Spooktacular Stain Removal: How to Remove a Mold Stain from a Carpet or Rug

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One of my clients had a pumpkin sitting indoors, on her carpet. Without putting anything under the pumpkin, she noticed that fruit flies where gathering around it. She decided to take the pumpkin outside, but when she lifted up the large pumpkin, it left a pumpkin mold stain on the carpet. This happened the morning I was arriving to clean her house. My first thought regarding stain removal was vinegar. I poured pure white vinegar on the mold stain right from the bottle and let it sit for a while. I blotted the stained area a few times with a clean towel and it started removing the stain just a bit. I blotted the stain until it was dry. I didn’t have time to continue to work on it.

I began coaching my client through emails on how to remove the stain from her carpet. Below are some of the stain removal solutions that I came up for her. I haven’t heard yet if any of them have worked. The difficultly is this carpet is sisal — a natural fiber — but it is like working with braided rope.

Instructions #1 for Removing Mold Stain from a Carpet or Rug

You will need:

• Medium bristle brush or toothbrush
• 3 percent hydrogen peroxide
• Spray bottle
• Clean cloth
• Baking soda

Steps for Removing Mold Stain from a Carpet or Rug

1. Brush  dried mold that may still be present with a medium-bristle brush to lift it.
2. Vacuum up the residual mold; be sure to dispose of the bag or empty the canister and get the mold out of your home as soon as possible.
3. Mix one part 3 percent hydrogen peroxide with three parts water in a spray bottle.
4. Saturate the stained area with the solution.
5. Allow the area to dry and saturate it a second time.
6. Allow the area to soak for 15 minutes before scrubbing with a  medium bristle brush or tooth brush and blot with a clean cloth or sponge to remove the stain.
7. Cover the area with baking soda and allow it to sit overnight.
8. Vacuum the area in the morning to get rid of the baking soda and fluff the pile of the carpet back up.

Tips & Warnings

You might need to saturate, soak and scrub the rug several times to remove the mold stain.

Instructions #2, 3, and 4 for Removing Mold Stain from a Carpet or Rug

You will need:

• Medium bristle brush or toothbrush
• Detergent Solution (I use Dawn)
• Vinegar
• Spray bottle
• Clean cloth

1. Detergent Solution – Mix one fourth (1/4) teaspoon of a liquid dishwashing detergent per one (1) cup of lukewarm water. NEVER USE A STRONGER CONCENTRATION! Thorough rinsing is necessary to remove detergent residues that may cause rapid soiling. It may be necessary to rinse with warm water several times to completely remove residues. (See Residue Precautions.) Care should be used in selecting a detergent. Never use a laundry detergent of any type, because laundry detergents may contain optical brighteners (flourescent dyes) that dye the fiber. Do not select an automatic dishwashing detergent because many contain bleaching agents that destroy dyes and some fibers.
2. Vinegar Solution – Mix one (1) cup of white vinegar per two (2) cups of water. White vinegar is a 5% acetic acid solution. It is used most often to lower the alkalinity caused by detergent solutions or alkaline spills.
3. Warm Water – Lukewarm tap water should be used in most cases to rinse the cleaning solutions from the fiber. Failure to completely rinse the solutions from the fiber may cause accelerated soiling.