You’ve decided you no longer want to support JS. I don’t blame you at all. And no, you’re not the only one. But how did depotting those JS eyeshadow palettes go? If you’re anything like me, the process was painful and messy. It’s just that someone had to do it, and it’s always you, right?
Some of that powdery JS eyeshadow ended up staining your lovely cream carpet. Which is why you’re here. To learn how to get the ugly eyeshadow spill out of the carpet. Here’s the deal: you’ll leave this place with a clear, easy-to-implement solution to your problem.
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It’s too easy to stain a Carpet with Eyeshadow
You’re a career girl, but you’re also a beauty-adoring lady. A woman who needs to put her best face forward each morning.
It’s a hectic American life, this American life, you know. As you speed things up to catch the train, it’s easy to knock your eyeshadow compact face down onto the carpet.
And what happens? Powdery, haphazardly colored designs on the carpet that stick out like a sore thumb. As if you didn’t have enough worries in your life!
Good eyeshadow may help you stand out to your boss and get that elusive promotion. But it doesn’t look that pretty on a carpet, right?
Eyeshadow Powder Just Spilled on Your Carpet? Don’t Do This
- Don’t wet the powdery eyeshadow stain with soapy water or anything else before you’ve lifted up every last bit with a vacuum cleaner.
- Resist the temptation to pinch up the powder with your fingertips. It’s pretty tempting, but you shouldn’t succumb.
If you try to pick up the powder with your fingertips, you might press some of it into the carpet. Eyeshadow is an oil-based stain which also contains dyes. If these oils and dyes dive into the depths of the carpet, the mess becomes much harder to get out.
Besides that, there’s a good chance some of the powder from the beautiful clump of eyeshadow stain will spread to other areas on the carpet.
Here’s what to Do Instead of Wetting the Mess
Before you start cleaning up the mess with anything wet, vacuum it up. Suck up as much of the spilled eyeshadow as possible. Then, and only then, should you start implementing other clean-up strategies.
Even though eyeshadow stains can be quite hard to deal with, they’re not impossible to tackle if you know what to do and how to do it. And this is what this post is all about.
Resolve eyeshadow stains immediately. Waiting allows the stain time to settle in. And cleaning up old eyeshadow stains may be somewhat harder than solving fresh ones.
How to Get Black Eyeshadow Out of Carpet (Fast)
With a vacuum cleaner, suck up the powdery eyeshadow stain. And if you don’t have a vacuum, use a spoon or butter knife to scoop any loose clumps into a small bowl. Lift up as much mess as humanly possible to make the rest of the process easier.
Once you’ve collected the majority of the mess, blot up the stain with a damp cloth/sponge. Keep rinsing the cloth and dabbing at the stain until there’s no more color (of the stain) on it.
Finally, give the spot a focused treatment with an eye makeup remover, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, dry-cleaning solvent, mild laundry/non-bleach dish-washing detergent, or even shaving cream.
And if you own a carpet shampooer/extractor or can rent one, use it to deep-clean the carpet and restore the carpet while resolving all kinds of deep-seated carpet stains.
The answer above outlines rather than describes what you should do to get eyeshadow out of a carpet or rug. It’s time to familiarize yourself with all the nuts and bolts involved in the stain removal process so that you can handle the clean-up correctly.
How to Get Eyeshadow Out of Carpet in 7 (Easy and Fast) Ways
The very first thing to do when the accident happens is to vacuum up or scoop the powdery mess up with a spoon. After that, try any of the following stain removal methods to solve the problem:
- Use eye makeup remover (or fingernail polish remover).
- Try a mild laundry detergent or dishwashing detergent.
- Use dry cleaning solvent.
- Use 3% hydrogen peroxide.
- Use ammonia (but never together with chlorine bleach).
- Apply some shaving cream to the area if all else fails.
- Use a carpet shampooer.
1. Use an Eye Makeup or a Nail Polish Remover
Step #1: First, Vacuum or Scoop/Scrape Away Excess Eyeshadow
Grab a vacuum and begin picking up loose powder from the carpet. But vacuuming the spot using the usual side-to-side swipes and back-and-forth movements just doesn’t cut it.
