Carpets that are labelled “stain free” normally means those carpets cannot accept further dyes into the fibres. Stain free carpet fibres are normally made from polypropylene, which is an oil derived substance, which tends to attract other oils. 14% of the dirt that comes into a property that is not dry is oily, meaning that it will not vacuum out. This oily dirt will be attracted to the surface of the fibre and quickly bond to it, in turn causing dry dirt and hair to stick to it. This will quickly make the carpet look like it gets dirty very quickly and it will start to look dull in a short space of time.

So does this mean my carpet is actually not stain free?

No – Your carpet will still be stain free, just because it gets dirty doesn’t mean that its stained, it means that professional or the correct cleaning is required to remove this oil in the right way. There is a chemistry and science involved in cleaning these types of fibres correctly without creating further issues such as rapid recoiling. Many homeowners will go by what the manufacturer recommends, using bleaches, etc. to try and deal with stains and spills, but these stains then tend to come back.

What’s actually happening is that after cleaning the fibre still has the bleach residue in it, which is slightly sticky and this will then make everyday dirt stick to that area even quicker. If you have an area of carpet that has had a comeback a few weeks after cleaning, simply open the fibres to see if there is a thick layer of dirt on the surface, attempt to absorb it but if it’s deeper down stop and do nothing. If it’s deeper down then you definitely require professional stain removal assistance from a qualified cleaning company, but if the dirt is on the surface you may well be able to remove this build-up yourself.

Did you know that around 95% of professional carpet cleaners are not qualified and commonly make carpets worse after their cleaning attempts?

Please take a look at our website on stain removal processes to see if you can remove stain free carpet dirt yourself.

Bear in mind that if the fibres are sticky and the dirt is deeper down you probably wont be able to remove it yourself in a way that will keep the carpet clean and free from long term damage. So if you have a stain free carpet that is dirty, or have one that has got dirty within weeks of being cleaned, call Ipswich Carpet Care on 01473 396706 today to book in an appointment to see how we can help.