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Home / Cleaning Guides / Floor & Carpet / Carpets and Rugs / How to Remove Dye from Carpet

How to Remove Dye from Carpet

Table of Contents:
  1. You Will Need
  2. Steps to Remove the Stain
  3. Additional Tips and Advice

Michelle asked: How do I remove dye from carpet? I have a fake tree that is in a basket. I’m not sure if my dog urinated on it, or if the carpet was still wet after I cleaned it, but the basket has left a horrible reddish-orange stain underneath the basket. I’ve tried everything and cannot seem to get the stain out. Any suggestions?

The most successful process for removing dye stains from your carpet will depend on the type of dye, the age of the stain, and the type of carpet.  It’s not always easy to come by those answers, but fortunately there’s several products that works on virtually any type of dye stain, even on those that have been there for years!  Just follow these steps.

You Will Need:

  • A cleaning solution:
    • Isopropyl alcohol
    • Hair spray
    • White vinegar
    • Spot Shot Carpet Stain Remover
    • White foam shaving cream
  • Clean white cloth
  • Water
  • Carpet shampoo

Steps to Remove the Stain:

  1. Select a stain remover from the list above. To use white vinegar, mix it with an equal amount of water in a spray bottle.
  2. Test your selected product on a small hidden area of your carpet first to look for any adverse reaction. These products work well for removing dye, which can also mean they work well for removing the dye of your carpet, so it’s important to test. Let the area dry before inspecting the area. You can use a hair dryer on the cool setting to hasten the drying process if needed. Hair spray will need to be washed out of the carpet with carpet shampoo following steps 9-14 below.
  3. Spray your selected cleaner directly onto the area of the carpet affected by the stain or blot it on with a cloth. If using hair spray, use a generous amount; enough to saturate the stain.
  4. If the stain does not disappear immediately, blot it with the clean, dry cloth.
  5. Turn the cloth frequently as it absorbs the removed color.
  6. Repeat as needed.
  7. Once the stain is gone, blot away as much moisture from the carpet as you can using a clean white cloth.
  8. An optional step is to clean the area with a carpet shampoo.
  9. Apply a small amount of the shampoo to the area with a wet, clean cloth.
  10. Blot it onto the area.
  11. Rinse by blotting the area with a clean cloth moistened with clean water.
  12. Rinse the cloth frequently and blot until the shampoo is removed.
  13. Press a dry cloth onto the area to absorb any excess moisture.
  14. Allow the area to air dry completely.

Additional Tips and Advice

  • Do not blot with a colored towel. With the help of the cleaning agent, you may inadvertently transfer dye from the towel to the carpet.
  • Do not scrub carpet unless it’s necessary. It’s easy to damage the fibers or push the stain in further.
  • Always spot test in a hidden area before you begin to ensure there are no adverse effects to the carpet.

Carpets and Rugs, Cleaning Guides

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About the Author

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Susan

I'm a stay-at-home mom who used to run a small housecleaning business. These days I consider myself more or a mad cleaning-scientist. I do most of the testing for our articles - as well as helping Mark & Melanie write them.

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Comments

  1. Peg says

    June 26, 2014 at 1:31 pm

    I spilled fiber-reactive dye onto my synthetic carpet. I’ve tried Spot Shot with little result. Any ideas? Thanks.

    Reply
    • Sherry says

      July 20, 2017 at 11:28 am

      I did too. Used vinegar & water. Followed directions above. It worked, thank goodness. Thank you, How to Clean Stuff.net!

      Reply

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