A cleaning expert has revealed her top five hacks for tackling stubborn carpet stains. Whether it’s food, drink spills or mud tracked in from outside, a common bathroom item might just be the hero you need.
Sydney-based Sophie Webb, known as @what.sophie.does on social media, dished out her cleaning wisdom to her TikTok followers in October 2024, including a tip on how to lift carpet stains. Her go-to solution? Shaving foam, reports the Express.
Sophie swears by this method, saying: “Rub a little bit of shaving cream into carpet stains and watch it work wonders.”
The reason shaving cream is so effective is that it contains similar active ingredients found in many cleaning products, like surfactants and emulsifiers, which are great at trapping dirt and grime within the foam. These ingredients help to break down and lift stains, with the surfactants specifically targeting dirt particles, making them easier to remove.
The foam application is key as it helps to raise the dirt out of the carpet for easy wiping. It’s always wise to do a patch test with the shaving cream first, as it generally works best on surface-level stains across various fabrics.
Once you’ve applied the shaving cream, simply wipe it off gently with a damp cloth or a diluted cleaning solution, depending on the nature of the stain.
Professional cleaner and owner of Tidy Casa, Ryan Knoll, shared with Homes and Gardens a surprising cleaning tip: “I only learned recently that shaving foam can be a surprisingly effective way to clean carpet stains, but I love it.
“The foam easily breaks down grease and other substances that cling to the carpet fibres, making them easier to remove. All you have to do is apply, allow it to sit for a few minutes, and then scrub the area dry with a clean towel.”
However, he did caution that for the trick to work, one must use shaving foam, not gel or soap-based products.