3 of 4

Write now Article Tools

Any mark on a carpet is hard to hide, and cigarette burns are no different. The eye of the observer seems to be immediately drawn to cigarette burns. Accidents happen when people smoke indoors, and so people do often ask how to remove cigarette burns from carpets. The first thing to consider though, is that a cigarette burn is not like a spill or a stain, and rather than adding something, the cigarette burn has removed material.

It is sometimes possible to disguise a cigarette burn on a carpet, but it does take time and a great deal of care to pull off such a repair.

The first thing to do when a cigarette burn in a carpet is noticed is to sand away the scorch marks caused by the burn. This is best done with a fine piece of sandpaper. A vacuum or a brush then needs to be taken to the burned area, which should remove any ash or loose carpet strands. In a few lucky occasions this may result in the cigarette burn disappearing, which means that the burn hasn't managed to penetrate down to the carpet backing.

In most instances though, further work is required to remove cigarette burns from carpets. Any remaining burnt strands will need to be cut away with some sharp scissors. Some cleaning solution will then need to be applied to the affected area, before being blotted away. The whole that is left in the carpet may be small, in which case it may be just best to forget about the problem, or else may be large enough to clearly see.

Some carpet fibres then need to be removed from an unaffected area of the carpet, be this an off cut, or a hidden area. Fibres can normally be removed with a tweezers or carpet fuzz can be shaved away. These additional carpet fibres then need to be rolled or moulded into the shape of the hole. If the cigarette burn has gone through the backing of the carpet, then a new backing will need to be placed under the hole, but if the backing remains, carpet glue or cement can then be added to the whole. The replacement carpet fibres can then be added on top of the carpet glue.

The cigarette burn hole then needs to be allowed to dry, something best done by covering the area with some paper and a heavy object. This will ensure that the affected part of the carpet is not walked on but will also help with the bonding of the glue and carpet. The glue may take several hours to dry but once done the carpet should be able to be manipulated to further disguise the repair.

Some people do also suggest bleaching the affected area, and then dyeing the remaining carpet strands with some fabric dye. This is a possible solution for small areas where most of the carpet strands remain in place. Matching colours though is a skill in itself, but it can with some skill and luck ensure that the area of carpet that was burnt by the cigarette is indistinguishable from the rest of the carpet.

With time a cigarette burn in a carpet can be disguised and although no repair is going to be perfect it could well be unnoticeable to the casual observer.

Learn more about this author, Tim Harry.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about How to remove cigarette burns from the carpet?
We want to hear your view. Write now!