?
To clean mashed potatoes from your carpet, you’ll first have to wipe off the mound and then use a cleaning solution to remove any debris left on top.
But, how do you go about it?
Join me and find out!
What You’ll Need
- Spoon
- Warm water
- Clean cloth/Towel
- Bowl
- Cornstarch or baking soda
- Liquid or detergent soap
- Spray bottle
- Vacuum
- Clean sponge
How To Clean Mashed Potatoes Off Your Carpet
Cleaning mashed potatoes from your carpet involves the following steps:
1. Scrape off the top mound from the spill. This will help you to remove excess mashed potatoes from the carpet. This is an important first step as it gives you enough space and exposes the soiled carpet fibers to your cleaning agents. Do it carefully and ensure that you don’t spread or grind it into the piles.
2. Put an absorbent over the affected spot. Depending on what you have at home, you can either use your fingers or a clean, dry spoon to spread some cornstarch or baking soda over the potato stain and let it sit for at least 15 minutes. These two absorbing agents offer a great way to remove the excess oils or fats gotten from the butter in the meal.
3. Vacuum or scrape off the absorbent. This will help you remove the resulting, greasy residue from the carpet and leave you with an oil-spree operating table.
4. Prepare your cleaning solution. Mix 2 cups of warm water and 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap or detergent and pour it into a spray bottle.
5. Apply the cleaning solution to the affected area. Use the spray bottle and hold it like 6 inches away from the carpet surface. Spread the jet evenly so that it covers every inch of the mess.
6. Clean the primed patch with a clean sponge. You should do this gently and slowly and start from the outer edges then work your way inward towards the center.
7. Blot the carpet. Take a clean, dry cloth or towel soaked in clean water and blot the spot. Like before, you should start blotting the spot from the outer ends then work slowly towards the middle.
8. Repeat steps 6 & 7 until the soiled patch disappears.
9. Rinse and do a final drying. Use clean water to rinse the cleaned spot and blot-dry using a dry towel to remove excess moisture from the carpet.
Note: You don’t have to bother with steps 2 and 3 if your mashed potato is not oily or as greasy. Just jump to step 4 and sail away! However, if the food was too greasy, then you will have to repeat steps 2 and 3 until the absorbents are no longer oily at the end.
How To Remove Potato Stains From Your Carpet
Yeah… Removing a fresh spill of potato from the carpet is a walk in the park if you follow the instructions given. But, what will you do when you want to remove a spill that has turned into an unsightly starch stain?
How will you fare with such a formidable force facing you?
The steps below will help you kick pesky starch stains out of your carpet and leave them spotless once more:
- Blot the stain using warm water and a clean piece of cloth.
- Mix 1 part vinegar and 4 parts water into a spray bottle. Spray this solution onto the stained area and leave it for 20 minutes. This helps it to break down the stain and lift the deep-set potato debris for easy cleaning.
- Use a soft brush to scour the spot in slow, circular motions.
- Blot the area with warm water and a clean cloth to remove the residue.
- If the stain is still visible, spray the vinegar solution again and then blot afterward. Repeat this step until the starch stain fades away and disappears.
- Remove excess moisture from the cleaned area through dry-blotting and voila!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you get rid of chunky mashed potatoes from your carpet?
The best way is by using a clean spoon or small spatula.
These two work best as they have flat edges and large surfaces through which you can scoop and carry chunks of mashed on.
Afterward, you can wipe mashed potatoes off the dirtied surface using a wet cloth or napkin before you start cleaning.
What is a potato starch stain?
This is a type of stain that you may get if a portion of cooked potato (mashed or otherwise) drops onto your carpet and is not cleaned immediately.
Over time, the stain may discolor your carpet by turning into blue, dark, or brown patches on the fibers.
What is the best way to remove potato starch stains?
The best way to remove stubborn potato stains is by using steam cleaners.
Steam cleaning fights off even the peskiest of stains using extremely hot water vapor passed through your carpet fibers under very high pressure. It offers the best way to deal with set-in mashed potato stains that you may have missed during your earlier cleaning rounds.
It also saves you lots of time and effort as the procedure is basically just touch-and-go!