Slime-Stoppers: How to Get Slime Out of Carpet

Slime is a popular trend for adults and children alike. This sensory toy comes in all sorts of colours and textures to collect, but its stickiness makes it an enemy of carpets.

In truth, slime is one of the most difficult things to get out of the carpets. Attempting to remove it with quick, DIY fixes could damage your carpet. Below, we’ll look at some of the steps that are often recommended, but we’d highly recommend getting straight in touch with a professional.

•  Pick it up

The first step is to remove as much slime as you can by hand. This will prevent it from soaking deeper into your carpet and also minimise the amount of slime that you need to dissolve. 

Then, begin to scrape the rest with a spoon or a butter knife. Make sure that you work gently, so that you don't damage your carpet or drive the slime in further.

•  White vinegar and water

Next, mix one part water with two parts white vinegar. If you have a spray bottle, this is the best way to apply this mixture to your carpet. If not, you can use a paper towel to gently apply the solution to the slime. Do not apply too much – your carpet should only be slightly damp, not wet. 

Leave this to work its magic for five to ten minutes. The secret of how to get slime out of carpet is acidity, which dissolves the slime. Unfortunately, the dilution of acetic acid in white vinegar is rarely strong enough to remove slime.

Professional carpet cleaners will attempt to remove slime with a solvent alkaline prespray and lots of heat – but even they can’t guarantee to get it out.

•  Blot

If the slime has been dissolved, blot it away with a paper towel. Work carefully, ensuring that you do not rub the area at any point. You may need to repeat steps 2 and 3 several times in an attempt to eradicate slime from carpet.

Any vinegar smell should dissipate within a few hours, but you can speed this up by using a clean towel to blot the area with water. Be careful not to saturate your carpet, as this will take a long time to dry and could potentially lead to mould. 

•  Tackle the residue

If your attempts have been successful, the final step of how to get slime out of carpet is to remove any sticky residue. The white vinegar may have dissolved the slime, but this can re-thicken deep down in your carpet. To make sure that this doesn't happen, sprinkle over a generous amount of baking soda and leave it there for a few hours. This method should also help to remove excess water left over from the white vinegar solution.

Once the area has dried, you can vacuum up the baking soda. If your vacuum is struggling to pick up the powder, this is often a sign that the carpet is still wet and should be left a little longer.

Hire a professional carpet cleaner

Slime is one of the stains that DIY measures rarely fix. Your best bet is to hire a professional carpet cleaner to avoid damaging your carpet even more. An expert cleaner will have the best chance of getting slime out of carpet with access to the best equipment and up-to-date industry standards.

The National Carpet Cleaners Association (NCCA) directory makes it easy to find qualified cleaners in your area. With accredited, insured service, all of our cleaners meet a high standard of expertise. 

Search the carpet cleaner directory.