How To Clean Up Sodium Hydroxide Spill

Rose asked: My child spilled dishwasher liquid all over rug and floor. How can I clean this up?

Cleaning up a soap spill can be a real headache. Our first thought is to mop it up, but adding water only makes the problem worse. Here are the steps and a helpful tips to tackle this mess and clean it up as quickly as possible, whether it is on a hard floor or on a rug.

Cleaning Up Soap Spills on Solid Flooring

You Will Need:

• Kitty litter
• Salt
• Soft cloths
• Paper towels
• Bucket
• Water
• Mop
• Dustpan

Steps to Clean Up the Spill:

1. For an old spill where the soap has dried, scrape off as much as possible with a plastic scraper first, then rub a small amount of cooking oil over the soap to freshen it and treat it as a fresh spill using the following steps.
2. When a spill happens on a hard floor, there are several ways to absorb it. Kitty litter makes a great absorbent, and so does salt. Cover the soap spill with either the litter or salt and allow it to sit and absorb the moisture. It may take just a few minutes for the litter/salt to soak up the soap, or it may take several hours.
3. Use paper towels to push the moistened litter/salt into a dustpan and dispose of it.
4. Repeat if needed.
5. When a majority of the soap is removed, you are ready to tackle the remaining film. Soap is concentrated and suds up greatly when water is added.
6. Fill a bucket with plain water.
7. Use a mop to clean the remaining soap off of the floor. Rinse the mop frequently and change the water as needed to keep lifting the soap from the floor.
8. If excessive suds begin to form, vegetable oil can be used to reduce them. Both will be removed during the cleaning process.
9. Once the floor is clean, dry it with a soft cloth.
10. Allow it to air dry completely.
11. If there is residue or a sticky film remaining, the floor needs to be mopped again.

Cleaning Up Soap Spills on Carpet

You Will Need:

• Kitty litter
• Salt
• Soft cloths
• Paper towels
• Water
• Spray bottle
• Dustpan
• Wet vac

Steps to Clean Up the Spill:

1. Carpets can be a real pain to get clean when soap or detergent spills on them. Soaking up as much as possible with absorbent kitty litter or salt is an important first step.
2. Pour either item on top of the spill and allow it to soak up the liquid for several minutes.
3. Use soft cloths to scrape the moistened absorbent from the surface of the carpet into a dustpan.
4. Repeat until no more soap is absorbed.
5. Next, lay paper towels or soft cloths on top of the area and press firmly.
6. Repeat until no more soap is absorbed into the towels or cloths.
7. At this point, there should be a minimal amount of soap in the carpet that can be removed with moisture and a wet vac or carpet cleaner. If you don't have one of these, you can rent a wet vac at some major hardware stores or rent a Rug Doctor at some major grocery stores, though the price to buy a small wet vac is about the same as the rental fees.
8. Spray the surface with water and suction it back out with the wet vac.
9. Repeat until the soap is removed.
10. It may take some time to remove all of the soap, depending on how much remains in the carpet.
11. Once all of the soap is removed, allow the carpet to air dry completely.

Additional Tips and Advice

• Old spills that have dried can be scraped up with a plastic scraper.
• If the soap spills on a rug that can be machine washed, that will be the easiest way to remove it. Simply place it in the washing machine (no additional detergent is necessary). If needed, add vinegar to the water to minimize the suds. Wash as normal.
• If using a wet vac, monitor it carefully. Most soaps and detergents will produce a good amount of suds that will be multiplied by the suctioned removal. Empty the tank frequently to avoid suds being released onto other surfaces.
• Cold water tends to create less suds and may work better to remove the soapy residue.
• If any residue remains, clean the floor with white vinegar. The acid in the vinegar will cut through the remaining soap film.
• Many detergents have brightly colored dyes that can leave a stain. If you find that is the case, put "dye stain" in the search box at the top of the page to see all the guides we have for removing dye stains from various surfaces (linoleum, wood, bathtubs, etc.).

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How To Clean Up Sodium Hydroxide Spill

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