How to get makeup out of carpet: foundation, powder, lipstick and mascara
Makeup is made to stay put, which is exactly why it’s hard to get out of carpet. Most of it is oil, wax or very fine pigment, and water alone just spreads it. The good news is that most makeup spills come out at home if you treat them the right way and don’t scrub. Here’s what works for each kind, from the crew that gets called when it doesn’t.
Before you start: three rules
- Don’t rub. Rubbing pushes pigment down into the pile and spreads the edges. Blot, dab and lift.
- Work from the outside in, so the stain gets smaller, not wider.
- Test first. Try any cleaner on a hidden spot, like inside a closet. If the carpet is wool, skip the alcohol and solvents below and use only cool water and a little clear dish soap. Wool is easy to damage with harsh chemicals.
Use a white cloth or paper towel so you can see what’s lifting, and so no dye transfers onto the carpet.
Powder: blush, eyeshadow, setting and pressed powder
Powder is dry pigment, so keep it dry for as long as you can.
- Lift off any chunks with a spoon or the edge of a card.
- Vacuum the area slowly with the hose attachment. Don’t press down.
- Only if a shadow is left, dab it with a cloth dampened with cool water and a drop of clear dish soap, then blot with plain water and dry.
Wetting powder first turns it into a paint and makes it much harder to remove.
Liquid foundation and concealer
Most foundations contain oils, so they need something to break the oil down.
- Scrape off what’s sitting on top.
- Mix a cup of cool water with a few drops of clear dish soap. Dab it on with a white cloth and blot. Repeat, moving to a clean part of the cloth each time.
- On synthetic carpet only, if a mark remains, dab a little rubbing alcohol on a cloth and blot. Don’t pour it on.
- Rinse by blotting with plain water, then press a dry towel on top with something heavy to pull up the moisture.
Long-wear and full-coverage foundations are the hardest. If you’ve done two rounds and it’s still there, stop. More rounds tend to spread it.
Lipstick and lip liner
Lipstick is wax plus strong pigment.
- Scrape off as much as you can with a dull knife. If it’s soft, put an ice cube in a bag on it for a minute so it firms up and lifts more cleanly.
- Dab with the dish soap mixture, blotting each time.
- On synthetic carpet, a little rubbing alcohol on a cloth can lift the remaining colour.
- Rinse and blot dry.
Red and deep berry shades may leave a pink shadow. That’s dye, and it usually needs a professional treatment.
Mascara and eyeliner
These are often waterproof, which means oil and wax.
- Let wet mascara dry, then gently flake off what you can.
- Dab with the dish soap mixture.
- On synthetic carpet, finish with a little rubbing alcohol, then rinse with water and blot dry.
Nail polish (the one people always ask about)
Nail polish isn’t makeup, but it ends up on the same bedroom carpet. Blot, don’t wipe. Non-acetone remover can lift it from many synthetic carpets, but test first: acetone and some removers can melt or discolour carpet fibres. If you’re not sure, call us before you try.
What not to use
- Hot water. It can set oils and some dyes.
- Bleach, coloured cleaners or “oxy” powders on coloured carpet. They can leave a pale spot that’s permanent.
- Lots of liquid. Soaking the spot pushes the stain into the backing, where it wicks back up as the carpet dries.
When to call us
Call a professional if the stain has spread larger than your palm, it’s a deep red or black, it’s on wool, or it keeps coming back after it dries. That last one, called wicking, means there’s still product in the backing. We pre-treat the spot for the type of makeup, then rinse it out with truck-mounted hot water extraction, which has far more suction than anything you can rent.
A single spot can usually be added to a regular clean, which is priced at $90 an area before the current promo. If it’s urgent, see our emergency carpet stain removal page.
Common questions
Does makeup remover work on carpet? Sometimes, but many removers are oily and leave a greasy patch that attracts dirt. Use dish soap and water first.
Can I use hairspray? It’s an old trick because of the alcohol in it, but the resins and perfume can leave a sticky residue. Plain rubbing alcohol is cleaner, on synthetic carpet only.
The stain came back the next day. Why? That’s wicking. Product deep in the carpet travels back up as it dries. Blot again with plain water and weight a dry towel on top overnight. If it keeps coming back, it needs extraction.
Ready to book? See emergency carpet stain removal in Vancouver, or call (604) 802-8500.