Category: Carpet Cleaning

Dye stain? No worries. Dyes can be removed from carpet.

Dyes are found in many foods, drinks, and other items, such as magic markers, health and beauty products, cleaning solutions, and decorative items. When dyes end up on your carpet or upholstery, they can be difficult to remove if improper methods are employed. Here are our PRO tips for getting dye stains out.

Blot. Blot. Blot. Then Blot Even More.

Use a white cloth or paper towels to blot as much of the dye as you can. Follow this with putting a few drops of cold water directly onto the dye stain. The water will help dilute remaining dye. Continue with blotting, using a clean section of the cloth or towel each time. Do not rub! Just blot, drip a little water, and blot some more, over and over until no more of the stain is transferring to the cloth or towel.

IMPORTANT!

Don’t forget to test: Of course, your stains don’t always cooperate by appearing in inconspicuous areas, but do keep in mind that it is always recommended that you first test any cleaning solution on a portion of carpet or upholstery that is out of the way, such as a closet or the under side of furniture. Do not use these methods on wool, leather, or silk carpeting or rugs.

The following methods are great for dyes and a host of other tough stains. You will likely need to repeat the process several times to completely remove the dye. Stain removal takes patience and persistence.

The Dish Soap and White Wine Vinegar Solution Method

1. Pour two cups of warm water into a bowl. Stir in a tablespoon of white vinegar and another tablespoon of dishwashing liquid.
2. Dip a sponge into the bowl and wring out well. Then begin applying the solution directly onto the dye stain. You should see immediate lifting of the stain, but continue blotting until the stain has lifted completely.
3. Follow with blotting the area with clear water, then blotting dry with a clean white towel or paper towels.

Peroxide and Dish Detergent Solution Method

1. Pour two cups of warm water into a bowl. Stir in half of a cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide and a tablespoon of dishwashing liquid.
2. Dip a sponge into the bowl and wring out well. Then begin applying the solution directly onto the dye stain. You should see immediate lifting of the stain, but continue blotting until the stain has lifted completely.
3. Follow with blotting the area with clear water, then blotting dry with a clean white towel or paper towels.

OxiClean™ Carpet & Area Rug Stain Remover

1. Spray enough of the product to saturate the dye stain.
2. Allow the product to dwell for 10 minutes.
3. Blot the area dry with a clean white towel or paper towels.
4. Follow with blotting the area with clear water, then blotting dry with a clean white towel or paper towels.

Let your carpet and upholstery cleaning PRO help: On your next scheduled cleaning, show your technician the area. Any remaining stain residue can be treated and cleaned.

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This article is one of a series of articles written and published on behalf of Surface Care PROS Partners.

If you own carpeting, you are probably familiar with the idea that spots should be removed right away before they turn into permanent stains. Sometimes spot removal, especially if you are removing several spots at once, gives carpeting an inconsistent appearance. Here are the details about what causes this problem and what you can do about it in the future.

Too Clean

With successful spot removal, the soiling substance is removed, leaving the treated area clean and fresh. The problem is that if the surrounding carpet looks dull and dingy, you’ve simply exchanged one kind of spot for another, a dirty spot for a clean spot. Obviously, a clean spot is not a stain. Nevertheless, due to the noticeable difference between the clean area and the rest of the carpet, it might as well be. The solution is to have your carpet professionally cleaned. Dust, dirt, and contaminants that stubbornly cling to carpet fibers can be extracted with professional carpet cleaning, leaving the entire carpet clean and fresh. Note that you will also need to increase the frequency of vacuuming, because it is not always easy to see how dirty carpet really is.

Spot Remover

When inappropriate DIY cleaning methods or improper cleaning solutions are used for spot removal, carpet fibers may become discolored or bleached, causing an inconsistent appearance. With discoloration, professional cleaning may resolve the problem. However, don’t delay in scheduling services, because the substances causing discoloration can set into the carpet fibers permanently. With bleaching, professional cleaning will not likely help. The reason for this is that bleaching removes color from the carpet, and there is no way that professional cleaning will put the color back.

Aggressive Methods

Scrubbing spots too aggressively or using abrasive cleaners, scouring pads, or stiff brushes for spot removal can result in damage to carpet fibers. When carpet fibers are bent, frayed, or missing in the treated area, but the carpet fibers in the surrounding area are still in tact, there can be noticeable variation in the appearance of the carpet. Professional carpet cleaning will not resolve this problem, but it may help disguise the problem by lifting and freshening the carpet fibers in the damaged area.

Protective Treatments

If spot removal is frequently necessary, and your carpet is more than two or three years old, you may also consider having us apply a protective treatment. New carpets are usually treated with stain and soil resistors, but these wear off with time and use. Consider having a us re-apply the treatment after professional cleaning, because it can help make spots easier to remove and less likely to turn into stains.

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about spot removal or to schedule services after a spot removal mishap.

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This article is one of a series of articles written and published on behalf of Surface Care PROS Partners.