Pure Flooring - Commercial and Residential Carpet Cleaners, Tile and Grout Cleaning and more

Pure Flooring wants you to have accurate information when treating stains & odors in your home. Our suggestions below may help you minimize damage to your carpet and upholstery, but may still require professional services.

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Soil Filtration Lines
Forgotten Soils
Odors
Animal Stains
Stubborn Stains

Soil Filtration Lines

Soil filtration lines are dark soiled areas that develop gradually on carpet. They are most common around the edges of a room next to the wall, under floor length draperies and under doors. But they can develop anywhere there is an air space such as between floorboards or spaces in the subflooring. Also known as soil lines, smog lines and perimeter soiling (when they occur around walls), the problem is usually more obvious close to heating ducts, electric floor outlets, and gas valves. Bedroom doors that are closed at night, especially where windows are left open, are likely to develop the lines.

The soiling is caused by the passage of air through or across the carpet. Air carries microscopic particles of dirt, dust and soot. As air passes over the carpet, these soil particles settle and become embedded in the carpet pile yarns. In areas where air flows over the carpet more rapidly than normal the carpet acts as a filter, extracting the soil particles from the air. The soil is very fine and can penetrate deeply into the yarns. Special techniques by a professional carpet cleaner are usually required to improve the appearance of soil filtration lines.

Unfortunately, the discoloration cannot always be removed completely. The degree of removal depends on the amount and type of soil, length of time the soil has accumulated, amount of air flow, color of carpet and type of fiber. The lines can be removed from most synthetic fibers. However, in severe cases, especially on light colored carpets, traces may remain after cleaning. It is usually very difficult to remove filtration soiling completely from wool and olefin carpets.

Forgotten Soils

Sometimes stains that have been hidden by soil are revealed after cleaning. These stains, which did not immediately cause discoloration, are often from spilled liquid containing colorless sugar that remained on the fibers. After long exposure to the air, they changed to insoluble brown stains. The stains may look like brownish discolorations but often they remain unnoticed because of the accumulated soil covering them. Some food and drink stains may inevitably turn even darker from the necessary drying action after a thorough cleaning.

Other kinds of stains can be caused by water soaking through and dissolving materials that cause browning, or dissolving fugitive dyes from the back of the carpet, rug or upholstery. Because the fibers act as wicks, moisture will rise to the surface to evaporate, and discoloration will be left. Consumers who try to remove stains by using the wrong cleaning compounds and procedures may only make the stained areas more noticeable.

Professional cleaners use specialty cleaning and stain removal treatments to improve the appearance of forgotten drink spills - cola, coffee, tea, alcoholic beverages, soda and others. Even with the best treatments, some colored residue or caramelized sugar stain resulting from the prior spillage may remain.

To lessen the possibility of stain damage, immediate action should be taken; thoroughly absorb all moisture and when possible, put a half-inch thickness of clean, white, absorbent material, such as paper or cloth toweling, over the are and weight it down. Keep replacing with fresh absorbent material and repeat as needed. Then call your professional certified cleaner to learn how to remove the spot safely before it becomes a permanent stain.

Your carpet, rug, or upholstery has had the best cleaning possible, done by skilled
professional technicians using scientific methods recommended by the laboratory specialists of ASCR International.

Odors

Removal of odors will depend upon what is producing them and under what conditions they are treated.

Odors are most commonly caused by spills. Spilled materials produces an odor, or the odor develops from bacteria which is producing decay on the spillage. If the spilled material has not penetrated deeply in the fiber and thorough washing methods can be used, complete removal can usually be expected. The deeper the material penetrates into the fiber and the longer it remains, the more difficult it will be to remove completely. When limited amounts of cleaning solution must be used, only a small proportion of the odor may be eliminated. It is most difficult to satisfactorily remove odor producing stains from the backing of wall to wall carpeting and upholstered furniture.

Odors produced from materials such as animal waste are virtually impossible to elimate
completely. Often the most practical solution is to replace the affected part of the carpet and underpad or cushion with a new piece. In severe cases the plywood subfloor may also need to be cleaned or deodorized and then sealed. Some odors, such as those produced by mildew, although removed, will recur with new mildew growth.

Natural fibers, dyes, finishing agents, foam or latex backing compounds may also have odors. If one is present in a new textile, a good airing should dispel it. It may, however, take from days to a few weeks for the new odor to disappear. On an older fabric, the most satisfactory solution is to attempt to replace the disagreeable odor with a more pleasant one.

Professional cleaners and restorers use highly effective deodorizers, special deodorizing equipment and freshening fragrances to reduce or to eliminate unpleasant odors from many sources. These include prior spillage; animal pet stains; and mold, mildew, or musty conditions.

Animal Stains

Dogs and cats may be our best friends, but not necessarily the best friends of our carpeting, draperies, and upholstery. Neglected animal stains have been a problem ever since people and animals bonded together in companionship.

Urine: There are two types of reaction that can take place between the chemicals in an animal's urine and those in the dyes and fibers of textile furnishings. The first type of reaction is immediately noticeable. Some dyes can change color as soon as urine comes in contact with them. Often the original color can be restored by immediate application of the standard ammonia solution.

