carpet cleaning

pigeonpie

Hello wise people,
I can't find the thread that advised on carpet stains in the search facility so excuse my asking again.

Some months ago, a vase of very past-it yellow alstroemerias fell over on to the beige carpet in our rented flat. I thought it was just water and ignored. When it dried it was a revolting duck vomit yellow, very visible in the lounge.
Landlord's tricky and he's going to sell the flat so we are being evicted soon.

I used carpet shampoo which made it worse. Salt did nothing. White wine helped to fade it a bit but it's still there all right. Someone on this really helpful forum thread suggested some laundry soap as it's gentle and failing that, Stardrops. OK I have found stardrops, but my local supermarkets Sainsburys and Somerfield don't sell laundry soap at all anymore.
Should I just try Stardrops and exactly how should I do it? With soap (where can I buy it? I am SE London) do I rub the soap in, or brush with a toothbrush or sponge - and if Stardrops do I use just the foam as far as possible and how wet must I let it get. Then drying; can I just leave it to dry?
If it doesn't work first time, should I do it again?

Anyone know if that Sebo powder may be any good?
I can see dear LL getting new carpet at our expense. :eek:

WeirdoMagnet

We had the same kind of thing on our cream :eek: carpet when we moved out of our rented house.

As it was a cheapy rubber backed nylon carpet, I used kitchen cleaner with bleach, knowing that the carpet wouldn't come to any harm, even if it didn't remove it. I'm pleased to say it worked, removed the stain and didn't bleach the carpet. Not sure I'd do the same on a wool carpet though. :undecided

vivaladiva

Georgina wrote:

We had the same kind of thing on our cream :eek: carpet when we moved out of our rented house.

As it was a cheapy rubber backed nylon carpet, I used kitchen cleaner with bleach, knowing that the carpet wouldn't come to any harm, even if it didn't remove it. I'm pleased to say it worked, removed the stain and didn't bleach the carpet. Not sure I'd do the same on a wool carpet though. :undecided

I'd forgotten that some carpets are bleach resistant these days. Is there a teeny weeny inconspicuous corner that you could try a spot on?

comping_cat

You could try a hydrogen peroxide solution (1 part hp, 6 parts water) that can help with stains, although bleach is easier to come by!!!

pigeonpie

Thanks Bleach Fiends but noooooo bleach, it's right in the middle of the flipping room so no inconspicuous spots. Last time the LL's agent came round we put a cat bed on it lol
I know someone told me to use that old fashioned laundry soap (those of you as old as me will remember the green bars?? anyone out there that old ) but the supermarkets don't sell it any longer

I'm going to have to use Stardrops but would like some advice on the amount to use etc as the whole flat is carpeted with this beige stuff; don't know if it's wool but it has prob got some wool in it. LL wants to do up the flat and I don't want my deposit to help pay for it!

I bought some Sebo powder cleaner that you brush in and then vacuum, although only have a cylinder vacuum which isn't very strong. I can try that but don't want to make it worse.
Is wool clothes washing stuff a really bad idea btw?
Those yellow flowers really stain

shelly

I have to say, when I first read the thread title I thought to myself..."I didn't know you could rent carpets!"


I think what Bizzimum meant was, find an inconspicuous spot near the edge of the carpet to test the bleach on, somewhere it won't be noticed.

tawnyowls

I got some stains out (80% wool, 20% nylon cream carpet) by using a dilute solution of Stardrops (1 squirt to half-litre of water in a spray bottle then mopping with microfibre cloth).

If you want to try a bleach-type product, the safest type would be an oxygen bleach such as Vanish or Oxiclean.

Failing that, Servicemaster do a product called Fiber Fresh Handispotter. Don't know if they sell this to non-trade customers, but it might be worth contacting them (https://www.servicemaster.co.uk).

pigeonpie

sorry about the syntax

stardrops it is then. Everything else just fades it a bit. I am too scared to use bleach anywhere as I think that will just remove the colour altogether. I checked out Vanish in the supermarket and it says def don't use on wool.
I will try servicemaster and beg them for a sample or something - the stain is about the size of a dinner plate. I did something wrong as have got out other stains with Sebo powder just fine.
I'm still looking for the name of that soap and how to buy it; whoever posted that before (like I say, can't find the thread, no pun intended!) said it was gentler than Stardrops so to try it first. Woolite a bad idea then everyone?!
thanks v much everyone.

pigeonpie

It occurs to me (as the blot in the middle of the room is going nowhere) that it isn't actually a stain, but the bloody yellow flowers dyed the carpet slightly orange (it's a revolting mark)
If Stardrops doesn't work, what do you think of trying to use 20 vol peroxide that strips hair of its colour?
I don't however want to change the yuk-orange to a white/colour-free patch.
starting to panic......so far the ONLY thing that has helped and that a tiny bit is white wine, if that gives anyone out there a clue

tim_n

rip out the carpet, buff and polish the wooden slats underneath and claim there was never a carpet in there in the first place! = D


Worked for me...