How to Test for Colorfastness in Carpet
Not every carpet is made with the same materials and fibers and because of this, not every carpet cleaning solution either store bought or homemade will work to treat stains on your particular carpet. If you were to spill juice on a wool carpet the spot treatment to clean it would be much different than if you were to spill that same juice on a synthetic fiber carpet.
Some solutions just do not work for some carpets. Use the wrong cleaner and you could end up bleaching out the color or melting the fibers. So how is a homeowner to know if the homemade carpet cleaning solution that miraculously erases that juice stain from your carpet that you found on Pinterest is truly safe for your expensive floor covering?
The answer is to test for colorfastness. Colorfastness is a term used to refer to the colored dye leaking out of the carpet. Not all carpet dyes are colorfast; a carpet that has been dyed with a colorfast dye is made to hold on to the color when exposed to moisture, light, heat, and most cleaning products.
To test for colorfastness and check carpet, you need to find the right spot. The most ideal place to test for colorfastness is on a carpet sample. Most times when the carpet is installed the installers will have extras pieces that they leave behind with the homeowner for needed repairs. If the carpet in your home was already in the home when you purchased it and you don’t have a sample piece then it is best to test for colorfastness in an unseen area of the carpet such inside a closet or in a corner. By testing in an unseen area if the carpet dye does bleed it will probably go unnoticed.
After you find the right spot to test color fastness with the solution you plan on using for that juice stain and apply a couple of small drops to the carpet in your hidden area. Wait a few seconds and grab a white cloth or paper towel and apply some pressure to the solution for about 10 seconds. If there is dye on the cloth or paper towel you will need to move on to a safer solution. If the cloth comes out clean you are ready to apply it to your stain and gently blot from the outside toward the center.
To be sure of exactly what type of carpeting is in your home if you were not the original purchaser it is a good idea to seek the advice of a trained carpet cleaning professional. All Kleen has a team armed with carpet stain removal tools and knowledge to help you find out the best solution to your toughest stains. All Kleen can help you get your Snohomish County and Seattle area carpets clean..