How to Clean Honey Out of a Carpet

Co-authored by Michelle Driscoll, MPH

Last Updated: March 29, 2019

Because of the different kinds of sugar it contains, honey is viscous and sticky. While this makes for a great treat, it also makes it more difficult to clean up, especially out of carpet. However, it is possible to clean up honey without too many headaches, especially if you get to the stain early. You can usually clean it up with water and dishwashing soap, though sometimes you’ll have to work a bit harder.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Using Water and Liquid Dish Soap

1
Scrape off honey with a knife. Use a dull knife, such as a butter knife. This is to make sure the carpet doesn’t get cut up as you try to clean it. Scrape off as much honey as you can, wiping the knife off on a paper towel after each pass. The more you can get off here, the easier the stain will be to clean up.^{[1]
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2
Mix 15 millilitres (0.51 fl oz) of dish soap with 237 millilitres (8.0 fl oz) of warm water. Use liquid dish soap rather than powdered dish detergent. The former will dissolve better in water, making for a better cleaning solution. Mix the solution in a large bowl, or even a bucket.^{[2]
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- You can also add 15 grams (0.53 oz) of baking soda and 120 millilitres (4.1 fl oz) of vinegar to the dish soap solution to make it even stronger.
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3
Dab the stain with a damp sponge or cloth. You can use a sponge or a rag, dipped in cleaning solution. Use it to sponge and dab the honey, but make sure not to rub. Rubbing the honey will rub it deeper into the carpet fibers, making the whole thing harder to clean.^{[3]
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4
Use a clean rag to absorb the liquid. Once the stain is covered with soapy water, use a clean rag to soak it up. Keep a bucket on hand to wring the rag. Repeat this sponging and absorbing process until the stain is removed.^{[4]
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5
Clean the area with a wet cloth. Make sure you only use water to wet this cloth. Dab the area with the cloth to remove any cleaning solution that might have been left behind. Not cleaning up the soap properly will leave you with a carpet that attracts more dirt and grime.^{[5]
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6
Dab dry. Use a clean rag to soak up any leftover water or soap. Make sure you don’t leave any liquid soaking the carpet. Otherwise, you risk mold and mildew forming underneath it.^{[6]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Dealing with Tougher Stains

1
Add 15 millilitres (0.51 fl oz) of ammonia to 237 millilitres (8.0 fl oz) of warm water. Fill a bucket with the water, then add the ammonia. Stir the solution until the ammonia is completely dissolved.
- Protect yourself adequately when working with ammonia. Wear gloves, eye protection, and a mask.^{[7]
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2
Dab the stain with a sponge. Drench the sponge in cleaning solution before taking it to the carpet. Press it against the stain until you’ve covered all of the honey. Be careful not to rub the ammonia solution into the carpet.
- After covering up the stain, use a rag to blot it dry.^{[8]
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3
Sponge up the solution. You can use the same sponge if you rinse it thoroughly, but it’s best to use a separate sponge soaked with water to clean any ammonia left on the carpet.
- Repeat this process, dabbing and sponging, until you’ve completely cleaned the honey.^{[9]
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4
Blot dry. Use a clean rag to soak up any leftover water and ammonia. Leaving either of these on the carpet can damage the fibers or cause mold to grow underneath.^{[10]
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