How to remove vomit from your carpet? A chemical free carpet fresh recipe (2024)

With the colder weather hitting Australia and the house being closed up with the heater cranked I noticed last night a bit of a smell about the place.

I know what the smell is as son number 2 (bless him) vomited all over my carpet earlier this week.

First steps

Having never had to deal with vomit on the carpet before I made up a bucket of warm soapy water and gave it a good wash. Then I sprayed vinegar infused with essential oils over the affected area and let it dry. After vacuuming I could not see the vomit but last night sitting on my couch I kept getting a slight whiff of it.

Now if I can smell it others must be able to as well so I racked my head this morning thinking what could I make to pop on the carpet to get rid of the smell.

So this is what I came up with.

How to get the smell out?

I put 1 cup of Bi-Carb (or baking soda as it is known to some of my readers) into a glass bowl and added 20 drops of essential oil (I did 10 drops sweet orange, 6 drops ylang ylang, 4 drops patchouli it’s my signature scent for the house) and mixed well followed by 3 or 4 rounds through my sifter.

Once the essential oils were well combined with no clumps I transferred the mix into an old talc bottle.

I then proceeded to shake it all over my carpet concentrating on the smelly area. I let it sit for 15 min then I vacuumed it all up.

My house, more so my carpet, smells great. Not only can I not smell any vomit but the carpet appears to have had a “makeover”.

I only used about a tablespoon all up for one application to a rather large area of carpet.

Be sure to only use the purest of essential oils, fragrance oil or any kind of dye is not recommended as it could stain your carpet.

Do-It-Yourself cleaners are not that hard-to-make, expensive or ineffective options we used to know. While these options are not available in a wide range of fruit or flower fragrances, they will leave your house smelling fresh and clean.

Advantages of Making Your Own Cleaning Supplies

People may not want to take the time to make their own cleaners, fearing that household items may not disinfect or polish as well as a commercial brand. Another concern may be that buying large amounts of the basic ingredients would cost more than buying one container of an all-purpose cleaner.

By not including artificial fragrances or heavy perfumes, you are not only providing some relief to people with allergies, but you’re reducing the amount of hazardous chemicals that are released into the air and water.

DIY Natural Powder Cleanser

Making an abrasive powder cleaner that would be used in the same way powder cleansers would be used to scrub out sinks, tubs and ovens doesn’t have to be toxic. The only two ingredients include Borax and baking soda, in equal measures.

Borax is also known as sodium borate and can be bought in most hardware stores, usually where cleaners and water softeners can be found. Borax is panned from evaporated bodies of water, and the resulting mineral is used as a water softener or detergent.

How To Make Eco-Friendly Scouring Cleanser

This scouring cleanser can be used in the same way abrasive cleansing powder would be used. You can mix a large batch in a mixing bowl and when thoroughly combined, transfer to your container of choice.

Get a solid jar with a screw top lid that fits.

Punch holes in the lid with a nail and a hammer; these holes will make the dispenser in your lid.

Mix together equal parts of Borax and baking soda

The “Parts” can be any number of cups, litres or even grams – the proportions are always 50/50.

How to Use Scouring Cleanser

To use the cleaner, moisten the surface you want to clean with a little water, and sprinkle the cleanser on the surface. Scrub with a damp sponge or cleaning rag. It can even be used as a toilet cleanser: Pour some of the cleanser into the bowl, and scrub with a toilet brush – let it sit for five minutes before flushing.

The next article in this series focuses on eco-friendly window cleansers and alternatives to VOC-laden cleaning products. Spring-cleaning can mean getting dirt and VOCs out of your house.