Carpet Stains - Candy Food Colours

Hi guys,

Had a problematic BMW in before Christmas. The interior was trashed but everything came up beautifully except for three patches on the carpet where some hard candy had set there and perhaps melted. Anyway, the carpet now has three bright green patches and nothing that I tried could remove it - detergent, alcohol-based stain removers, solvent, etc.

Is it a permanent colour change or has anybody got a product to use on this sort of stuff?

Thanks

These can be difficult stains to remove and especially on BMW carpets..many stain removers tend to change/pull the color.. Right now I cannot remember what can take them out.. will let you know later

The carpet is nylon and nylon fibers are porous and it is likely the green dye in the candy got into the pores.

Use a red stain remove stain remover. Put a damp white towel over the stains and then shoot the hot steam of a vapor steamer into the towel over the stain. This may work. It works for red stains and "lifts" the dye out of the fibers. Try it a couple of times.

Let us know your success or lack there of.

Bud Abraham

It will take some of the stain out ...but on a BMW carpet you run the risk of substantially removing color making the area a lot lighter

Okay, guys. Thanks for that. I tried steam and stain remover and it didn't make much impact. I will try the Red Stain remover and see what happens. Fingers crossed!

Bud's ideas make sense.

I'm guessing that the candy is semi-solid and heat will melt it and make it easier to remove. Maybe appying Awesome Carpet Stain Remover from the dollar store, placing a towel over the spot, and using a household steam iron will work. ( ?)

Doug

A household steam iron? My wife would murder me....!!

Well, I had to let that car go without any remedy for the stains. The owner was over the moon at the transformation anyway and I don't have any doubts that before long the kids will have her car in a similar state before too long.

I don't keep a steam iron in the shop. I do have a 5 bar steamer though, and in one of my kits I have a small iron used in the repairs of fabrics. I might try that next time on a damp towel to see if encourages the "melt" of the colour.

Thanks for the ideas, guys.

The steam iron was the method used by DETAILERS on red and tannin stains to create the heat transfer of stain to towel before the advent of vapor steamers. It works if a steamer is not available.

You have to use "wet" heat

Bud Abraham

Yep, that's why I was going to use a damp towel. I'd use my judgement, Bud. I won't be back with tales of melted carpets... lol

I'd never do this but ...FWIW, I heard you could get a little carpet from a hidden area, such as under a seat and...

...cut away all of the stained fibers. Glue fibers from the hidden area in to replace of the ones you cut out . The repair should be less noticable than the stain. This glue and fiber trick can be used to hide cigarette burns too .

For big stains, a trim shop could make a patch from the hidden carpet, cut out a squre of stained carpet and install the patch .

Don't expect perfect results from either method .

Doug

LOL... I love the disclaimer at the very start of the post, Doug!!

I think I'd leave well enough alone before I start doing hair transplants on a carpet! Ha Ha