Grout on carpet

[JLM Tiling]

The worst has happened, finished up, cleaning out and managed to tread a bit of BLACK grout into CREAM carpet!! Am I buggered or is there a way of getting it out? Gutted, been a week of taking so much care only to screw it at the last minute!! Help!!

 

[DHTiling]

ooooooow.... not something i have tried to remove before.. might be easier once dry but i think the pigments might have stained the wool.

 

[JLM Tiling]

Thats my worry. Tried to get it out wet but just smudged so figured leave to dry as that's what I'd do with addy and no worries but as you said the colourants. Think I'm screwed!

 

[Ian]

Try a wire brush when its dry, but like Dave says, it's likely that it's stained. Maybe a small amount of bleach or grout colourant?!

 

[Deleted member 9966]

you need to contact a professional carpet cleaning company. they might have some ideas that could help

 

[JLM Tiling]

Will do, cheers for the ideas guys

 

[Spud]

it may brush out once its dried a nail brush is what I would try first

 

[user123]

I would try wetting it thoroughly with white vinegar, neat - leaving it to soak in a bit and the dabbing it with white kitchen roll. If the black comes off onto the kitchen roll you are on a winner, so just keep on repeating - remember vinegar is used as grout haze remover, and you may just be lucky enough that the dies are locked in with the cement particles.

If this does not work, dilute the vinegar in the carpet with water and keep dabbing and soaking up, don't rub, as the fibres will become all felty, and won't recover later. I would then use plain household soap, wetted and dubbed on, again leaving it to soak and do the kitchen roll check. DON'T try the household soap before the vinegar, as soap residue would neutralise the vinegar, but you're ok the other way round. By now there should be some progress. I f not the other options are ammonia based window cleaner - (ammonia can have a bleaching effect, so take care!), nail varnish remover or cellulose thinners. Good luck, let us know the outcome! My bet is on the vinegar finished off with the soap ...

 

[nybor62]

if all fails , do you have liability insurance

 

[enduro]

You need a carpet cleaner to extract with the right chemicals. What area are you from as i have all the tools and chemicals.

 

[Ceramico tiling]

I would try wetting it thoroughly with white vinegar, neat - leaving it to soak in a bit and the dabbing it with white kitchen roll. If the black comes off onto the kitchen roll you are on a winner, so just keep on repeating - remember vinegar is used as grout haze remover, and you may just be lucky enough that the dies are locked in with the cement particles.

If this does not work, dilute the vinegar in the carpet with water and keep dabbing and soaking up, don't rub, as the fibres will become all felty, and won't recover later. I would then use plain household soap, wetted and dubbed on, again leaving it to soak and do the kitchen roll check. DON'T try the household soap before the vinegar, as soap residue would neutralise the vinegar, but you're ok the other way round. By now there should be some progress. I f not the other options are ammonia based window cleaner - (ammonia can have a bleaching effect, so take care!), nail varnish remover or cellulose thinners. Good luck, let us know the outcome! My bet is on the vinegar finished off with the soap ...

Thanks,, I just coppied and saved that for future use.

 

[user123]

ooooooow.... not something i have tried to remove before.. might be easier once dry but i think the pigments might have stained the wool.

That reminds me - try and find out what material the carpet actually is - the percentage of polypropylene or acrilyc to wool, etc. The tips I gave above whould work with all of them, the more artificial fibre there is the easer it will come out. Cellulose thinners removed black enamel paint from my almost new 50% wool carpet, so take heart..

 

[Olz]

I dont think you should be trying anything, if it was your carpet fair enough but as its a customers, if it were me i'd just get a pro in to sort it, its ok trying various household remedys that may or may not work, but if they dont work, by trying them your more likley to spoil any chance a pro cleaner has of rectifying it.

 

[Barry bp]

if all fails , do you have liability insurance

I would hope all pro tilers on this forum have liability insurance im covered to £5000000 its a must have!

 

[user123]

I dont think you should be trying anything, if it was your carpet fair enough but as its a customers, if it were me i'd just get a pro in to sort it, its ok trying various household remedys that may or may not work, but if they dont work, by trying them your more likley to spoil any chance a pro cleaner has of rectifying it.

Good point, Oli But to be somewhat reassuring - I did an apprenticeship in London once how to repair antique oriental carpets, and learned a lot of traditional tricks of the trade there, which are now household remedies yes, but based on historical experience By the way, pure wool carpet does not burn, it just singes and smells like burning hair ...