Refurbishing Old Carpet with Carpet Dye
Not all carpet can be dyed, however. It’s important to find out what material your carpet is made of before you start; attempting to dye acrylic or polyester carpets, for example, can yield nearly catastrophic results! Deciding to dye your carpet is a weighty resolution; it is very easy to have a large-scale mess up, so it’s important to truly assess your need versus the risk before you begin.
Carpet dye will often mix with your carpet color, so keep that in mind as you dye. Your best bet is either to choose a color that is identical to your carpet if your goal is to cover stains, or choose a shade that is much darker if you are intending to change the color altogether. If your stains are dark, you will have no option other than to go darker on the whole carpet. Make sure that you select a professional grade dye, or you may end up with a color other than the one you were expecting. Carpet dye can easily be found online at several different websites, including http://www.americolordyes.com. This website also has equipment and classes available, in addition to the myriad of carpet dye colors. Most carpet dyes are safe for both children and pets, but it’s recommended that you don’t wear white socks until you have cleaned and vacuumed your new carpet color at least a couple of times.
There are a few different techniques for carpet dyeing. First, however, you need to make sure that your carpet is completely clean-vacuumed, and probably shampooed as well. It will also need to be absolutely dry before you begin dyeing. You can apply the dye with a spray wand that applies anywhere between 150 and 500 pounds of pressure, but this is generally better for covering stains with a dye the same color as your carpet, or for simply enhancing the color of your carpet by adding fresh coat of a similar color. If you are planning on doing an all-out color change, you will probably want to rent a rotary scrubber machine. This machine has nylon bristles, and is much more effective concerning the penetration of the dye. It is very difficult to use though, and it’s important to make sure that you do not overlap, or your carpet will have a striped appearance. If you simply need to cover a few spots of bleach or light colored stains on your carpet, you can purchase a carpet dye pen. This is the simplest method, but keep in mind that some stains may not absorb the dye as easily and may require a darker color.
Most people who have attempted to dye their carpets themselves will recommend that you solicit the help of a professional. It is extremely difficult to dye a carpet successfully; not only do you need to find exactly the right color of professional-grade dye, but you need to know how to apply it-a task exceedingly more difficult if you have to use the rotary machine. If you do decide to dye your carpet on your own, get a hold of some extra carpet scraps that are similar to the shade of the carpet you will be dyeing, and practice with them first. The more practice you are able to get ahead of time, the more likely you will be to have an evenly and successfully dyed carpet. If you choose to solicit the help of a professional, call around to different carpet dealers in your area-most of them will either be able to dye your carpet, or they will know of someone who can. It is also a good idea to check references. Dyeing your carpet is a big decision, so make sure you are well informed of all your options before you begin!
