How to get a makeup or foundation stain out of carpet
For a makeup stain on carpet, vacuum or lift off powder while it's dry, scrape up cream or foundation, then blot with ¼ teaspoon of dish detergent in a cup of lukewarm water and follow with a dry-cleaning solvent on a cloth if an oily mark remains. Makeup is pigment held in oils, waxes or film formers, so detergent and solvent loosen the binder and the pigment comes up with it. Rinse with plain water and blot dry under a weighted towel.
- Best method
- Dry removal, dilute dish detergent, then solvent
- Time
- 20 to 40 minutes, plus drying
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Stain type
- Combination
You will need
- Vacuum and a rounded spoon
- Clear liquid dish detergent and lukewarm water
- Dry-cleaning solvent (spot remover)
- White cloths and white paper towels
- A spray bottle and something heavy for weight-drying
How to remove makeup from carpet
- 1
Remove powder and excess while dry
For pressed powder, blush, bronzer or eyeshadow, vacuum the loose pigment before it gets wet: hold the nozzle just above the spot. For foundation, concealer or cream products, scrape up what you can with a rounded spoon, lifting rather than pressing.
Why: Dry pigment wetted in place turns into a paint that soaks down the yarns. Removing it dry leaves far less to clean.
- 2
Test your cleaners
Dab a little detergent solution and a little solvent on a hidden area, such as inside a closet, and blot with a white cloth. If color comes off on the cloth or the pile changes, don't use that cleaner.
Why: Carpet dyes and backings vary. A test catches a problem before it's in the middle of the room.
- 3
Blot with dilute dish detergent
Mix ¼ teaspoon of clear liquid dish soap in 1 cup of lukewarm water. Put some on a white cloth, work it gently into the stain from the edges toward the center, let it sit a few minutes, then blot. Repeat while makeup keeps transferring to the cloth.
Why: Detergent emulsifies the oils in foundation and lifts the pigment they carry. A stronger mix leaves sticky residue that resoils quickly, so the Carpet and Rug Institute says never to go stronger.
- 4
Use a solvent for oily or waterproof makeup
If a greasy shadow remains, or the stain is mascara, eyeliner or long-wear foundation, dampen a white cloth with a dry-cleaning solvent and blot, turning the cloth as it picks up color. Never pour solvent onto the carpet.
Why: Waxes, silicones and waterproof film formers dissolve in solvent, not water. Solvent that reaches the backing can damage the latex that holds carpet layers together.
- 5
Rinse with plain water
Mist the area lightly with lukewarm water from a spray bottle and blot. Repeat two or three times until no soapy feel remains.
Why: Detergent left in the pile attracts dirt, so a clean spot would turn into a dark spot within weeks.
- 6
Weight-dry and fluff the pile
Lay a half-inch stack of white paper towels on the spot, put something heavy on top and change the towels as they absorb moisture. Once dry, brush the pile with your fingers or vacuum.
Why: Drawing moisture up into the towels stops leftover makeup in the base of the yarns from wicking back to the surface as it dries.
Why makeup stains carpet
Most makeup is fine pigment, such as iron oxides and titanium dioxide, carried in oils, waxes, silicones or a water-and-oil emulsion. Powders are pigment plus fine minerals. That makes makeup a combination stain: the binder is oily, and the color is a powder that clings once the binder spreads it into the fibers.
Carpet adds depth. Liquid foundation runs down the yarns toward the backing, where you can't reach it, and pigment that dries in the base can wick back up later. That's why the steps use very little liquid, apply it with a cloth and finish with weighted drying.
Detergent first or solvent first?
Sources disagree on the order. The Carpet and Rug Institute's makeup sequence starts with the dilute dish-detergent solution, then a warm-water rinse, then a dry-cleaning solvent, then a professional. The University of Georgia's carpet guide for foundation, mascara and powder starts with the solvent and uses detergent second.
In practice, match the first step to the product. Ordinary liquid foundation, concealer and cream blush often respond to detergent alone. Waterproof mascara, eyeliner, long-wear foundation and anything that looks greasy are better started with solvent. Either way, rinse and dry the same way at the end. The makeup stain guide covers the same chemistry on other surfaces.
By situation
Foundation stain on carpet
Scrape, then blot with the dish-detergent solution. Liquid foundation often lifts with two or three rounds. If a tan, greasy ring stays, it's the oily binder: switch to the solvent step, then rinse.
