Many people experience bleach or bleach-base products that manages to make contact with carpet. No matter if it is a few droplets, or you managed to localize a puddle, bleach in any form is a detriment to your carpet. Bleach is not like other substances where all you need to do is blot it with a paper towel and treat it with vinegar. We at Carpet Care 2000 would like to take the opportunity to discuss bleach contact on carpets, rugs, and upholstery, since it is a completely different situation.
Spilled Bleach is a Spot, Not a Stain
There are a few things everyone should know when it comes to bleach. Once the bleach mucks the aesthetics of your carpet, many simply refer to it as a stain. Unfortunately, when most think of a stain, they think of something can be worked out of the carpets, but the hard truth is that bleach cannot be lifted out of carpets. For example, by sopping excess wine with paper towels, preparing a solution of water, white vinegar and liquid dish soap and efficiently removed with proper blotting techniques, a red wine stain can be treated. Where this may be efficient, bleach, on the other hand, does not coat the carpet fibers like the red wine. On contact, it begins dissolving the color pigmentation of the fibers. Depending on the potency and how long it lingers, and the composition of your carpets dictates how light the carpet’s color will get. From lighter shades of your current color, to brownish, to orangish, to yellowish, and finally to a whitish color, the affects can range.
How to Treat Bleach Spills
In the event bleach makes contact with your carpet, you can reduce the damage it takes by tending it immediately with the steps below.
When you treat bleach spills be sure to avoid the following:
– Never use colored or printed paper towels, cloths, or towels while you blot.
– Using excessive pressure and creating friction by rubbing and scrubbing.
– Hot water use.
How Do You Fix Bleached Spots?
1) Blot Excess Liquid: With light to moderate pressure, gently blot the excess moisture from the carpet. Use multiple paper towels to sop up the bleach, if necessary, the carpet should be only damp. Blot the spot on the outer ridges and work your way towards the center to help contain the spill.
2) Rinse: Sparsely sponge cool water onto the stain while being extremely careful not to over saturation. If the stain is large, and needs multiple applications of water, avoid over saturation by using a dry towel to absorb the moisture.
3) Apply the Solution: Combine 1 cup of cool water and ¼ cup white vinegar in a squirt bottle. Allow the solution to sit for 5-10 minutes, after you moderately spray the solution onto the bleached area.
4) Rinse: To rinse the out the solution with a damp cloth, blot the area well.
5) Dry: You need to absorb as much of the dampness as possible with an old towel. Use a heavy object weigh down a strategically place a dry towel over the top and let it sit overnight. Vacuum the area in the morning if the spot is thoroughly dried. There will still be an unsightly blemish, but hopefully the damage was reduced.
Carpet Repair, Cleaning, Stain Removal in Tracy, Livermore, San Ramon, Dublin, Mountain House, Walnut Creek, Danville & the East Bay of California
Contact a professional for restoration and repair services. Call in the professionals of Carpet Care 2000 to help you remedy any bleach spots on your carpets.
