So – you’ve spilled Red Gatorade on your expensive carpet and now you’re freaking out!
Don’t panic!
Red Gatorade may look nasty to remove but there are many tips and tricks you can try!
So, without any further ado, let’s remove those pesky stains. Your carpet will be as good as new in no time.
Why Is Red Gatorade So Tricky to Remove?
Well – for starters it’s very red! Red Gatorade leaves a nasty stain that clings onto materials. Particularly light-colored or thick materials. This energy drink might be delicious but it is annoyingly bright!
IMPORTANT: Take Action Immediately
As soon as you spill Red Gatorade on your carpet, you have to immediately take action. Delays or breaks could lead to further damages and the stain might become permanent which obviously wouldn’t be ideal.
5 Methods to Remove Gatorade from Carpet
1. The Alkaline Treatment
An alkaline cleaner is very vigorous against combatting stubborn stains of Red Gatorade. Alkaline cleaner removed many types of stains and is a staple product to have ready in the kitchen cupboard. This genius little product will not ruin the carpet texture.
You’ll need to prepare your alkaline cleaner:
- Take 1 tablespoon of alkaline detergent and 1 tablespoon of dishwashing soap
- Mix the two together in a quarter cup of warm water
- Take a white cloth – not a colored cloth. (If you use a colored cloth the dye from the cloth could transfer onto the carpet).
- Dab the solution on top of the red Gatorade stain
- Leave for around one minute and wipe away
The mixture will fade the stain in the very first attempt.
However, for deeper stains, you may need to repeat this process a few times to achieve the desired results. Sometimes, you’ll need to apply the solution twice or even thrice.
2. Hydrogen Peroxide Method
Another effective method to remove Red Gatorade from your carpet is to use hydrogen peroxide.
- Soak the red stain area with hydrogen peroxide.
- Let it sit there for a while
- Use a steam cleaner to remove the stains.
Hydrogen peroxide is a good cleaning agent. It will penetrate into the stain and when you use the steam cleaner it removes the stain. In case you do not have a steam cleaner, place a wet towel (preferably white) on the affected area and use a steam iron on it. It is important that you use a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution. Cleaning solutions with more than 6% concentration can bleach the color and texture of your carpet.
3. The Club Soda Treatment
If you’re a fan of club soda, this trick is a great one to remember.
Start with blotting the carpet as much as you can through a paper towel or an absorbent towel. Do not rub the stain as it may spread to other areas. Blot the stain as hard as you can, pressing it into the paper towel. The stain will shrink and will not spread further whilst the paper towel absorbs the Red Gatorade.
After that, pour a small cup of club soda onto the stain so that the area is wet again. Then, keep on blotting the spot with a fresh paper towel or absorbent towel by using all your force and energy. Just keep on doing it until the Gatorade dye is transferred onto the towel.
Sometimes the club soda alone cannot do the trick as stains are too severe. So, in that case, you’ll need to add 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap and 1 tablespoon of vinegar into two cups of chilled water. Now, after preparing your solution, wet the stained area with it and wait for 30 minutes!
After 30 minutes, again blot the area with a dry cloth as well as with the towel dipped in solution. Switch between a dry cloth and wet cloth until the stain totally disappears.
In the end, take a glass of chilled water and dab thoroughly onto the surface, then take a towel to blot dry it.
4. The White Vinegar Treatment
If the club soda trick doesn’t work for you, then take a look at these other tips and tricks. White vinegar treatment is also quite popular and has been effective to remove harsh stains of Red Gatorade. Again, the trick is simple but you’ll need to be patient in the process.
Start by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to a quarter cup of warm water. Make sure that the water is warm and not extra hot as it might damage your carpet’s fabric. Dip a fresh white cloth in the white vinegar solution and press it hard against the Red Gatorade stain.
Leave the cloth as it is on the stain for 30 minutes. After that, you’ll need to wipe thoroughly towards the center from the outside edges of the area which is discolored. Blot to clean the surface with the help of some water. Use a fresh white cloth and pat dry the surface.
White vinegar has vigorous properties of acetic acid and is used in a number of cleaning agents. Hence, it is a smart technique to keep handy. It will remove all sorts of stains including Red Gatorade stains!
5. The Shaving Cream Treatment
Many households have at least one can of shaving cream. If you don’t have any of the materials listed above, this can be a great option. This treatment is kind on the wallet and on your carpet! People have been using shaving cream to clean their carpets and upholstery items like a boss for years!
So, start with applying shaving cream directly onto the stain of Red Gatorade. Apply the cream thickly. Make sure to cover the entire stain so that you get an even texture and coarseness of the carpet.
As you have applied the shaving cream, wait for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes when the shaving cream is all set, take a white cloth and blot the surface through it. You need to make sure that you blot thoroughly so that no stain is left behind. If the stain is still sneaking through. You will need to prepare a solution of white vinegar and water and mix it together, both equal in quantity.
Wet the area with this solution and wipe it off with a white dry cloth.
I hope that helped!
So, here were a few tips and tricks to remove Red Gatorade stains from your carpet. These might be the best tricks. But, the main trick is to remain patient, repeat and have faith in your products. That’s it!