How to Remove Red Dye from a Carpet
Red dye stains on carpet can diminish the appearance of an entire room. The carpet is one of the first things people notice as they walk into a room. Whether the red dye is from juice, medicine or any other product, removing the stain is important in preserving the appearance of the carpet. Common household products can remove red dye from carpet. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Paper towels
- Medium-size bowl
- Water
- Liquid dish soap
- 1 Tbsp. white vinegar
- Spoon
- Clean white rags
- 1 Tbsp. household ammonia
- Empty spray bottle
- 3 percent hydrogen peroxide solution
- Old toothbrush
Instructions
-
Vinegar and Dish Soap
-
1
Blot up as much of the dye as possible, using a thick layer of paper towels.Switch to a clean part of the paper towel as one part becomes soiled. Continue blotting until no more dye transfers from the carpet to the paper towel. Avoid rubbing or the dye may spread.
-
2
Fill a medium-size bowl with 2 cups of warm water. Add 1 Tbsp. liquid dish soap and 1 Tbsp. white vinegar to the bowl. Stir the ingredients with a spoon to combine.
-
-
3
Dip a clean white rag into the bowl, then ring it out lightly.
-
4
Blot the stained area of the carpet with the rag. Switch to clean parts of the rag as one part becomes soiled. Rinse and wring out the rag in the bowl frequently.
-
5
Alternate by blotting a few times with the wet rag and then blotting a few times with a dry rag. Continue blotting until the stain has lifted.
-
6
Discard the contents of the bowl once the stain is gone. Rinse out the bowl thoroughly and fill it with cold water.
-
7
Dip a clean rag into the bowl of water and wring it out lightly. Blot the whole area with the rag and plain water to remove any soap residue. Blot dry with a clean dry rag.
Ammonia and Peroxide
-
8
Blot up as much of the stain as possible. Use a thick layer of paper towels and forcefully blot up the dye. Switch to a clean part of the paper towel as one part becomes soiled. Continue blotting until no more dye transfers from the carpet to the paper towel. Avoid rubbing or the dye may spread.
-
9
Fill a medium-size bowl with 2 cups of warm water. Add 1 tsp. liquid dish soap and 1 Tbsp. household ammonia. Stir the ingredients with a spoon to combine.
-
10
Fill an empty spray bottle with a small amount of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide. Spray a light coating of the hydrogen peroxide onto the carpet.
-
11
Dip a clean white rag into the solution and wring it out lightly. Blot the dye stain with the rag and ammonia solution, switching to clean parts of the rag as it becomes soiled.
-
12
Scrub the stain with an old toothbrush dipped in the ammonia solution once no more of the dye is transferring to the rag. Use a circular motion when scrubbing and work from the center of the stain towards the edges. Rinse out the toothbrush often in the bowl of ammonia solution.
-
13
Rinse the area with a clean rag and plain water. Blot the area with a dry rag to absorb the excess moisture.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Sprinkle baking soda or cornstarch over fresh stains after blotting up as much as possible with paper towels. Let the powder sit on the stain for about 15 minutes. Vacuum up the powder and proceed with stain removal as indicated above. The powder will help absorb the liquid.
Always test the cleaning product you are using on a small, inconspicuous area of the carpet prior to applying it to a more noticeable area.
Open windows and wear protective eye and face wear when working with ammonia.
Wear rubber gloves when working with ammonia to protect your skin from irritation.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit woolen carpet texture image by Tolbxela from Fotolia.com
