ATTENTION CENTRIFUGE USERS

[Joe Appleby]

It seems to be more often that we get dye transfer from various types of rugs when rolled and spun in the centrifuge. We are using the same cleaning agents. Any others having this problem more frequently?

 

[T Monahan]

It seems to be more often that we get dye transfer from various types of rugs when rolled and spun in the centrifuge. We are using the same cleaning agents. Any others having this problem more frequently?

What "types of rugs"? Would you show some pictures?

With each of these "types of rugs", what was the method of washing?

Once I know what you do, I can suggest some valuable tips that may save you time correcting the dye issues you have been facing.

 

[sweendogg]

Sounds like one you are not identifying potential bleeders before wash, two you are not rinsing or isolating those dyes before spinning and/ or three your leaving the rug on the alkaline side before spinning.

 

[Joe Appleby]

We fully immerse and use Masterblend products. Most rugs are spun with a contact barrier. The majority of bleeders are inexpensive tufted cotton laminates. Can you be more specific when you say "Isolate the dye"?

 

[sweendogg]

By isolate the dye I mean using either an acid to neutralize the pH of the dye, using an anti dye to prevent redposition of the dyes or using a dye set to stop the bleeding. Either way, if a rug makes it the wash floor and starts bleeding, or we expect it to bleed, we will continue rinsing to remove majority of the fugitive dye as we are correcting it. Often simply bringing the rug to the acid side is enough to stop the bleeding.

But with what you described, I'd like to know if you are talking about cotton face fiber tufted rugs or tufted wool rugs with cotton backings? There is a bit of a difference there. And you say you are using masterblend products? Which ones specifically and are you using a rinse to neutralize any alkaline residue?

And why are you full washing the tufted rugs? Do they have urine issues or severe contamination that nessessitate a full wash? If not you may be better off dusting and surface cleaning these rugs, as they often will have either poorly dyed wool, accents such as silk or rayon (art silk/viscose etc.) that will bleed easily as well. Add to that, the science behind the centrifuge requires that the water migrates through the layers of the rug and out the cylinder.. the latex in the tufted rugs already present a barrier to this and we find they often need to be spun twice in order to maximize the moisture removal. Adding a contact barrier may be further hinding the water migrations and causing and dye that might migrate out to settle in the pile.

Just some things to think about.

 

[rhyde]

How about a pic ? is it dye could it be stencil bleed?

We don't use dye sets other than acetic acid and some stuff just won't set which isn't issue .
We use a in plant vac system to pull water out and many rugs turkish, afghan, navajo's we often hang
without color wicking issues even though the dyes are fugitive.

I'm not sure any of this helps but we don't have a centrifuge so it's the best i can offer up

 

[Joe Appleby]

We use Masterblend Oriental Rug Shampoo. We don't use a rinse but flood thoroughly. Most of the bleeders are the Cost plus and Pottery Barn variety. Wool tufted face yarns. I think we're just seeing more and more poor quality rugs and spinning them may allow for more bleeding.

 

[Nathan544]

Bleeding wool tufted rugs are exceedingly rare. If this has started to become a problem, I would change detergents to a more acidic one. I use LST, and submersion wash & spin 90% of them. I can't remember having to use a contact barrier on a wool tufted. If cotton pile, use a mordant fortified detergent/rinse system designed for cotton rugs. Aaron at Masterblend would want to hear if you are having issues. Companies sometimes change formulations, and most don't beta test the new stuff with good rug washers, so your feedback is very important.

 

[sweendogg]

The issue isn't with the masrerblend shampoo though its not a bad idea to neutralize the shampoo with an acid rinse before spinning. And I've seen just as many tufted wanting to bleed with lst as with strong detergents. It's not the wool that is often bleeding as your right they rarely bleed but the silk and often artificial silk/ rayon accents are the ones that are bleeding. And the number of tuftedrygs with accents seem to be On the rise from what we are seeing being offered in products.

 

[T Monahan]

I haven't seen this to be a problem around here in my neck of the woods. We see lots of wool tufted rugs too. I haven't seen it in my travels around the country yet either.

 

[The Great Oz]

Joe's in California so he gets to see the goofy stuff before it gets to rest of us, so there may be rayon accents that you wouldn't expect in a tufted rug. The only issue we've had with these, besides the smell, is color wicking from the adhesive. Not much of a problem with wool, but it will wick down cotton fringe or up through a cotton face and leave a yellow discoloration that you'll never get out permanently. The thin tufted cotton rugs that only Martha Stewart still sells are enough of a problem that we refuse to clean them.


We've actually seen a trend away from tufted rugs as consumers lump them all together as "smelly problem" rugs.

 

[Nathan544]

We see lots of high end tufted with rayon, silk, jute, etc., but that's not what was being discussed. If inexpensive wool tufted are bleeding, somethings wrong. If you're techniques/methods haven't changed, it's probably your chemistry...

 

[sweendogg]

Agreed with above!

 

[Joe Appleby]

Thanks for the feedback everybody