Use This Kitchen Staple To Banish Winter Salt Stains From Your Carpets

During the winter season, salt is used on roads and sidewalks to melt away snow and slippery ice. This makes roads safer for drivers and sidewalks less of a hazard for pedestrians, but it can be quite a headache when it ends up on your carpets. Unfortunately, it is pretty easy to track this salt into your car or home, and the hardened particles can become embedded into your carpets. You might be able to vacuum up some of the salt sitting on top of the surface of your carpet. However, wet pieces will likely stick to the material, making them difficult to remove. This is where dish soap comes in handy. A simple solution made of ¼ cup of liquid dish soap and 1 cup of warm water will dissolve the salt.

This solution will get that stubborn road salt out of your carpets just as effectively as more expensive products. After scrubbing the salt stains away, keep in mind that you need to allow your carpet to dry. It may be helpful to use a wet-dry vacuum to pull the moisture out of your carpet — if you have one on hand. Otherwise, crack a window or turn on a fan to increase air circulation to help the carpet dry. As long as you remember this small caveat, you should be able to use this dish soap solution to remove salt without damaging your carpet.

Let's dive into how to effectively use this solution to remove salt stains from your carpet. After preparing the mixture in a bowl, using the previously mentioned measurements, dip a cloth in, wring it out, and begin dissolving the salt on the stained areas of your carpet. Blot the spots with your cloth until you notice the stains lifting. Be sure to blot and not scrub to avoid rubbing the salt further into the fibers.

After you have used this dishwashing liquid solution to dissolve the salt, wet a different rag with warm water and remove as much of the soapy mixture from your carpet as possible. Finally, use a dry cloth to remove as much moisture as you can. You will likely need to let fresh air in to dry the carpet completely. Again, you may use a wet-dry vacuum to remove the moisture as well. Salt often also ends up in cars. Thankfully, this method will work on carpets in vehicles, too. However, you will likely find it easier to remove the detachable pieces of carpet from your car's floor to clean and dry them outside.