Trying to identify what caused bright yellow spots on a carpet...

[skippythecarpetman]

Just figured I'd fish around here and see if anyone has any ideas on how to treat these or maybe has an idea what could have caused these spots...I work in an upscale retirement apartment complex, and in this one apartment there are bright yellow spots toward the entrance to same...My usual spotters (Bio-Enzymatic Spotter and my "tactical nuke" spotter, Laundry Pre Spotter<heavy duty alkaline>) won't touch these spots. Out of desperation I tried some Rust Remover spotter (main ingredient is phosphoric acid) and it turns the yellow spots red...any ides of how to proceed here are greatly appreciated!

 

[Zee]

Are you a carpet cleaner or some maintenance person for the community?

So what IS your question: trying to figure out what CAUSED the stains or trying to figure out how to get them out, how to clean them?
Why did you mix all those chemicals together? Did you rinse the fabric neutral, before introducing chemical after chemical?

 

[Royal Man]

Yellow is usually the carpet needs a PH adjustment, yellow mustard or from a bleach spot.

 

[Doug Cox]

yellow mustard

 

[Larry Cobb]

I have seen bright orange footprints,

from a floor stripper being tracked onto an apartment carpet.

Larry

 

[steve_64]

ive had ink stains turn yellow after treating them with stain magic after the homeowner threw everything they could think of at it. ive also seen them already there. ive never had yellow turn red. my guess and its just a guess but red relief with heat should do it. just make sure its been rinsed good first.

 

[skippythecarpetman]

Sorry I haven't replied to this earlier...life gets busy sometimes! I'm part of a housekeeping crew at my workplace, I do about 85-90% of the carpet care here...as far as mixing chemicals, it's called "desperation" I've made it known to my supervisor that I'm having problems with this particular room and that I need some better spotting chemicals, and also if someone could help me identify what caused said spots I'd stand a fighting chance at removing same...Sadly I don't get any help at all from the boss, so I just do the best I can with what's on hand. If it is mustard what will neutralize same? The odds are against this being floor stripper related, everything in the neighborhood of this room is carpeted...the facility may not be 100% carpeted but I'd say it's in the high 90's percentage wise here

 

[SMRBAP]

Mustard can be one of the more difficult stains to correct, but I have never seen a mustard stain turn red.

Be careful mixing chemicals - more than causing damage - you can hurt yourself.

 

[Desk Jockey]

and in this one apartment there are bright yellow spots toward the entrance to same.

? Entrance to where?

Many things can discolor carpeting, pesticides, fade cremes, toilet bowl cleaner. Do the spots look like drips or areas where something was spilled or worked on?

Can we get a picture of the stain?