Powder, blush or eyeshadow
Vacuum first and keep it dry as long as possible. Pressed powder that broke into chunks can be crumbled and vacuumed. Only treat the faint color left behind with the detergent solution.
Mascara or eyeliner
These are waxy and often waterproof. Start with solvent on a cloth, blot until nothing more transfers, let it evaporate, then follow with the detergent solution and a rinse.
Dried or ground-in makeup
Vacuum any crust, then repeat the detergent and solvent steps with a few minutes of dwell time each round. Ground-in makeup in a high-traffic area may also hold dirt, so expect several rounds.
Wool carpet or an oriental rug
Wool is a protein fiber sensitive to alkaline cleaners, so avoid ammonia. The University of Georgia warns against oil-based solvents on antique or fine oriental rugs, whose dyes may not survive. Blot with the mild detergent solution only, and call a rug cleaner for anything more.
Self tanner on carpet
Self tanner isn't really makeup: its DHA reacts with amino acids to brown, so on wool especially it behaves like a dye. Blot it immediately with the detergent solution and rinse. Once it has developed, a professional is the realistic option.
What not to do
- Don't wet powder makeup before vacuuming it. Water turns loose pigment into a paste that soaks into the pile.
- Don't scrub. Scrubbing pushes makeup deeper and permanently frays the yarn tips, leaving a fuzzy patch.
- Don't use laundry or dishwasher detergent. Laundry detergent can contain optical brighteners that dye carpet fibers, and many dishwasher detergents contain bleaching agents that destroy carpet dyes.
- Don't pour solvent or over-wet the spot. Solvent can damage the carpet backing, and excess liquid soaks the pad and wicks the stain back up.
Other methods that work
Rubbing alcohol
The American Cleaning Institute uses rubbing alcohol dabbed through lipstick stains, and it can help with some alcohol-soluble pigments. Apply it to a cloth and blot, as with the solvent.
Caution: Test first: it can affect carpet dyes. It's flammable, so ventilate.
Micellar water or makeup remover
These dissolve makeup on skin and are commonly suggested for carpet spots. It's a traditional method with weak evidence: no carpet or extension source covers it.
Caution: Oily removers can leave their own stain. Follow with the detergent solution and a thorough rinse.
Shaving cream
A popular tip because it contains soap and surfactants. There's no cited source for it on carpet, so treat it as weak evidence.
Caution: It leaves a lot of residue. Rinse several times.
Stain still there?
The stain came back after the carpet dried
Makeup left deep in the pile wicked up. Repeat the detergent blotting and rinse, then weight-dry under a thick stack of paper towels so moisture moves up into the towels instead.
The spot is now darker than the carpet around it
That's detergent residue attracting dirt. Mist with plain lukewarm water and blot several times until the area no longer feels soapy.
A faint tint remains after detergent and solvent
Some pigment is lodged in the fibers. A professional carpet cleaner has stronger solutions and extraction equipment, and is the Carpet and Rug Institute's last step for makeup.
Safety
- Dry-cleaning solvents and rubbing alcohol are flammable. Open windows and keep them away from flames.
- Wear rubber gloves when working with solvents.
Never mix cleaning products; see chemicals you must never combine.
Questions
How do you get foundation out of carpet?
Scrape up the excess, blot with ¼ teaspoon of dish detergent in a cup of lukewarm water, and use a dry-cleaning solvent on a cloth if a greasy mark stays. Rinse with plain water and weight-dry.
Does makeup come out of carpet?
Usually, especially if you lift powder dry and act before it's ground in. Long-wear and waterproof formulas take more work and sometimes a professional.
Can I use makeup remover on carpet?
It's a common suggestion but not one any carpet source covers, and oily removers can leave their own mark. The dish-detergent solution and a dry-cleaning solvent are the sourced options.
How do you get powder makeup out of carpet?
Vacuum it before it gets wet, then blot the faint color left with the dilute dish-detergent solution and rinse.
Makeup on other surfaces
Other stains on carpet
Sources
- Spot Solver: Makeup, The Carpet and Rug Institute
- Spot Solver: Cosmetics, The Carpet and Rug Institute
- Remove Stains From Cosmetics (Makeup, Sunscreen), University of Georgia Cooperative Extension
- Carpet Stains 4-1-1: Best Practices for Removing Stains, The Carpet and Rug Institute
- Stain Removal for Washable Fabrics (HE 2-840), University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service
- Stain Removal Guide, American Cleaning Institute
Last updated . Methods are drawn from the sources above; how we research and check our guides.