Mumsnet Talk

Dd threw up all over the pale sitting room carpet.

I flooded it.
I soaped it.
I sponged it.
I rinsed it.
I threw bicarbonate of soda all over it. Mistake. It made a paste. I waited for it to dry and hoovered it. It won't hoover up.

Ignoring the bicarb paste highlighting for a moment, the stain itself is about a foot square, dark brown and in the center of the room. I've tried Vanish Carpet Stain Remover Power Foam - no effect.

I think if I could get the stain up, the bicarb halo might wash off with a carpet cleaner.

What to do?

The stain was big, dark and bad enough anyway without a bleachy looking foot wide surround stain.

You need to hire a carpet cleaner (or borrow a vax type thing).

For the bicarb - leave it over night so it is really dry, then brush it with a scrubbing brush to break it up. Then vacuum.

What had DD been eating?

<<silent, slightly fearful, solidarity against The Stain>>

I think a rug is The Way.

Chocolate cake.

I don't think a carpet cleaner will get the stain out - flooding and washing with soap have not made any difference.

I think I need to treat the stain and then hire a carpet cleaner. I don't know what do do with the stain.

We had a carbonora sick stain for years on the carpet bedroom, borrowed a bissell carpet cleaner & it came off!

Similarly with a lily pollen stain on a pale green carpet.

You've prodded it.

There's no way back.

<<dons doomsayer talons and bad wig>>

I actually didn't mean to sound so grim

It's just if it doesn't succumb to 1001 around here I turn my face to the wall.

Snigger I'm starting to suspect you of being one of The Stain's minions sent as a mole to undermine morale.

<<mild talon-rubbing>>

No no, not I....

don't brush it, you'll make the pile go fluffy. personally I would mop it all up with a) towels and then b) kitchen roll and pop to homebase tomorrow and hire a carpet cleaner, ok it's about £50 - but you could do the whole house and hae brand new looking carpets again.

Is time of the essence?

I ask because I was planning to get the whole house professionally done in about 10 days time. We're renting the house out and leaving in a fortnight. I'm hesitant to get it done too soon before we go because, well, I have 2 children under 3 and a big hairy dog. The chances of us managing not to poo / puke / spill / wee etc on it for a whole 2 weeks are small.

<rages> Bring in the Bissell and feel my WRATH, oh human fool. You think that my magical combination of infant bile and chocolate cake will succumb to your puny devices? Hah!

<strokes snigger's talons>

"The chances of us managing not to poo / puke / spill / wee etc on it for a whole 2 weeks are small. " Come, come, beautiful offspring. Go forth and multiply.

Oh god - my children work for you, don't they.

I'm like a vampire - giving your child chocolate is the equivalent of inviting me in the door.

That's not me, by the way

<<genuflects to Stain, just in case>>

<<hasty garlic-weaving>>

No garlic! Truly, my sitting room smells special enough already.

Oh Master, she defies you....

Oh dear. I have a sick stain tonight too after DD vomited spectacularly after banging her head. It's mostly milk though. I was hoping soap and water would fix it <<crosses fingers>>

this thread is def putting me off hiring carpet cleaners in the future!

Did you previously assume that people only hired carpet cleaners when their carpets were sparkly fresh and clean?!

Fear not, beloved snigger. I am casting my spells over the large hairy dog as we speak. <laughs at the puny soap and water> Mwah HA HA HA HA!!!!

Join us, merry kitten. Embrace your Inner (and Outer) Stain.

<<I think you definitely angered it>>