The other reactions develop slowly over several days to several months and can result in permanent changes to the dyes and fiber. Not only can the dye change but some fibers may become weakened or destroyed by the aged urine. The decomposing urine can also produce an objectionable odor. After cleaning, these areas are more obvious because the soils which hid the changed color and damaged fibers have been removed. Also, dyes weakened by urine can be removed or bleed during cleaning.
The next time you encounter an animal 'accident', immediately absorb as much liquid as possible. Treat the area with the standard detergent solution. Absorb this into white tissues or toweling. Then blot the area with the standard ammonia solution. Again absorb this into toweling. Then blot the area with the standard vinegar solution. Absorb the area with toweling until it is as dry as possible. Place several dry
white terry cloths over the area and weigh down. Allow to dry a minimum of six hours.

Feces: Pet feces tend to be easier to deal with than urine. Compact deposits can be quickly removed with a plastic bad. The surface should then be cleaned with the standard detergent solution and blotted dry. Rinse the area with water and blot again. Follow this treatment with a disinfectant recommended by your
veterinarian.

Loose feces require the same clean-up procedure as described above for fresh urine removal. This should also be followed with an application of disinfectant. If your pets' food contains red dye to make it 'look meatier', this could leave a red discoloration at the site of the 'accident'. A professional cleaner may be able to remove this.

A word of caution; some disinfectants may cause discoloration of textile furnishings.

General Information: If immediate action is taken to remove the animal stains, little or no change in color should occur and that accident' will not become apparent after your carpet or other textile has been professionally cleaned.

However, if the pet 'accident' is forgotten or never discovered, it will return to haunt you. Dried urine will smell like strong ammonia when humidity is high or when the spot is rewetted. Feces and urine can contain harmful bacteria. A spot that is small on the surface of carpeting is often many times larger on the underside. The urine can damage both dyes and textile fibers as described above. The change usually isn't
noticed until the textile furnishing is cleaned. The damage caused by aged urine generally requires professional restoration, possibly color tinting, and sometimes removal of the offending carpet and cushion.

A professional cleaner has methods available to minimize the discoloration, disinfect the area and reduce the smell. It is often impossible, however, to completely restore the original appearance of a textile furnishing that has been damaged with aged pet urine.

Your textile furnishing was treated to expert, professional care during its recent cleaning. An extra effort was made to treat all stains before and/ or after cleaning. Even with the best of cleaning and spot removal efforts, however, certain stains may not have come out completely. These tenacious stains were absorbed by the fibers, just like a dye, and have permamently discolored the fibers in the stained area. It is also possible that the prior spillage or stain produced a damaging chemical change to the fiber and its original dyed color. Such color changes are usually permanent and cannot be reversed or returned to their original color. Some common causes of permanent stains on textile furnishings are discussed below.

Many common spills will permanently stain certain fibers and affect dyes. Pet urine stains are a very common occurrence, and can lead to permanent discoloration. This discoloration may be visible before cleaning or it may become evident during or after the cleaning process. Spills of coffee, tea, cola, and other drinks can also cause permanent stains, especially on wool, some nylons, cotton and silk. Even 'stain resistant' nylon carpets can be permanently stained by hot coffee, hot tea, and other common foods, bleach household chemicals or medicines.

Many over-the-counter acne creams and medications may cause lightening or color changes on textile furnishings; however, these changes may appear during or after cleaning. The primary cause of these discolorations is the presence of benzoyl peroxide (a bleach). Benzoyl peroxide is a powerful color remover, but often does not become activated until the moisture in the textile (usually carpet) is increased, usually during cleaning or humid weather. There are numerous other household chemicals that may produce stains, such as some pesticides, chlorine from pool or spa water, furniture scratch remover, shoe dye, chemical preservatives,cosmetics and many more.

Your professional cleaner has attempted to identify the source of any residual stains or discolorations and has treated them accordingly. Unfortunately, not all stains can or will come out, even with the best professional stain removal and / or cleaning methods.

An additional service offered by some cleaners is spot dyeing of discolored areas. This may provide a closer color match to the surrounding, unstained areas, but is only possible on some textiles. Stronger stain removal treatments may also be possible but with these come the added risk of further color change or color loss. Many cleaners avoid these specialty procedures because of the difficulties and risks involved. Some cleaners will undertake these measures in selected cases, with the permission and signed damage release from the customer, for an additional service charge.

To lessen the possibility of staining, immediate action should be taken when any spillage or accident occurs. Blot up all liquid or scrape up as much of the spilled substance as possible. Then, put a thick layer ( 1/2" - 1 ", 1 - 2 cm ) of clean, white absorbent material or toweling over the area and weigh it down with a large book or suitable weight. Replace the absorbent material often in order to absorb as much of the spill as possible until no more stain removal is evident. Then call your professional cleaner to learn how to safely treat the area before it becomes permanent stain. The skilled professional technicians can give your textile furnishing the best cleaning and stain care possible.