Three Easy Steps Of Getting Food Coloring Out Of Carpet
Food coloring is a kind of dye that is safe to eat, as food companies use it in order to make sure that their products look nice. If food coloring gets spilled on your carpeting, you have actually just poured dye on it. Don't worry, you can easily get rid of the food coloring stain from the carpet provided you follow the right technique. In order to get food coloring stain out of carpet, go through the below-mentioned steps carefully & achieve the desired result of your work. If it is very difficult to remove food coloring stain from your carpet yourself, then you need to hire a professional cleaner.
Step 1: Wet And Blot The Stained Area
It is important to start the process by wetting the stain if in case the stain is dry. Remember not to just pour water all over it, due to the fact that the water will absorb some dye and potentially spread the stain. Sometimes, you can all the way get rid of the food dye stain simply by wetting it and blotting it up, as you will need the stain to be damp, not soaked.
- Blot A Wet Stain Immediately: As soon as you notice the food coloring on your carpet, you need to act immediately. Therefore, take some paper towels and blot up as much of the dye as you possibly can. Make sure not to scrub the dye or press hard on it, due to the reason that this will force the dye farther into your carpet. Apart from making it harder to remove, scrubbing the dye can also spread the stain.
- Wet A Dry Stain, Then Blot: When it comes to dry, older stains, start by wetting them. While you can instantly apply cleaning solutions, wetting the stain will help bring moisture back into the food coloring and helps it to be blotted up much easier. Meanwhile, you can prepare a cleaning solution while you allow the water to soak. Once you moisturized the stain properly, take more paper towels and blot the stain. Again, take care not to press into the stain heavily. This step is to get rid of as much of the stain as possible at this point. Repeat wetting as well as blotting as long as you no longer get rid of portions of the stain, and then move on to using a cleaning solution.
Step 2: Apply A Cleaning Solution
For the majority of the colors of food dye, the same solution will work exceptionally well. Mix one tbsp. of white vinegar, one tbsp. of dish soap, and two cups of warm water. After that, spread the solution to a clean rag and sponge up as much of the stain as you possibly can. You can then blot dry the carpet with the help of a paper towel and repeat the process as long as you are not getting rid of any more of the stain. When it comes to red food coloring specifically, replace the vinegar for ammonia and follow the same process.
- Rubbing Alcohol: You can also use rubbing alcohol(isopropyl alcohol) and warm water in order to sponge the stain. Usually used as a cleaner as well as stain remover, alcohol will break down and dissolve the stain. Try the previous cleaning solution first, before using rubbing alcohol & remove anything leftover. Make sure to blot the area dry each time you wet it, due to the fact that moisture cycling will also help get rid of the food coloring.
- Hydrogen Peroxide: Hydrogen peroxide can also be used & put on your carpet. However, remember to use a 3% solution. Most of the time, common hydrogen peroxide is diluted to this point, & if you happen to buy a higher percentage, then you will have to bleach out the colors of your carpet fabrics. Using 3% still carries some bleaching risks, but it doesn’t cause any other damage, just pay full attention & be attentive about the type of carpet you will be applying it to and get the proper dilution. Pour a small amount of the solution onto the stain and allow it to sit for an hour. The peroxide will help dissolve as well as lift the stain out of the carpet. Once you have allowed it to sit, soak up the peroxide using some paper towels, and the stain should be gone.
Step 3: Absorb Remaining Moisture From The Carpet
As soon as you have successfully gone through the above two steps carefully, you will need to eliminate the remaining moisture as well as possible dye particles from the carpet. Generously stack up paper towels before placing them over the area, and then weigh them down with something heavy. The pressure pushes into the carpet and helps the paper towels to absorb as much moisture as possible. However, you will need to allow this to sit in this position for at least an hour as well to make sure you have got everything.