If you push your vacuum the way you normally do when cleaning the carpet, the powder might spread even further. Or it might get pressed deeper into the fibers, complicating a bad situation.
The Right Way to Vacuum up Spilled Eyeshadow
The correct way to suck up eyeshadow dust from a carpet is to place a vacuum attachment directly over the mess. Most vacuums come with a bunch of tools including the essential 4: a crevice tool, an extension wand, a dusting brush, and an upholstery attachment. And the best attachment for picking up spilled eyeshadow powder is the upholstery tool.
What if you can’t find the tool at the moment (these tools have a knack for getting misplaced!)? Many people don’t use vacuum attachments anyway, so why bother?
Position the vacuum right over the mess and let it sit there for 10-15 seconds. You won’t have any eyeshadow powder on the carpet when you move the machine away from the spot.
No Vacuum? Use a Butter Knife, Spoon, or Credit Card Instead
What if you don’t have a vacuum cleaner around? Use a blunt object such as a spoon, a butter knife, or even a credit card to scrape away or scoop as much eyeshadow as possible. Put the collected powder into a small bowl, cup, plater, or other container.
Why Wetting the Stain with Water Initially is a Bad Idea
It’s ill-advised to use water on the mess at the start of the cleaning process. Why? It’s because eyeshadow is an oil-based beauty product with decent water-repellent properties. Being waterproof naturally makes water a pretty lame cleansing solution.
Step #2: Sponge up the Stained Area
You have very little of the powder on the carpet if any at this point. Now, use a damp cloth or sponge to pick up what remains of the spill. Blot the spot, rinse the sponge, and continue dabbing at the stain. Repeat the process until there’s no more stain color left on the cloth.
Note: This step won’t completely remove the stain, and it’s not meant to. Think of it as preparing the problematic portion of the carpet for stain removal.
Step #3: Work Eye Makeup Remover into the Mess
As already mentioned, water isn’t a very effective eyeshadow stain remover due to it being waterproof. What takes care of eyeshadow stains is eye makeup remover and a bunch of other substances.
Take care when using an eye makeup remover of any kind because it might discolor your carpet and damage the backing. Fortunately, there’s a way to prevent this scenario from happening — spot-testing.
Apply a small amount of eye makeup remover on the stained spot and watch what happens. Does it discolor the carpet? If it doesn’t, go ahead and treat the rest of the stained area.
If it does, obviously don’t use the remover on the carpet; try a different eyeshadow stain removal strategy. Since this resource offers you at least 7 practical eyeshadow clean-up methods, you’re spoiled for choice.
How to Use Eye Makeup Remover to Obliterate Eyeshadow Stains
First things first: Don’t apply the eye makeup remover directly on the carpet.
- Here’s the safest way to get eye makeup on an eyeshadow powder-stained carpet: Use a cloth moistened with the remover and start dabbing at the stain.
- Rinse off the stain color from the cloth and blot up the stain until there’s no more trace of it on your beautiful carpet and cloth.
- Once you’ve taken care of the stain, it’s time to deal with the eye shadow remover itself. Dampen a sponge/cloth by dunking it in cold water and squeezing excess water out.
Then, get a clean damp sponge to dab the spot under treatment and then rinse off the eye makeup remover. Don’t leave any amount of the remover in since it might weaken or damage the fibers of your carpet.
- Finally, use a dry cloth to dry off the treated spot.
Alternatively, use fingernail polish remover. Follow the steps above to implement this idea.
2. Use a Non-bleach Dish-washing/Mild Laundry Detergent
If you don’t want to risk ruining your carpet by using an eye makeup remover on it, consider using a non-bleach dish-washing detergent instead.
Dishwashing detergents are amazing at dealing with oily stains on pans, pots, and plates. And they don’t lose this special ability when used to clean up eyeshadow.
