Most greasy white diaper creams have zinc oxide in them which will gradually stain or bleach carpet fibers if not cleaned up right away. Remove both the stain potential and the mess by scooping up as much as you can with a spoon and a dry cloth, then applying baking soda. Soapy water helps rinse the substance out of the carpet fibers. These materials help remove diaper cream no matter what the formulation or what the carpet fiber, but it may take several attempts to completely remove the cream from the carpet.

Remove as much of the wet diaper cream as possible right away, before a child or pet discovers it or steps in it accidentally, spreading the substance further. Scrape the bowl of a spoon sideways along the carpet fibers, working from the outside edges of the cream toward the center, to remove some of the cream. Keep a bowl or trash can handy in which to deposit the reclaimed diaper cream. Wipe the spoon off on paper towels each time it collects cream to avoid spreading it back on the carpet. Keep scooping until no more cream comes up; then dab the area with a dry paper towel or white cloth.