How to Remove Burn Marks From Carpets

Discovering a burn mark on your carpet can be stressful. Carpet replacements are expensive and it may feel impossible to remove the stain.

Luckily, you can fix most carpet burns by patching the area with a donor piece of carpet. For scorch marks, you can use a hydrogen peroxide solution to clean away the stain.

If the burn is particularly large, it may be too difficult to fix by yourself. Instead, you may need to try a carpet repair service or look into a carpet replacement.

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Can you remove burns from carpets?

Depending on the type and severity of the burn, it may be possible to remove the marks. You can remove smaller burns and scorch marks with a little time and patience.

Larger burns, up to the size of a large lump of coal, can also be fixed but are usually more difficult.

For very large or deep burns, it may not be possible to fix the damage. If the burn is very bad, you may have to pay for a new carpet.

If you would rather keep your carpet, you can look up carpet repair services in your local area.

What supplies do you need to remove burns from carpets?

The first step in treating a burn on your carpet is to remove the burnt fibres. It’s best to avoid using scissors or sandpaper to remove burns, as these can damage the carpet fibres.

Instead, opt for tweezers if the burn is small or a utility knife for larger burns. 

If you are using a utility knife, you’ll also need a metal ruler to act as a straight edge when cutting. This will help to ensure a clean cut without fraying the carpet fabric.

To apply the donor carpet you will need latex adhesive. This is a strong glue adhesive made from natural rubber latex.

You can buy latex adhesive at your local hardware store or on Amazon.

If the burn is large, you may also need some hessian tape to act as a carpet underlay for the donor carpet. Hessian tape is a common crafting tool, popular for wedding decorations.

You should be able to find hessian tape at your local craft store or on Amazon.

For scorch marks, you can use a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution to clean the stain. You’ll also need a spray bottle and some gloves to protect your hands.

How to get rid of small burn marks on carpets

You can fix small burn marks by tweezing out the burned area and replacing it with a small donor piece of carpet. Common types of small burns include those made by cigarettes and fireplace ash.

Supplies

To remove a small burn mark from your carpet you’ll need:

• tweezers
• carpet cleaner (store brought or homemade)
• latex adhesive
• a piece of paper
• a wide-toothed comb
• a small matching piece of carpet fabric

Instructions

1. Use the tweezers to pluck out the burnt fibres from the carpet.
2. Clean the area with a carpet cleaner, rinsing if needed.
3. Leave the area to dry.
4. Vacuum the area to remove any debris.
5. Tweeze up a clean section of your carpet. Use a spot that is usually covered by furniture.
6. Roll the carpet fibres into the shape of the hole you need to fill
7. Apply the latex adhesive to the hole and push the carpet fibres down
8. Cover the area with paper or a towel and then place a heavy item on top.
9. Leave the adhesive to dry for two to five hours.
10. Remove the items and comb the area so that it blends into the rest of the carpet.

How to get rid of large burn marks on carpets

Larger burn marks, such as those left from lumps of coal, are more complicated to fix. You will need to cut the burn mark away using a utility knife before replacing it with a donor section of carpet. 

Supplies

To remove a large burn mark from your carpet you’ll need:

• utility knife
• metal ruler 
• tweezers
• hessian tape
• latex adhesive
• a wide-toothed comb
• a piece of paper
• a matching piece of carpet fabric

Instructions

1. Make a square impression around the burn mark using the metal ruler by pushing it firmly into the fabric.
2. Use the utility knife against the metal ruler to trim around the burn mark. Make sure to follow the square impression you created with the ruler.
3. Vacuum away any debris.
4. Use the square piece of carpet as a guide to cut out a replacement section of carpet. Allow approx 2mm extra around the square for the replacement section. Make sure to take the carpet section from somewhere usually covered by furniture.
5. Place the replacement section next to the former burn-marked area. Move the replacement section around to line up with the weave pattern of the carpet.
6. Cut the hessian tape to the same size as the replacement carpet
7. Apply the latex adhesive to both sides of the hessian tape.
8. Place the hessian tape firmly into the gap and push underneath the edges of the bordering carpet
9. Place the replacement carpet section on top.
10. Cover the area with a piece of paper and then place a heavy item on top.
11. Leave the adhesive to dry for two to five hours.
12. Remove the items and comb the area so that it blends into the rest of the carpet.

How to remove scorch marks on carpets

Scorch marks are often caused by hot tools, such as straighteners or irons. Luckily, you can remove scorch marks from most carpets using hydrogen peroxide.

Hydrogen peroxide is a powerful cleaning agent that is often used as an antiseptic. Take care when using this bleaching solution as it can lighten fabrics.

For best results, only use this method on lighter-coloured carpets.

Supplies

To remove scorch marks from your carpet, you’ll need:

• hydrogen peroxide
• water
• microfibre cloths
• a spray bottle
• gloves

Instructions

• Put on a pair of gloves to protect your hands.
• Mix together one part hydrogen peroxide with 10 parts water to make a cleaning solution.
• Use the cleaning solution to soak a microfibre cloth.
• Dab the scorch mark with the soaked cloth, starting from the outermost part of the stain.
• Continue dabbing with the cloth until the stain is removed.
• Spray the area with water to remove the solution.
• Dry the area with a clean microfibre cloth.

If the scorch mark does not disappear with this method,  you may need to consider a carpet repair service or a carpet replacement. 

How to make a homemade carpet cleaner

Homemade carpet cleaners are an inexpensive and eco-friendly alternative to store-bought cleaners. To make homemade carpet cleaner, you can use hydrogen peroxide or white vinegar.

Hydrogen Peroxide Carpet Cleaner

If you have light-coloured carpets, hydrogen peroxide makes a great carpet cleaner. Avoid using hydrogen peroxide on dark carpets as it can lighten darker dyes.

Hydrogen peroxide is commonly sold as a 3% solution at high-street chemists and on Amazon. You can use the method described above to remove scorch marks with hydrogen peroxide.

Remember to always wear gloves to protect your hands when cleaning with hydrogen peroxide.

White Vinegar Carpet Cleaner

White vinegar is a non-toxic cleaner and is a great option if you live with children or pets. When combined with salt, which acts as a mild abrasive, it can be an effective stain remover.

You can buy white vinegar at your local supermarket or in bulk quantities on Amazon.

Supplies

For this method you’ll need:

• white vinegar
• water
• salt
• a spray bottle
• a stiff brush
• microfibre cloth

Instructions

1. Mix together white vinegar and water in a 1:2 ratio. 
2. Add two teaspoons of salt and mix.
3. Pour the solution into a spray bottle.
4. Spray the solution onto the carpet stain.
5. Leave to sit for two to five minutes.
6. Scrub the area with a stiff brush.
7. Use a clean, damp cloth to remove any residue.
8. Finish with a vacuum of the area.

Although white vinegar is non-toxic, you may still wish to wear gloves when using it. White vinegar has a very strong smell that can linger on the skin.

To help balance the smell, you can mix a few drops of essential oil into the spray bottle. Citrus essential oils, like grapefruit and lemon, work well for this.

If you have pets or young children, make sure to check that the essential oil you choose is safe for them. 

Last update on 2023-09-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API