The Best Ways to Get Syrup Out of Carpets, Clothes, and Upholstery

Co-authored by Raymond Chiu and Hunter Rising

Last Updated: January 10, 2023 References

Maple syrup is perfect for your pancakes in the morning, but it quickly becomes a sticky situation if it spills. Whether syrup got on your carpet, your favorite shirt, or your couch, you can easily clean it up with a few things you already have at home. Keep reading and we'll cover the best ways to get rid of syrup and any stains it leaves behind.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Cleaning Syrup from Carpet

1
Lift up syrup residue with a butter knife or credit card. If there’s still syrup on the surface of the carpet, scrape it from the edge toward the center to lift it up. A dull butter knife works best for hardened syrup, and an old credit card or gift card is the perfect scoop for wet syrup. Try to get as much of the syrup off the carpet as you can so it doesn’t stick to your carpet.^{[1]
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- If the syrup has dried and hardened, wet it with hot water to help it soften and make it more pliable.^{[2]
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2
Blot the stain with a mixture of warm water and dish detergent. Mix 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of liquid dish soap in a bowl with 2 cups (470 ml) of warm water. Then, dip a white washcloth in the solution and dab it onto the syrup stain on your carpet. Keep blotting the stain until it lightens up and doesn’t feel sticky anymore.^{[3]
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- Avoid using a colored washcloth since the dye could run and leave a stain.
- Be careful not to rub the washcloth from side to side since that could set the syrup deeper in the fibers of your carpet.
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3
Sponge the carpet with ammonia and water if you still see the stain. Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of ammonia to 2 cups (470 ml) of water and stir it together. Wet a clean white washcloth in the solution and push it onto the stain. Gently blot the stain until it completely lifts out of the carpet.^{[4]
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- Ammonia also helps break down the sticky residue so it’s easy to get out of your carpet.
- If ammonia doesn’t get the syrup out of your carpet, call in a professional cleaning service to help remove it.
4
Rinse the carpet with cold water and pat it dry. Wet another clean white washcloth with cool water, and dab it onto the carpet to remove any leftover ammonia or syrup residue. Press a clean towel onto the spot to sop up the water and dry the carpet.^{[5]
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- If there are any residual odors from the syrup, mist white vinegar onto the carpet and let it dry.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Getting Syrup Out of Clothes

1
Scrape off as much syrup as you can with a butter knife. If you’re still wearing the piece of clothing, take it off so it’s easier to work with. While the syrup is still wet and fresh, gently rub the edge with a butter knife until the syrup lifts off the fabric.^{[6]
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- If you don’t have a butter knife handy, use the edge of an old credit card or gift card.
2
Blot any remaining syrup off with a damp paper towel. Wet a piece of paper towel and press it down onto the syrup stain. Gently blot the stain up and down to try and lift as much of the syrup out of the fabric.^{[7]
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- Avoid rubbing the stain in a circle or from side to side since that sets it deeper into the fabric.
3
Soak the garment for 15 minutes in water, dish soap, and white vinegar. In a large bucket or sink, mix 1 US quart (0.95 L) of lukewarm water, ¹⁄₂ teaspoon (2.5 ml) of liquid dish soap, and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of white vinegar. Put the garment into the water and let it sit so the stain and stickiness breaks down.^{[8]
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- If your clothes are dry-clean only, then take them into a professional cleaner to remove the stain so you don’t damage the garment.
4
Rinse the garment with clean water. Run clean water over the clothing to get rid of any dish soap or vinegar that’s still in the fabric. The stain will look lighter or may have disappeared completely.^{[9]
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5
Sponge the stain with rubbing alcohol. You can use rubbing alcohol for any of your clothes to fight the stain and break down sticky residue. Wet the corner of a white washcloth] with some rubbing alcohol, and slowly dab the stain. Blot the stain lightly starting from the center and moving toward the outside edges.^{[10]
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- Try turning the garment inside-out and blotting the back of the stain to help remove it fully.^{[11]
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Soak the garment in a pre-treat stain remover solution for 30 minutes. Put 1 US quart (0.95 L) of water into your sink or a large bucket and mix in 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of a enzymatic pre-treat stain remover. Put your garment into the solution and let it sit for 30 minutes so the stain breaks down even more and comes out in the wash.^{[12]
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Wash the garment in your washing machine. Use your standard laundry detergent and cycle to wash the garment.^{[13]
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- If you still see a stain, let the garment air-dry before soaking it again in water, dish soap, and vinegar solution. Wash the garment afterwards.
- Check the tag on your garment to see if you can use bleach to help fight the stain. If you can, add ¹⁄₄ cup (59 ml) to the laundry load.^{[15]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Removing Syrup from Upholstery

1
Sponge a solution of dish detergent and water onto the stain. Combine 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of liquid dish soap with 2 cups (470 ml) of cold water in a bowl. Dip a clean white washcloth into the solution and dab it onto the stain. Gently blot the stain to clean off all the syrup stuck in the fibers.^{[16]
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- Dish detergent works well whether you’re cleaning a couch, chair, or car seat.
- The dish soap will help cut through the stickiness of the syrup so there any residue left in your upholstery.
2
Blot up the excess liquid with a clean towel. After you wet the stain, lift up as much of the solution as you can with a clean towel. Avoid rubbing the towel from side to side or in circles so the syrup doesn’t set deeper.^{[17]
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Continue washing and blotting the stain until it disappears. It may take a few tries to completely lift the stain, so apply more soapy water if you need to. Switch between wetting the stain and blotting up the solution until the stain flushes out of the material.^{[18]
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- If you’re still having trouble getting rid of the stain, then call a professional cleaning service so you don’t damage your furniture.
4
Rinse your upholstery with cold water and pat it dry. Wet a clean towel with cold water and gently press it onto the material. The water will rinse out any leftover syrup or soap that was still in the fabric. Then, blot up the water with a dry towel.^{[19]
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