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Wane a wax spill on your carpet with a warm touchBy Gene Gary Q: During the holiday season, I had a display of candles that a guest accidentally upset, resulting in hot wax on my wall-to-wall carpeting. I tried rubbing the area with ice to solidify the wax so it could be removed. This was not successful. Do you have any recommendations for the removal of candle wax from carpeting? A: Application of heat, not cold, is the best solution. Use a clean, soft and lightweight, terry cloth towel (folded paper towels will also do). Place over the stained area and lightly touch the surface of the towel with a warm iron. As the wax melts it will be absorbed into the towel. Be careful not to overheat the iron; it could melt synthetic carpeting. You may have to repeat this process several times (using a clean towel each time) to remove all of the excess wax from the carpet fibers. There is commercial product on the market that makes removing wax a snap, much easier than the tedious ironing method. Available from CRS Inc., the un-du Candle Wax Remover is a patented all-in-one candle wax removal system. The manufacturer claims that just a few drops of the candle wax remover makes lifting off the wax easy, with no need for scraping or cutting tangled fibers with scissors, razor blades or knives. Once most of the wax has been removed with a tool provided with the product, you rub a few drops of the un-du solution into the carpet fibers in the surrounding area to remove any remaining wax residue. Un-du can be used on fabrics and solid surfaces as well. The manufacturer can be reached at P.O. Box 4567, Spokane, WA 99220; or phone (509) 926-1724; or fax (509) 624-9701. The techniques described here will remove the wax, but unfortunately, the colored dye from the candle may remain — absorbed by the carpet fibers. If the area is stained, try a spot remover to remove any candle dye. This may or may not be effective. I had this same unfortunate experience with a red candle and ended up replacing the damaged area with a patch of replacement carpeting salvaged from within a closet. If you use the un-du removal product, be sure and test in an inconspicuous area to ensure there is no fading or discoloration of fabric and/or carpet. Q: I spilled a couple of drops of household bleach on my wall-to-wall carpeting. They are not large, but they are very noticeable. Do you have any suggested treatments for restoring color to these areas? A: A professional can be called in to recolor the carpet. However, there area several factors that determine whether or not carpet dying will be successful. Carpet dyes will take on nylon or wool, but rarely are they successful on acrylics. The amount of damage to the carpet fibers is another factor. If you can tug on the carpet tuffs in the bleached areas and the fibers are still in tact — not brittle and no signs of disintegration — it is likely that they are still in good condition. Bleach takes out color in stages, removing reds and blues first and eventually turning white (bleach spills should be immediately flushed with clear water to help neutralize the bleaching action). If there is still a yellow tinge to the spotting, your carpet is in better condition than if the spot is white which indicates a burning of the fibers. If the rest of your carpet is relatively new and in good condition, your best bet is to call in a pro who can analyze your particular situation and make recommendations. A professional is equipped to mix exact dyes to match your existing carpet. Usually the matching dyes are mixed at the site. A professional carpet dyer will also be able to apply chemicals to your carpet, which will neutralize the bleach in the carpet. Carpet dying is an art and to assure the best success, chose a firm that specialized in dying rather than just carpet cleaning. One of the best ways to locate such a professional is to call one or two carpet dealers and/or carpet cleaners in your area and see who they would recommend. Carpet dying is good for spot problems as well as rejuvenation of a fading carpet, which is in good condition otherwise. If you find that the cost of carpet dying is too expensive to justify due to the age and condition of the existing carpeting here are a couple of home treatments you can try. Try using a permanent pen marker in the same color as the carpeting (art supply stores stock marking pens for fabric). Another coloring method is to use a crayon that matches as closely as possible. Simply go over the white spots, then place a piece of wax paper over the area and iron it (with the iron on low to medium) to “set” the color. Food coloring mixed to match or a solution of Rit Dye can be sponged onto the spots. After the solution has dried, apply a solution of half white vinegar and half water. That will “set” the color of the dye. [an error occurred while processing this directive] |
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