You may have had your carpet (or fabric furniture) cleaned by a professional lately.   After the cleaning you may have noticed that even with expert effort with professional spotting agents, they were not able to get out all of the stains, at least not completely.

It is most likely that these stains will not come out completely because the stains were absorbed into the pores of the fibers like a dye, and have permanently discolored or changed the appearance of the fibers.  Another possibility is that the material that discolored the carpet also actually damaged the fiber or original dye.  In either case the damage should be considered permanent (redyeing the spots tend to be labor intensive with unreliable results; patching the carpets with a spare piece of carpet can be a more realistic option).

Some of the more common causes of permanent stains are:

Pet urine stains – pet stains are a very common occurrence and often lead to permanent discoloration.  The discoloration may be noticeable before cleaning or may become evident during or after cleaning.  The size, age, and health of the pet will be factors.

Beverage spills such as coffee, tea, wine or colas can cause permanent stains, especially on wool or other natural fibers.  Hot coffee or hot tea will more likely cause permanent stains than warm or cold beverages (this is because hot beverages are more likely to break the surface tension of the fibers).

We know that household bleaches can cause4 color change, but less well known, medications such as acne creams can cause lightening or color changes on fabrics; however these changes will most likely become visible after cleaning because they are activated by water (including high humidity).  The ingredient causing this is benzoyl peroxide, which is a bleach.  In addition to the fact that many over the counter acne creams and medications can cause color change or bleaching on fabric furnishings there are other household items to be careful with.  These include ammonia, chlorine (so be careful around your hot tub!), shoe dye, cosmetics, and strong household cleaners.

However, in case of mishap,  you can do some things to lessen the likelihood of permanent staining.  For stronger chemicals or accidents, wear protective equipment such as rubber gloves and particle masks.  Blot or scrape up as much of the spilled substance as possible (the sooner you get at the stain the better).  Rinse the stain with clean toweling or absorbent paper.  Then place a thick clean white towel or absorbent paper over the stain and weight down with a book or some other weight.  Let dry over night.  Another option instead of toweling is to spread a 1/2 inch thick layer of baking soda over the stain.  Once again let dry over night.

Check the stain next day.  The evaporation process into the absorbent material should have worked quite well.  If the stain is still noticeable, re wet the stained area and repeat the process.

If you have any questions about stains in your fabric furnishings, please call Ram Cleaning Services @ 403-291-1051 and speak to one of our cleaning specialists.

Complete Cleaning and Maintenance care in Calgary and area since 1967