I got a good one for you Guys.

[Mikey P]

The Talisman cleaned this Nepal/Tibet custom made rug for this lady about 3 weeks ago.


A sofa was was placed on the rug about a week after it was delivered.

To quote David

There is no wood exposed, but there is a fabric or felt over the wood that would have contacted the rug. I think that the sofa was set onto a damp floor (which may have been recently cleaned) and absorbed some moisture, then transferred the dye from the fabric when it was set onto the rug. It is all I can think of. Somehow the fabric on the feet of the sofa must have gotten damp.

The owner would like me to try and remove it on location.

If I am not successful she will send it back to David at the Talisman to remove the yarns and re tuft it.

The rug is over two hours away but she has no issue compensating my for my time and efforts.


What would you try?

 

[harryhides]

I'd start with some Iso Propyl alcohol and then some rust remover after that I'd start getting nervous. Maybe try some Stain magic for wool and put a DCI light over it for a day which of course means a return trip.
Whatever you do just be careful not to enlarge the size of the damaged area.

Let's hope some rug gurus with actual experience with a wood stain on a Tibetan can tell us if anything actually works.

 

[Mikey P]

There is no wood exposed, but there is a fabric or felt over the wood that would have contacted the rug

 

[Ken Snow]

I would send it to Hagopian to have their experts remove the stain and recolor the area if necc. :-)

 

[harryhides]

Yea, those guys will probably slather it with some ancient armenian goat yogurt and nazooks for a few days and then go at it with some markers.

 

[rhyde]

Use a carpet knife cut it out….

I would use a non-ionic detergent in hot water with 1/3 IsoPropyl alcohol sometimes that alone is enough swell the fibers and release the stain alcohol by itself has poor properties to suspend soils and dyes. apply with a bottle and use a hand tool to rinse

Rust remover will change the color so be very careful I would dilute the rust remover to 20% use a q-tip in a very small spot and see what’s what. There’s a kid on the rug hub that just learned this the hard way

 

[Brian H]

There may be no exposed wood, but it doesn't mean that the wood under the felt didn't bleed through. I have seen similar marks on carpet from sofas that bleed onto the damp carpet . My money would be on either furniture dye stain or the color bleeding off the felt.

 

[Mikey P]

So when do I get my $5 worth of advice?

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Examine the couch legs closely before proceeding. With a white towel test for color transfer.

No rust remover please! Sell her some gliders. Why would someone put a couch on top of a rug like this without protection?

 

[Mikey P]

So lets assume it's wood varnish, how would YOU proceed?

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Don't assume that. I'm sure you've had experience with felt such as is put under Xmas trees transferring a nasty stain to carpet? Your post included that possibility more so than varnish transfer.

The "varnish" on wood is not the culprit as much as is the underlying wood stain itself....usually unprotected by varnish on the bottom in those cases where you get a transfer. Especially reddish colors...

Thanks,
Lee

PS How to proceed? Charm them all you want...but don't touch it. "NOT your problem".

...yet

 

[The Great Oz]

So when do I get my $5 worth of advice?

I would recommend you rinse the area using a woolsafe detergent and a hand tool. It might just be browning, so always start with the mildest solution first. If the stain remains, and with the area damp from the rinse, I'd apply household strength ammonia and rinse again. I would then try Yellow Eliminator, or an acid browning remover as long as it doesn't contain a reducer or oxidizer, and if the stain remains after this step, quit.

There would be other things that I might do, but I wouldn't recommend them to someone else, and I always remember that most heroes are dead.

PS: I don't think alcohol will help in this case, but it won't hurt to try.

 

[Mikey P]

Thew only times I use Ammonia on Wool is along side Peroxide. Now most of the time it turns the Wool bright yellow.
Bi sulfate will neutralize and get rid of the yellow uon contact.

Will Ammonia by itself cause yellowing?

 

[The Great Oz]

Ammonia leaves the fiber as the water dries and does not leave a high pH residue, but some damage could occur during the drying time if the rug is saturated. Ammonia can cause an immediate yellowing of the wool, but if rinsed it will not be permanent, and won't do the damage an oxidizer might.

I've removed many stains like this on wool rugs or carpet using just hot detergent and ammonia. The most common cause was stain from the unsealed wood base of a piece of furniture, but this has worked for color from felt pads and color transfer from poorly dyed Oriental rugs as well.

Now you have $5.02 worth of advice. I'll run a tab.

 

[Jack May]

I'd try first and foremost with a woolsafe approved detergent at normal ratios.

Apply to a section of the stain, have your steam iron set to a wool setting and heated up ready to go. Get a terry towelling cloth with minimum 2 but I prefer 4 thicknesses wet and rung out to the point of no drips.

Apply detergent to a small section of the stain, lay your towelling over it and apply your steam iron for 20seconds. Lift and re assess. If no change, reapply and go 30 seconds. Rinse with clear water and go 40 max next time.

If you have got any change, keeping going until no more colour transfer to your towelling.

Once that is at a stand still, I'd then do a small test with a good quality tannin spotter. Not sure what you have over there but I get one from the dry cleaning industry that is way better than the typical Prochem range.

I use small cotton ear buds (you no doubt have a trade name for that too) and do a small test area only 1/4" max. Start with a fresh area on your towelling and re start at the 20 seconds and follow the same pattern.

Obviously you will need to reapply the detergent and rinse off. Don't forget to acid rinse finally to leave on acid side and you may very well want to clean entire rug if sucessful to eliminate differences.

I'm not a rug guru and don't pretend to be but taht is one way I've been reasonably successful with difficult stains on wool carpets.

If you want more info on that, email me direct.

Now there is a good $60 worth of advice if I say so myself

John

 

[Jack May]

Hey Mike, did you ever do this job, if so, what was the outcome?

John

 

[KeithCo]

Drop the sofa back down on the exact spots and call it good.

 

[Mikey P]

Yeah we did that one.

I cant quite remember all the details but I think a gel solvent was used successfully.

 

[The Preacher]

ask this ? over on T M F and see what answer you get!!!

 

[Desk Jockey]

I like John Middleton's advice, using the neutral detergent should provide the lubrication to allow the stain to release into the towel once you apply the steam from the iron.

It looks like furniture stain, even if it's from the fabric, the stain must have bled through the material.

I personally would not do it on location, in shop you can make many different attempts being able to rinse and dry, as well as use the UV light if using S/M for wool.

 

[Jeremy]

For $5?

Just have them place the couch exactly as it was when the stain occured. That way no one will ever see it.