a full bottle of port v. my landlord's cream carpet HELP!!!!

Peartree

If you can manage, don't leave it. Keep it damp with a bit of water if you need to. Forget kitchen roll. Get the biggest, fattest bath towel you can find, fold it up, put it on top of the stain and stand on it. Keep as much pressure on it as you can. Refold the towel, putting a clean section on the stain then, again stand on it. Keep doing this, using further towels, putting as much pressure on as possible until you're certain no more port is coming out of that carpet.

I saw this approach on one those quirky little 'trade secrets' documentaries they had on BBC2 years ago. Believe me, it has save my carpet, and my friends' carpets from many a red wine stain - not a mark, if you do it IMMEDIATELY.

If there is a trace of colour left, at least it is much less to deal with using a stain remover.

pitkin2020

ideally you need to carry on, are you getting transfer of the dye (port - red) onto the toweling?? if not the salt may have dried it to quickly into the fibres.
If you really cant carry on i would suggest making sure it stays damp and call in a good carpet cleaner who will be able to rinse and extract, as its such a large area it will take you a long time doing by hand, carpet cleaner should have it done in 30-60 minutes.
If you use a carpet cleaner explain what has happened so he/she will be fully aware

daska

All the darker towels have already been used - yes, I stand on them, I can't get down on my knees and be sure of getting back up LOL.

daska

Thank you pitkin, I think I have to give up for this evening, there wasn't a lot of dye coming out but still a distinct pink tinge to the carpet - I'd think it quite a pleasant colour if it weren't for the fact that the rest is grubby cream...

I've been hand sprinkling with vinegar water and that didn't shift it so I've just sprinkled with white wine and left it to see if that helps to loosen it a bit. No chance of it drying out by morning so I'll call a cleaner when I wake up, cheaper than losing the deposit

allydowd

http://www.stainexpert.co.uk/CarpetStainsTimeToLeaveItToTheProfessionals.html

pitkin2020

nice website find but when a website says
"Steam cleaning is the most popular method and is a good way to remove dirt and detergent build-up from carpets." thats the clue they have no idea what they are actually talking about, no proffesional steam cleans a carpet,they rinse and extract it may look like steam cleaning due to the fine mist used and sometimes the heat of the solution being used but never steam cleaning.

I think you'd be best to call in a pro mainly due to the size of the spill, make sure you tell the clenaer what products/solutions you have used so he can counter them with the correct acidity

good luck and i hope it all gets removed for you

daska

well, here's the update...

I called in a professional and my wallet is now £40 lighter (which is amazing considering it's a BH today and I had to go with the one I managed to get out of the phone book) but so is the stain on the carpet. He wasn't able to get rid of it completely but, if you didn't know it was there you could easily miss it. And he sorted out a chair and the back of the car for that price, what a star!

Thank you pitkin for all your advice

carolinosourus

Wow! Whereabouts in the country are you to get that for £40??

daska

somewhere cheap and old fashioned

(and definitely not in chiswick, you'd be lucky to get a return phonecall for that price where you are!)

carolinosourus

Lol tell me about it! :rolleyes: