[Tony Stewart]

I had a 100% wool rug to clean. I've now done it three times and the white just looks grey as in the picture.
First attempt. SPM Agitated with TM4 and extracted with cold water rinse.
Second attempt Bonnetted with SPM and oxibrite to see if it was a surface dirt problem
Third attempt rinsed it with extraction pro and odour fresh.
Fourth attempt hand rub with white terry towelling

The rest of the carpet has come up fine but it's the white that still has dirt on it or it's just grey looking as in the photos.

I use a Prochem Steempro so it's not a truckmount with a big suck, but the rug is a good quality and quite a thick pile.
Can someone guide me as to where I am missing a trick please..........Oh it was dirty as the dogs have been all over it and it's been in a main traffic area in a house.

Thanks guys in advance 
  Tony

[John Kelly]

Probably just Greyed. Can't see photo but if you used SPM & Oxybrite both of which contain bleaches then pointless trying anything else.

[Tony Stewart]

Sorry files did not upload.......must be me!

[Tony Stewart]

[John Kelly]

Sometimes thats as good as it gets especially with heavy wear. Used to try and get Ikea rugs white until I went there and found a lot of them are actually grey to start with.

[Mike Halliday]

if the white stripe is dirty then  it will have variations of greyness, every stripe will not show the same level of soil/grayness........ if the white stripes are all the same degree of grayness then that's the colour of the stripe

does that make sense

what was the position of the rug within the room? did one edge get more foot traffic than the other

[Tony Stewart]

Here is the rug before I started.........it's not grey all over it's got variations of shading. The rug was dropped off to me for a clean so all I got was that it had been down in the main area. It is grey from the edges as though it's dirty, but there was no dirt transfer from the terry towels. I have just been through the HWE route then the rotary route......I just hate something that looks bad.

[Len Gribble]

Tony

Looks like the lighter blue has grey marks (was it dry when you took the picture) terry towelling did you get any transfer NO! the you need to leave SPM and oxibrite on a bit longer dwell time



John

You have the wrong spm methinks  

[Jim_77]

Len I don't think so, SPM contains "soluboost" which is an oxidiser the same as oxibrite (to all intents and purposes although ingredients differ slightly)

Tony this looks like an acrylic pile?  You have probably got all the water-soluble soil out of it but maybe oil-based soil is still in the fibre.  A citrus solvent type product may have been the answer - if the "white" bits are supposed to be white and not grey as suggested already.

Ultimate test is what the customer thinks

[fitz2kleen]

try the old test of a white terry towel if you dont get any transfer then your rugs not gonna get any better, if theres tranfer then like Jim says a citrus solutions gonna break down oils.
Sometimes your clients dont remember what colour they braught so give them the last say.

[Tony Stewart]

Thanks evryone.

I have no transfer on to the terry towels and had not thought that it could be oil based (silly me).
However Jim it is 100% wool, picture does not do it justice, hence me using SPM and agitation. I tried a soluble citrus gel Gum Off It and nothing more on the terry towel as transfer, so like you all say it's clean.

Thanks for the ideas..............it's their 40th party tonight so it will hopefully have spills on it 1/2 an hour after it's put back anyway.

 

[peter maybury]

It is not uncommon for white fibres to loose their appearance. You may just be better off making an oxidising solution with oxibrite/ fibre buff/ and fibre shampoo and treating the whole rug. Whilst soluboost and oxibrite do boost the brightening abilities of the spm considerably an oxidising agent will work better if left to dry.
I have just done a rug that had marks that requiried 5 applications of peroxide to remove.
Peter
www.carpetcleanercardiff.com

[Len Gribble]

Jim

SPM contains "soluboost"

Are we talking about the same product?

SPM does not contain detergent, optical brightener, enzymes, solvents, or caustic akalis. SPM can be used as a single product solution for all types of carpet and fabric cleaning operations, subject to pre-testing.

[Jim_77]

Yes Len

[Tony Stewart]

Customer delighted with the rug so thrilled to bits


AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

so beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

But seriously thanks for your help guys.

Tony

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Could it be made of cotton?

I've seen Magimats go discoloured like this, the colour rubs off leaving which should be white but as it's been rubbed off with wear and the soiling scores grooves into the cotton therefore leaving it brown looking soiled.

Anyone remember the old cotton print suites?

Shaun

[Tony Stewart]

Shaun
It may well be. On the back of the rug it did say 100% wool so I just presumed that it was, but you could be right.

Tony