7 Ways to Remove Tea Stains from Carpet

Ah, tea. You, wonderful concoction of warmth, energy, and love. What would we do without you?

According to the “UK Tea & Infusions Association”, British people drink around 165 million cups of tea daily. No matter if it’s black tea, green tea, peppermint or herbal, with milk or without, we just love our tea. So naturally, there are many stains that occur each day. Especially when your dog decides to run through the coffee table and relocate this wonderful liquid from your cups to the carpet. Not only is the tea gone, but it’s all over the carpet as well.

But don’t worry because for all of you, tea lovers, we have gathered the best ways to clean tea stains from carpets using mostly household products.

So, if you:

Then read on! This post is for you.

Before we show you how to clean tea stains from carpets and rugs, let’s have a little lesson about tea…

Why does tea stain carpets?

The main reason why tea can stain carpets and even clothes is called Tannin. Its compounds are widely spread in all kinds of different plants, which we use to make tea. It protects the plants and is also the reason why your mouth feels dry and puckery after eating unripened fruit, red wine or tea. Tannin is used as the main ingredient in many leather dyes and in ink, as well. This is why tea is very quick to penetrate any surface and settle in for a long time.

A good start, when it comes to cleaning, is to act immediately when a spill occurs. You should also wash your cups after each use. If the cup is not washed regularly, the stain builds up and after time, it’s almost impossible to remove.

Remove tea stain from carpet with baking soda

You’ll need:

The baking soda cleaning method:

1. Pour one cup of baking soda into a bowl.
2. Grab a damp cloth and dip it into the baking soda.
3. Press the cloth coated with baking soda firmly around the stained area of the carpet.
4. Rinse well with cold water.
5. Repeat the first two steps until you are satisfied with the results.
6. Give the area a final rinse with cold water and dry it with another clean cloth.

Clean a tea stain from carpet by using salt

You’ll need:

The salt cleaning method:

1. Absorb as much of the liquid as you can with the pad.
2. Pour enough salt over the stain to fully cover it.
3. Pour on a bit of club soda. Be careful not to oversaturate the carpet.
4. Repeat until you are satisfied with the results.
5. Rinse with cold water and let it air dry.

Remove tea stains from carpet with vinegar

You’ll need:

The vinegar cleaning method:

1. Mix a 1:2 solution of white vinegar and lukewarm water.
2. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle.
3. Spray the solution over the tea stain.
4. Gently rub it into the carpet fibres with a cloth.
5. Repeat if needed.
6. Finally, rinse with cold water.

Get the tea stains out with dish soap

You’ll need:

The dish soap cleaning method:

1. Blot the stain as much as you can with a damp cloth.
2. Mix a solution of 1 tablespoon of dish soap, distilled white vinegar and 2 cups of lukewarm water.
3. Apply the mixture to the stain and gently scrub with the microfibre cloth until the area is clean.
4. Repeat until satisfied.
5. Rinse the solution with a cold wet sponge.
6. Blot it dry with another cloth.

Dish soap is another product with secret abilities to clean almost everything from anything. Clothes, blankets, shower screens, windows and all kinds of stains. You can use it to remove paint from your carpet, or even treat red wine stains (when combined with a couple other ingredients)!

Lift the tea stain from the carpet using borax

You’ll need:

The borax cleaning method:

1. Make a paste of 3 parts borax and 1 part warm water.
2. Dip the toothbrush in the paste.
3. Scrub gently the affected area.
4. Leave the mixture to dry on the carpet.
5. Vacuum the leftover residue.
6. Rinse with cold water when you’re done and soak up with the cloth.

Eliminate tea stains with a commercial carpet stain remover

You’ll need:

The commercial carpet stain removal method:

1. Blot the stained area using a clean rag. Absorb as much of the liquid as you can.
2. Pour a bit of lukewarm water over the area to dilute the stain.
3. Spray the detergent directly onto it.
4. Leave the product for a couple of minutes.
5. Rinse the area with cold water.
6. Repeat if the stain is still visible after drying out.

If you are not confident enough to try the above methods, you can always turn to detergents made especially for removing stains. However, make sure you always read the label of the product. Choose a detergent suitable for your carpet or you risk damaging the fibres.

Play it safe by opting for professional carpet cleaning

The safest way to act when you have a stain is to trust a professional carpet cleaning technician.

We provide our carpet cleaning solutions by applying the Hot Water Extraction method or by employing an effective dry cleaning technique for more delicate fabrics.

The hot water extraction method pays special attention to the stains and works on most carpets. The technician will first pre-treat the area with a suitable detergent and after that, he will use the carpet cleaning machine. A cleaning solution is injected into the carpet and after that, it is extracted along with the water and the dirt.

You will have your carpet not only stain-free but also looking and smelling fresh and clean. You can use our online booking form to check out the availability and prices.

Takeaways

• Tea stains are hard to remove due to a component called Tannin.
• You should clean up tea spills right away.
• Most tea stains can be removed with household products.
• If using detergents, make sure to read the label to avoid damaging the carpet fibres.
• Always test the chosen cleaning product on an inconspicuous area first.

***

Depending on the size, nature, and age of the stain, keep in mind that some of them might be impossible to remove. Therefore, we cannot take responsibility if any of the above-mentioned methods do not work on your carpets.

Header image source: Depositphotos / gresey