Lucozade Stain Treatment

[Mark Roberts.]

Got a lucozade stain to tackle tomorrow for the first time. Was wondering would spray and go be the best or prochems red stain remover with an iron etc.

thanks
Mark

PS. customer has used everything to remove the stain (in her own words) but to no success. I think the carpet is wool from her description over the phone. I also advised her the damage has been done and may be irreversable, of course!

 

[Ken Wainwright]

As your customer has already tried everything beneath the kitchen sink Mark, I wouldn't hold out too much hope. I usually try the Spray N'Go route first. Something I've had success with lately, especially on red furniture dye stains, is One Step at 1:1 as hot as you can get it, or spray on and heat with a steamer. Then agitate gently with a bone or similar scraper. Rinse and repeat. A bit gradual and slow, but it's worked for me. It would be reasonable for me to presume that madam has already damaged the pile. I also advise client to contact insurers if covered for accidental damage. If they authorise for you to proceed, and you are not successful, your charges become part of the claim. If you are successful there's no claim.

Something that has just occured to me is that you now have a marketing opportunity. If client is willing to give you her insurance company's name and address, you could then send them a letter thanking them for the authority to proceed and give them a report stating your successful remedy.

 

[Shaun Ashmore]

Although this is geting away from the original question perhaps take a camera and take shots of each stage and if successful you could have a good marketing campaign

Look.... could your carpet cleaner remove this?

We save thousands of carpets each year with our methodical cleaning techniques

We clean carpets that other cleaners just won't touch!

Repacement carpet? not with us!

Really cleaning carpets by Mark at tel:01234 5678

Professional carpet cleaning also comes with professional spot removal as standard

 

[Mark Roberts.]

Thanks lads for the replys.

She rang 8.30 yesterday morning to cancel as she'd got someone to come out on Sunday to clean. He spent 1 1/2 hours but was unsuccessful. As I know of this cleaner and that he is good (but not as good as me!!) I told her to claim off her insurance.

thanks
Mark

PS. now that I think about it, I wonder if i could have dyed it?

 

[Ken Wainwright]

You couldn't just dye the stained area Mark. eg. If the carpet was blue and you had a yellow stain, by adding a blue dye to the yellow would give you a green stain! So you'd have to strip all the colour from the stain first and start again. I'm willing to bet my grannies spare teeth that the pile has been damaged anyway with all that work on it.

 

[Col Nation]

I agree with Ken, the area is most likely damaged by all the customers attempts. If you get anything like this one always rinse the area thoroughly first to remove all the cr#$ from it before you add any thing else to the mix.

The yellow colouring in lucosade is most likely an acid dye similar to red cordial etc. This is similar to what is used to dye both wool and nylon fibres. Yellow seems to be the most stable of all the dyes (there are only three by the way, red yellow and blue).

By the time you get the yellow out you will most likely have removed the original carpet colour as well. Which is worse a yellow stain or a white stain?

If you get to this stage and there is not too much physical damage then spot dyeing can be used to re-build the colours. But as Ken says, it's probably too late by the time the customer has emptied their cleaning cupbord onto it.

What a way to spend Sunday, I hope he got paid for it.
Col N

 

[Brian tilton]

True enough ,mate!