While vinegar may be a good all-purpose cleaner for the rest of your home, keep it away from the detergent spill. Start with clean water and no cleanser to remove the soap.
Even when it seems like you’ve removed all the soap, there will still be some leftover. The carpet may feel hard once it dries. That’s ok, because you’re not done yet.
You can rent a steam cleaner from your local home improvement store. It may seem like a lot of effort, but it’s worth it to prevent the soap from lingering in the carpet. Follow the instructions on the steam cleaner carefully. Use the solution it comes with and be sure not to overfill the container. [3] X Research source If you don’t want to rent a steam cleaner, you can do the job by hand. Apply water, scrub, and repeat until the soap is completely gone. Use a fan to speed up drying.
Don’t wait to clean up the spill. Liquid soap will make the floor slippery, and infants and pets might be tempted to eat it. [4] X Research source
The mop will remove any mess made while cleaning.
Keep water away from the soap at all costs to avoid an even bigger mess. If you don’t have a vacuum cleaner, a broom will work, but it will take more time to fully remove the powder.
Beware leaving it on top of a front loader or dryer. The machine’s movements can cause the detergent to “jump” and fall. Detergent that is stored on the ground is likely to be kicked over.
If you use boxed powder detergent, transferring the powder into a sealable container can help to prevent future spills. Make sure you tightly seal liquid or powdered detergent after each use.
