Carpets are awesome, except for the fact that they are incredibly susceptible to damage. If you run a salon or indulge in some hair care at home, there’s a strong likelihood that hair dye will fall onto the floor. You could take precautions to prevent stains, but in the event that you don’t or it doesn’t work, I’m going to teach you how to get hair dye out of your carpet.
The most important thing you need is speed. By this, I mean that you should clean up hair dye as soon as it falls onto the carpet.
The longer you wait, the more likely it is to permanently stain or discolor the carpet.
If it does have time to dry on the carpet fibers, there’s still a chance to remove it. But it may take many attempts before it is restored to its former appearance and condition.
So tackle the issue as soon as possible
Materials You’ll Need For This Tutorial:
- Water
- Cleaning agent (rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, washing powder, vinegar, or carpet cleaner)
- A soft cloth or paper towel
- A soft bristle brush
- Clean towels or rags
- Plastic
If you don’t want to clean it yourself or you’re afraid of making it worse, contact a professional carpet cleaning service to help you clean or repair your carpet.
Step-By-Step Tutorial On Removing Dye From Carpet
Step 1: Gather the materials
Get everything you need as quickly as you can so that you can begin the process of cleaning the carpet.
Remember, hair dye can permanently stain the carpet fibers if left unaddressed for too long. It’s of paramount importance that you begin to clean the carpet before the hair dye dries.
Step 2: Blot the dye
One of the mistakes many of us make when cleaning a spill is rubbing a cloth over it. This may absorb some of the liquid, but it also spreads it across the floor.
To avoid this, blot the hair dye using a cloth or paper towel. Continue blotting the carpet until you’ve removed or absorbed most of the hair dye.
Step 3: Test the cleaning agent before use
To avoid damaging the carpet fibers, you should always test a cleaning agent on a small and inconspicuous spot before complete use.
Give it a few minutes of exposure, and then observe the results.
If there’s no damage, fraying, or discoloration from exposure, you can use it to clean the dye.
Step 4: Clean the carpet
Use rubbing alcohol: Rubbing alcohol is known for it’s bacteria-killing properties and generally isn’t used as a detergent. However, rubbing alcohol is able to breakdown and remove hair dye from fabric. Apply a generous amount of rubbing alcohol to a clean cloth or paper towel and blot the hair dye on the carpet. Continue this process until the dye has been adequately loosened and removed.
Use hydrogen peroxide: Due to oxidation, hydrogen peroxide is capable of breaking down and removing hair dye from carpet. Mix 1 part hydrogen peroxide with 1 part water and apply it to the affected areas until the dye has been removed. Be cautious when using peroxide because it has the ability to bleach carpets.
Use washing powder: The very same washing powder used for clothes can even be used for carpets. Sprinkle it onto the affected area, let it sit for a few minutes, then spray water onto the affected area. Using a soft bristle brush, gently brush over the stain until the washing powder becomes foamy. Keep brushing the area before washing with clean water.
Use vinegar: Vinegar is quite acidic and has the ability to break down stubborn stains and molecules. Apply white vinegar to the cloth and dab the carpet until the hair dye has been removed.
Use a carpet cleaner: If these cheaper solutions don’t work, I would advise you to invest in a commercial carpet cleaning product that has been formulated to break down stains on your specific type of carpet. Follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer to achieve the best results.
Step 5: Rinse and dry
Once you’ve applied one of the cleaning solutions above and removed much of the hair dye, rinse and wash the carpet. Make sure to remove all of the cleaning solution and dye until the carpet appears clean and dye-free.
Then, allow the carpet to dry. You can use an oscilating fan to speed up the drying process.
Alternatively, use a compatible vacuum cleaner that can remove some of the water from the carpet.
Alternative Step: Plastic wrap the stain
If the hair dye has dried and hasn’t completely been removed following the steps above, use this technique.
Apply a mixture of washing powder or carpet cleaner to the dye, cover it with plastic wrap, and place something heavy on it.
Allow the mixture to cure overnight to maximize it’s ability to penetrate, loosen, and breakdown the dye. The next morning, wash the area and allow it to dry.
Final Thoughts
As much as it can be difficult to remove hair dye from your carpet, it’s something that can be done. The sooner you address the spillage, the better.
Follow the steps laid out above and observe the results. Repeat the process if needed. But if you aren’t getting anywhere with it, I’d suggest getting a professional carpet cleaning business to examine your carpet and provide their expert opinion.
Their products and machinery are designed to deep-clean carpets. So they should be able to help you with this issue.
That brings us to the end of this article on how to get hair dye out of your carpet. If you’d like to learn more about carpet maintenance and cleaning, check out some of the useful articles that are linked below.
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