CJL Carpet Cleaning - Shearwater to Burnie

Q: Why do urine stains in carpets sometimes cause colour changes or bleaching?

A: Here’s the scoop on why urine stains can lead to colour woes:

1. The Culprit:

   • When Fido, Fluffy or even one of your human loved ones leaves their mark on your carpet, it’s not just about the visible stain. Urine contains urea, ammonia, and other compounds that can wreak havoc.

   • One of these troublemakers is urea. It’s like the villain in a color-changing drama. It begins as an acid and as it dries turns to ammonia, with an alkaline PH of up to 11, it destabilises the acid dyes in the carpet fibres. 

2. Dye Bonds Under Attack:

   • Many carpets are often dyed to achieve their lovely hues. These dyes form bonds with the carpet fibres, creating that vibrant colour you adore.

   • But when urine enters the scene. The dye bonds weaken.

3. The Cleaning Process: A delicate dance

   • You decide it’s time to tackle the stain. You grab your cleaning solution and start your tango with the urine-soaked fibres.

   • But here’s the key issue: The dye bonds are too weak to withstand the cleaning process. They’re too delicate and the cleaning process pulls away the weakened dyes as well as the urine and cleaning chemicals. 

4. The Bleached Effect:

   • As you clean, the weakened dye bonds surrender. They release their grip on the carpet fibres.

   • Result? A bleached or discoloured area appears. It’s not the fault of your cleaning solution or your cleaner—it’s the urine’s mischief.

5. Prevention and Cure:

   • To avoid this colour-changing drama:

     • Act Swiftly: Blot (don't rub) up fresh urine stains ASAP. The longer it lingers, the harder it is to prevent dye destabilization. (Even better wet the area with the vinegar magic solution shown below and extract with a wet and dry vacuum) 

     • White Cloth Rule: When blotting, use a white cloth. Dark fabrics might transfer their own dye to the carpet—cue unintended tie-dye!

     • Vinegar Magic: (CAUTION: USE THIS METHOD AT YOUR OWN RISK) Mix 1 cup of distilled white vinegar with 1 cup of water. Dab this potion gently on the stain. It helps neutralize the urine and prevent further damage.

6. Professional Intervention:

   • Often DIY won’t cut it when it comes to urine stains. If you’re dealing with more than a couple of pee spots, call in the pros.

   • Professional cleaners know how to handle set-in urine stains. 

​