Red stains can ruin the look of a carpet.
When something spills on the carpet, you may have a moment of terrifying panic about removing the stain. This feeling is nothing compared to discovering a stain on your carpet that has been there for who-knows-how-long, especially if it is a red stain on a light-colored carpet. Red stains can mean anything from juice to blood to paint. Using the proper chemicals to remove these stains can make the job much easier.
Reducing Agents
Reducing agents perform the task for which they are named: They reduce the appearance of the red color in your carpet. Depending on the type of stain, a reducing agent can completely eliminate a carpet stain, or at least can reduce the color enough so that it is no longer noticeable. Reducing agents include a number of chemicals, including sodium bisulfate--an acidic salt-like product--and sodium hydrosulfite, a cleaning powder. According to the Clean Pros company, these reducing chemicals work best on synthetic red stains or those that are not caused by a natural material, which can include sugary fruit juices, cosmetics, food dyes and medicines like cough syrup. You can find reducing agents at carpet manufacturers or cleaning retail stores. Some of these require dilution with water, and many instruct you to use heat and a damp towel in conjunction with the reducing agent to help wick the color from the carpet. Follow all specific product instructions regarding use.
Oxidizing Agents
Instead of just reducing the color, oxidizing agents produce a bleaching effect on the stain. Hydrogen peroxide and sodium percarbonate work as oxidizing agents. These chemicals are more effective on organic red stains, including natural juice or wine and condiments made from vegetables, like salsa and ketchup. Similar to the reducing agents, you must carefully follow product instructions for use as some require dilution while others require heat. Take care when using oxidizing agents. The bleaching effect of the agent can also discolor the surrounding carpet.
Professional Removers
Commercial stain removers also work to remove old red stains from carpets. A variety of stain removers are on the market, so take the time to compare stain removal products. All-purpose cleaners, such as a laundry pretreatment system, may require multiple applications and may not work if you cannot actually launder the carpet. Some products are specifically designed for certain stains, such as Wine Away or Wine Out stain remover. Organic and synthetic stains contain different properties, so unless you are sure of the cause of the stain, stick with more generic cleaning products.
Tags: chemicals, removing, stains, carpet, oxidizing agents, bleaching effect, product instructions, reducing agent, require dilution, stain removers, synthetic stains, your carpet
