How to Get Rid of the Smell of Vomit in a Carpet

Whether your friends took one too many tequila shots or your toddler had his first foray into the world of seeing his dinner in reverse, it's time to get that smell out of the carpet. We'll cover a few methods that won't help you forget what you've seen, but will help you forget what you've smelled.

Method 1

Using Laundry Detergent

1. 
   1
   Soak the area in water to loosen any leftover residue. Try not to allow excess water to ooze into other areas of the carpet, as this may spread the stain and make it hard to vacuum all the water out of the carpet.

   • Needless to say, remove any, err, solid bits that may be left over. And if you need an article about getting rid of vomit stains, try How to Clean Vomit out of Carpet. We'll be concentrating on the stench for now.
2. 
   2
   Brush a small amount of laundry detergent into the wet carpet with a stiff-bristled cleaning brush. If you're worried about your carpet, you can dilute it with a little bit of water. A bit of peroxide is another possible additive, but only if your carpet is white -- you don't want to risk making the stain worse.

   • The smell may seem like it's getting stronger at first. This is only because it's getting wet, rising to the surface, and escaping. Don't freak out yet!
3. 
   3
   Vacuum out the soapy water with a shop vacuum or "wet/dry" vacuum. If you don't have a vacuum, soak up the liquid with a dry towel. A wet-vac will be much more efficient, but a towel can work -- it just may take an hour or two sitting on the stain for the towel to absorb everything.
4. 
   4
   Wet once more with water to rinse the carpet of excess soap. Brush it in gently, lifting the soap to the top if any has become entrenched in the fibers. This step may have to be repeated several times to remove the soap from the carpet fiber.

   • If soap does get left in the carpet, it could harden and lead to slight discoloration. So while this step seems harmless, not doing so may prevent your carpet from returning to good-as-new.
5. 
   5
   Vacuum again to remove excess water, and allow area to dry. Don't jump to any conclusions yet -- you don't know what the carpet will be like until it's completely dry. So if the stain or smells persist, give it a bit of time and then try some alternate methods. It may just be a waiting game.
6. 
   6
   Finish with Febreze, if desired. Why settle for no smells when you can have good smells? Spray some Febreze over the area if you'd like, to seal the deal.

Method 2

Using an Enzymatic Cleaner

1. 
   1
   Scrub the area with a watered-down detergent solution. Using 100% detergent isn't safe for all types of carpet, so create a solution that's 1 part detergent to 2 parts water. Using a bristled brush, gently scrub the detergent into the stain, making sure to get the edges as well as the inside.
2. 
   2
   Absorb the liquid with a dry towel. Or use your shop vac, whichever. But if you only have a towel, apply it to the stain, keeping constant pressure on it. Continue applying pressure until the stain is virtually dry and the towel has soaked up everything.
3. 
   3
   Wet the area with an enzymatic cleaner and let set. This type of cleaner can be found in pretty much any cleaning aisle or with the pet products -- it's stuff that will say something along the lines of, "Blasts away bad smells!" on the label; Kids ‘n Pets and Nature’s Miracle are two well-known examples. They break down the proteins that cause odors and can help with stains, too.

   • Be sure to leave it on for a few hours, giving it time to take hold. And when we say "wet," we mean wet. Thoroughly saturated. Don't worry about rationing the bottle for the next time. The entire area should be bordering on soaked.
4. 
   4
   Vacuum up liquid or absorb with a towel. After those few fateful hours have passed, dry the area with a towel or your wet/dry vacuum. Again, if you're using a towel, be patient. It may take applying constant pressure for an hour or so to truly dry the area.
5. 
   5
   Allow to air dry. If the smell is still there, that's normal. It probably won't go away until the area is completely, 100% dry. Leave it overnight and come back in the morning to carpet that's puke free!

Method 3

Using a Baking Soda Paste

1. 
   1
   Make a paste of baking soda and water. It should be a toothpaste-like consistency. If you'd like, you can also add a drop or two of dish detergent or peroxide. However, peroxide can stain your carpet, so be careful.

   • Make as much as you need to be able to apply a thin layer to the entire stain. Think of it like icing a cake; it doesn't need to be thick and gloopy, just thinly and evenly spread.
2. 
   2
   Apply a layer of the paste. As it dries, brush it in with a bristly brush (use an old toothbrush if you're in a tight spot). Make sure to get the edges as well as the inside -- sometimes the ring of the stain is the hardest to treat area.
3. 
   3
   After 24 hours, scrape it up. It's dried, done its business, hardened, and now it's ready to scrape up. Take a butter knife and get what solid bits you can -- hopefully the smell will go with it!
4. 
   4
   Vacuum the rest up. What you can't get with your hands will need to be vacuumed up. If it all comes up well and good and the smell is gone, wahoo! But if not, wet the area with a damp cloth and vacuum again. That ought to do it!

   • Febreze the area to cover your bases. If the smell persists, wait until it's completely dry before you jump to any conclusions. Wet carpet can smell very bad, but the smell can (and probably will) disappear when dry.

Method 4

Using Vinegar or Window Cleaner

1. 
   1
   Make a solution of water and vinegar or window cleaner. If you're out of other cleaners, vinegar and window cleaners can work on carpet, too. Work with 2 parts water to 1 part vinegar or window cleaner. If you are using vinegar, add a drop or two of dish soap or laundry detergent into the mix for added odor-fighting power.
2. 
   2
   Wet the area and scrub. Using a brush or a sponge, scrub the affected area with your solution. If you're using vinegar, the smells will be pretty potent, but they all will go away in time.
3. 
   3
   Let set. Once you're sure you've gotten the entire area, walk away. You've done all you can do! Let it set for an hour or two, taking action on those smells and the residue.
4. 
   4
   Vacuum it up. Once it's started drying, it's time to vacuum it up with your dry/wet vac. If that's not an option, soak up the liquid with a dry towel. Constantly apply pressure, forcing the liquid into the towel.

   • If any soapy residue remains, take a damp cloth and gently blot the area. Then take a dry cloth to it and resume the process as normal.
   • The smell may linger while it's still wet; trust that it will go away when it dries!
5. 5
   Finished.

Tips

• The longer the vomit sits, the worse it'll be. Get to it as quickly as possible.
• Don't give your friends any more tequila. Or their toddlers.
• You can also buy products like Totally Toddler, OdoBan, or pet odor removal soaps.
• Consider getting it professionally cleaned.

Warnings

• Do not use the ammonia on wool carpeting, as this will leave stains on the material.
• Peroxide can stain your carpet; be careful if you use it.

Things You'll Need

• Laundry detergent, enzymatic cleaner, dish soap, baking soda, vinegar, OR window cleaner
• Water
• Bristly brush
• Towel
• Wet/dry vac (optional, but recommended)