The problem of Kool-Aid stains or other colored stains on your carpet is a very unsightly problem. Not only do these stains immediately attract the eye when you enter the room, they are also sometimes very difficult to cure with the help of conventional stain removal methods.
A lot has been written about how you can get these spots. For over 15 years we have been confronted with this problem in countless houses. At that time we tried many methods, some work, and some not. I wanted to describe in this article how to get these stains without destroying your carpet, as some “home remedies” can do just that.
So, to begin, I would like to explain why these stains are difficult to remove and why most stain removal methods fail.
Red Kool-Aid and other colored drinks have one thing that causes staining in the carpet. This ingredient is a dye. It occurs in natural and manufactured varieties. The dye binds to the carpet and makes it difficult to remove most stains.
To remove these stains, you need (2) things.
- Heat
- Chemical action
Heat breaks the bond between the dye and the carpet, and the chemicals suspend the dye so that it can be removed from the carpet.
This is where many people tried their own “home remedies” to get the blemishes. We tried all of them, and we found a method that works in about 90% of cases, without harming your carpet. This method works for new and old stains on most carpets produced in the last 75 years. Here's how it works:
- Before you start, if the stain is fresh, try marking any spot if you can. You can do this by simply moistening a terrycloth towel with hot water and blot the stain, and then a dry terry towel to soak up excess water. Sometimes you can partially remove the stain by taking this step first, and also simplify the remaining steps.
- Further, today there are several products on the market that are intended for the removal of red paint and other stained spots; this is part of the Chemical Action process. At this stage, you simply apply a chemical liberal to the painted area.
- You will want to get another white terry towel and rinse it quickly with hot water. Do not wipe a towel. Fold the towel in half and place it on top of all or part of the stain.
- This next step scares some people, but don't be afraid. You will want to get a regular steam iron and set the iron to medium heights. Place the iron on a damp terry towel and press it firmly. This "warm" part of the process.
- Monitor progress. As the heat reacts with the chemicals, the vapor pulls the dye into a damp terrycloth towel. You will see the color appear in the towel. In this case, use another white terry towel or rinse off the one you are using and replace it with a stain. Repeat this process until the stain is removed. This task may require several chemical applications.
- After you finish, you will receive only a bottle with a spray and spray it. Use another white terry towel to wash off excess water. This will rinse the area clean.
You made! It is simpler than it seems, and the biggest obstacle for most people is the use of steam iron. The only way you are going to do any damage to carpet is to lay the iron directly on the carpet for a long time. You see, a carpet can withstand a tremendous amount of heat and is actually baked in the oven at more than 400 degrees in a carpet factory. Thus, the heat from the iron, placed on a damp folded terry cloth, will not hurt if you are careful and watch what you are doing.
It is good to know other suggested remedies or “Home remedies” and the results of these methods, some of which are not always obvious.
Ordinary home remedies: dishes for washing dishes and other cleaning products not intended for carpet coverings.
Every time I hear about these methods, I squeeze, because from time to time I was in homes that used this method to remove stains with very poor results. I think many people try to do this because they think they can save a few dollars.
The method is similar to our recommendation, except that the “Chemical Effect” is replaced with dishwashing liquid. The problem is that dishwashing liquid is intended for dishes, not carpet fiber, and is de-lubricating. This means that dishwashing liquid is applied with grease. The chemical action may work in some cases, but the heated soap easily absorbs your carpet fiber. Sometimes the stain can be removed, but this is due to part of the “heat” of the process. So, what happens is you get a stain that disappears for a while, but it unites the dirt like crazy. Within 1-3 months, you get a gray spot, which is about as bad as a red or colored spot.
Therefore, to remove gray, you need to get a carpet cleaner and rinse extractor that professional carpet cleaners use and rinse a stain of soap for dishes. It can cost you $ 50 for renting a carpet cleaner and about $ 18-25 for a rinse that can be found in most cleaning stores. Or, like most people, they call a professional like us to do this work for about 75-100 dollars.
So much for saving money.
Other cleaning chemicals were also common, such as window cleaner, vinegar, peroxide and oxygen, and they all have a lot of bad results that could ruin your carpet.
For example, the window cleaner also has some kind of dye in the formula, and this can actually ruin the carpet if you use it to create a blue spot. Vinegar is a mild acid and can clean the area, but will not destroy the bundles of colored dyes on the carpet, and when the heating becomes very smelly. Peroxide can also cleanse and sanitize the area, but is not effective if the colored dyes in the carpet are ruptured, and when heated, it can cause a soft bleaching of your carpet over time. Oxygen-based cleansing products can raise stains if they are fresh, but do not work with the heating method at all.
To summarize, I hope this article has provided you with the information you need to get rid of red Kool-Aid and other colored stains without harming your carpet. As a carpet cleaning business, we use this method all the time with great results, and so can you.
