How to Get Tuna Fish Oil Out of Carpet

A brief moment of panic usually follows an accidental spill on the carpet. Carpets are expensive and spills can be a nightmare to clean up. One of the worst fluids to spill on your carpet is the oil from a can of tuna fish, because not only does the oil permeate through the waxy carpet surface layer, it also leaves behind a distinctly fishy odor. If you have the right equipment in your cleaning cupboard, a carpet spill doesn't have to turn into a permanent stain. Managing potential carpet disasters is just a matter of knowing what products are out there and how to tackle different stains.

An accidental carpet spill isn't the end of the world.
  1. Act quickly. You have a tuna fish spill on the carpet. The first thing to do is react quickly. Sprinkle kitty litter over the affected area. Kitty litter is an absorbent material that will suck the spill out of the carpet fibers. Do not rub at the stain at this stage, because you will only press the spill deeper into the carpet fibers.

  2. Tackle the stain while it's still wet. After five to 10 minutes, remove the kitty litter, which will have absorbed some of the spill from the carpet surface. Spills are more difficult to deal with once dry, so apply a stain-remover product designed specifically for carpets and gently mop up the stain (trying to avoid pressing the fish oil deeper into the carpet). This should remove the worst of the greasy residue.

  3. Dissolve the stain. Spray a carpet cleaner over the remainder of the spill and let the cleaner dissolve the oil. The cleaner will help neutralize the fishy odor and remove any remaining fluid. Once you vacuum up the carpet cleaner, the stain will have disappeared.

About the Author

Nicolette Smith has worked as a professional copywriter since 2007. She has experience writing for a variety of industries including the pharmaceutical, software, publishing, financial and entertainment industries. She has written for "The Herald Express" newspaper and the website On the Box. She earned a Bachelor of Laws in European law from the University of East Anglia.