How to do it:
- Prepare a cleansing solution by mixing 2 cups of warm water with 1 tablespoon of a non-bleach dishwashing detergent.
- Spray the soapy solution onto the mess and wait 5-10 minutes for it to do its abracadabra. Apply a reasonable amount of the diluted detergent to avoid over-saturating the stained spot. Also, you don’t want to do too much work when it’s time to mop up the detergent.
- Sop up the detergent with a sponge or cloth.
- Use clean water to rinse off any remaining detergent from the carpet. Just don’t pour water on the carpet. Instead, dip a cloth into the water and wring out excess water.
- Dry off the area with a dry cloth to prevent mildew growth.
How to Use a Mild Laundry Detergent to Clean Up Eyeshadow Stains
- Squirt 5 drops of a mild laundry detergent into a small bowl containing 1 cup of cold clean water.
- Dip a white cloth into the soapy solution and squeeze any excess water out.
- Dab at the mess until it disappears. You may have to rinse the cloth a few times. Stop when you no longer notice the stain’s color on the cloth.
- Rinse the stain-free area with a clean damp sponge/cloth and blot up any remaining water.
- Use a dry cloth to dry off the carpet or run a vacuum over the spot.
3. Bring a Dry Cleaning Solvent to Bear on the Stain
Another trick to clean up eyeshadow stains is to use a carpet-friendly dry-cleaning solvent. You can use a multipurpose product such as the Prochem Power Solvent, a carpet-safe dry-cleaning solvent. It’s an oil-based stain remover, and it works for eyeshadow removal.
If you’re not sure about how a given solvent might affect your carpet, test the treatment on a small inconspicuous area.
- Wear gloves and dip one corner of a clean cloth in a suitable solvent. Then, dab at the eyeshadow stain until it vanishes. The solvent takes the stain out without causing it to spread farther out.
- Rinse off the solvent with a damp cloth and finally clean the spot as you normally would.
- Make sure to dry off the treated area to keep mildew at bay.
4. Remove Eyeshadow Stains from a Carpet Using Ammonia
A few don’ts before attempting this method:
- Don’t use ammonia if your kids or furry kids are around.
- Never use ammonia alongside any kind of chlorine bleach. Why? Because when these two chemicals react, they can produce potentially hazardous fumes.
- Never use ammonia in poorly ventilated areas.
Here’s how to go about using ammonia to eradicate eyeshadow stains:
- Open the windows and doors to improve air circulation.
- Measure 1 teaspoon of ammonia into a small container.
- Add in ½ cup of warm water.
- Dip a small portion of a sponge or cloth into the ammonia solution.
- Dab at the eyeshadow stain until it’s gone. You may have to soak the ammonia into the sponge/cloth several times for the best result.
- Rinse off the ammonia solution with a water-moistened cloth. You don’t want any of it remaining on the carpet. Why? Because ammonia can damage the carpet’s backing, discolor the carpet, or both.
- Clean the ammonia-treated spot as you normally would and dry it off. You can also run a vacuum cleaner over the spot to dry it off.
You may also crank up a dehumidifier to get excess moisture out of the room, quickening the drying process.
Running a hair dryer is another option. But make sure the dryer’s nozzle isn’t too close to the carpet especially if it’s woven/knitted from synthetic fibers.
Note: You can (and should) use these carpet-drying strategies in any of the other eyeshadow clean-up methods described in this post.
5. Use 3% Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is a mighty disinfectant, and many laundry enthusiasts use it to sanitize the washing machine. Also, hydrogen peroxide has mild bleaching properties. Using it to remove eyeshadow from a carpet not only smacks stains hard, but it also leaves white carpets whiter and colored carpets brighter.
And has hydrogen peroxide become a staple of every first-aid kit? It’s also in your hair bleach and used in wastewater treatment. And apparently, this useful chemical treats acne!
A few don’ts before you unleash that lethal hydrogen peroxide on that messy eyeshadow stain:
- Hydrogen peroxide detests silk and wool carpets and likes damaging them!
