Red stains from drink spills are a common sight to a carpet cleaner. Sometimes these stains are permanently stuck to your carpet fibers either because of the type of drink spilled or because somebody tried to remove the red with a chemical that ended up actually making that stain permanent. Sometimes it is possible to actually remove the red color and restore the carpet to its original color. The purpose of this article is to address the red stains that can be removed. There is a procedure carpet cleaners use to remove red stains but it takes a bit of time and effort so the homeowner usually pays a premium price for removal of that Kool-aid spill in their children’s room. This is the method I am advocating since I know it works most of the time and I have used it many times. The success rate is not as high as the removal of rust stains or pet stains but it is worth a try if the spill is in a highly visible area.
Your best bet in getting the red out is to use a certain product that comes in two parts. These chemicals along with heat is what changes the molecular structure of the stain to neutralize the color. Before you begin you need to have a few items ready to use. Go to a janitor supply store or carpet cleaning supply place. Get a product called Red Relief. It comes in two red bottles. Part A and Part B. while you’re there get some terry cloth spotting towels too. This is all you will need along with your iron at home.
The procedure is simple but you may need to repeat it several times for maximum effect. First, warm up your iron to a temperature of medium high. Dampen a couple of those terry towels you bought. Now, mix equal amounts of part A and part B into a container. There should be enough liquid now to saturate the red stain. Just pour the mixture onto the stain and let it sit for the amount of time indicated in the instructions.
Next you must cover the wet stain with a dampened terry towel and heat it from above with your iron. The trick here of course is to get the chemicals hot enough to do their job but not so hot that you melt the carpet. Carpet is just plastic after all and melts like plastic so take your time in applying heat to carpet fibers. Check for results often by looking under the towel but keep the iron moving so you don’t burn one spot. As you alternately heat and blot the area the red will slowly vanish. It may take several tries to get it all out or it may be one of those types of red dye that causes permanent staining. The main thing is, if the red starts to fade for you, keep trying. You may have to do the whole procedure several times but don’t stop trying until no more red will come out of the carpet.
The last thing you need to do is to rinse that area well with clean water several times. This just gets any chemical residue that was left. If you still are not satisfied with the job, the spot can be repaired by removal and replacement of a section of carpet but this is dependent on whether or not you have a piece of carpet left over from your installation. Worst case scenario: replace the area of carpet with a matching piece from a closet or other hidden place in the house. This takes the skills of a professional installer though because it will be necessary to attach the new carpet piece with seaming tape and seaming iron. Before you go to that expense just try the chemical method above. You may get a pleasant surprise.