- It’s a bad idea to use this stain remover/bleacher on dark-colored carpets.
Here’s how to use hydrogen peroxide to eradicate eyeshadow stains in carpets:
- Grab a spray bottle and pour in 2 cups of warm water.
- Add in 1 teaspoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide and give the contents a shake. 3% peroxide is what’s generally recommended for home use.
- Spray a considerable amount of this stain removal solution onto the messy spot.
- Let the stain remover stay on the spill for about 10 minutes.
- With a damp cloth, blot up the peroxide and stain. If you need to reapply the peroxide, do so. Only stop working when no more mess remains.
- Rinse off the peroxide and dry the spot off.
6. Shaving Cream Does More Than Soothe Skin
A decent shaving cream makes razor-work on the face a much easier, smoother, more comfortable experience. But that’s not the only way to use your shaving cream.
Who knew you could use good old shaving cream to rid your carpet of those unsightly eyeshadow stains.
I’ve never used shaving cream to get stains out of anything, leave alone my carpet. But I have it on good authority that this cream arm-twists tough carpet stains including eyeshadow to submission in no time.
Here’s how to use shaving cream to take care of eyeshadow on carpets:
- Apply some shaving cream to the problematic area and leave it there for half an hour.
- Wipe the cream away (along with the stain, of course) with a clean damp cloth.
- Rinse off the cream and dry off the spot so mildew won’t build a colony there.
Getting Eyeshadow Out of Carpet FAQs
Will Eyeshadow Come Out Of a Carpet?
Yes, eyeshadow does come out of carpets, but it’s not always easy.
How Do You Get Pink or Black Eyeshadow Out of the Carpet?
The way to get pink or black eyeshadow out of a carpet is the exact same way you get rid of other eyeshadow colors. Use nail polish remover/makeup remover, dry-cleaning solvent, or any of the other items mentioned in this guide.
How Do You Get Eyeshadow Out of Carpet Fast?
First, vacuum up the powdery stain or at least get most of it from the carpet using a butter knife, a spoon, or some other blunt tool. After this, use an eye makeup remover, ammonia, a mild laundry soap, a no-bleach dish-washing soap, a carpet-safe dry-cleaning solvent, hydrogen peroxide, or even shaving cream to treat the stain to oblivion.
Lastly, rinse the solvent off and pat the spot dry. Whenever you’re not sure how a certain product might behave once applied to the carpet, spot-test it.
What’s the Best Way to Get Old Eyeshadow out of Carpet
You remove old, set-in eyeshadow stains the same way you do fresh stains. Vacuum up the mess, use a damp cloth to blot up the stained spot, and finally treat the area with an effective and safe homemade or commercial stain remover.
7. Use a Carpet Shampooer (for Deeply Embedded Carpet Stains)
If you have a large home, it makes sense to invest in a good carpet shampooer. If this idea doesn’t make sense to you and your cleaning needs, you can always rent one from your local hardware store or grocery store.
A carpet shampooer is a great way to deep-clean a carpet. It dives deep into the carpet and gets dust and soil of all kinds out. Most importantly, the extractor cleans up stains while restoring the carpet back to that fluffy look we all love.
- First off, vacuum the carpet as you normally would. Give extra attention to the stained spot, of course. Actually, start at the affected spot.
- Then, set up the shampooer/carpet extractor and get down to work. Make sure to learn how the machine works and where to pour the cleaner and water. Fortunately, even rented extractors come with a user manual.
- If you’re unsure about how to shampoo a carpet to get out fresh and old makeup stains, hire a cleaning expert for the task. I clean everything in my home myself because I hate paying hefty bills, but to each his own.
Putting It All Together
Getting eyeshadow out of carpets isn’t the easiest task in the cleaning world. But with the right cleaning supplies, equipment, cleaning techniques, and a little elbow grease, it’s possible. It’s decision time! Do you really want to keep descending down that research rabbit hole? No. You want to begin the clean-up exercise already and get that depressing eyeshadow mess out of your expensive thick-pile carpet. Plea
