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!!

[Dave]

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!

[Bri]

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?!

[GirlRacerRed]

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

[garythetiler]

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..

[Oli]

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 ...

[Dave]

Gisela the Rug doctor.. sounds catchy..

[simon1]

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

Likewise

[Tats]

leave it to dry scrap as much out with a knife as poss and then cut the strands out that are stained but not right at the bottom then carefully pull the cut strands up they wont come all the way but when your finished it wont show much thats only if its a small bit mind

[user123]

Gisela the Rug doctor.. sounds catchy..

Ehm.. no thanks...

[JLM Tiling]

Right. To answer all the above, yes Nybor I have £5mill of cover but would rather not claim, I know that's what it's there for but you know how it is.

Oli good advice and yeah you've got a point but too late already done it.

Mosiac Girl, well what can I say, you're my hero and I love you and I want you to have my babies!! Worked a treat, can't see a thing anymore!!

Finally to all of you who have commented thanks for taking the time to offer your advice, us newbs would be lost without you.

And for anyone who wants a laugh the customer got home about half an hour ago and said to me 'oh you needn't have bothered hoovering the carpet, we're getting it ripped up next week anyway' Yeah. Coulda told me. Still at least I learned something!! Peace y'all!

[JLM Tiling]

Oh yeah enduro! I forgot ya! How rude, my bad! Thanks for the offer bud but live in Guernsey in the Channel Islands. Cheers all the same

[andy8758]

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 ...

My wife confirms (and she is right about everything) that this advice is spot on - its especially important to not rub - dab only.

[user123]

Right. To answer all the above, yes Nybor I have £5mill of cover but would rather not claim, I know that's what it's there for but you know how it is.

Oli good advice and yeah you've got a point but too late already done it.

Mosiac Girl, well what can I say, you're my hero and I love you and I want you to have my babies!! Worked a treat, can't see a thing anymore!!

Finally to all of you who have commented thanks for taking the time to offer your advice, us newbs would be lost without you.

And for anyone who wants a laugh the customer got home about half an hour ago and said to me 'oh you needn't have bothered hoovering the carpet, we're getting it ripped up next week anyway' Yeah. Coulda told me. Still at least I learned something!! Peace y'all!

oh wow great! not so much the babies bit, but thanks all the same... so was it just the vinegar then? Tell tell! even though it'll get ripped up!!!

[JLM Tiling]

No seriously, take them, packed the bags already. You seem like an excellent mother figure and quite frankly I'm sick to death of them.

Hoovered as much as I could out and then vinegar. Over and over again. Seemed okay up close but was still noticeable from a distance. So went in with water, soak then soaped it up and dabbed it off. Did that a couple of times. Then rinsed with more water. By that point was looking pretty good, still could see it but think that was more dampness than staining. Then hoovered the whole stairs and finished cleaning up. By the time the customer got back it was hardly noticeable at all, in fact when looking I wasn't convinced I was even looking at the right step! So kudos to you and thanks again!!

[kilty55]

great result and also info

[user123]

No seriously, take them, packed the bags already. You seem like an excellent mother figure and quite frankly I'm sick to death of them.

Hoovered as much as I could out and then vinegar. Over and over again. Seemed okay up close but was still noticeable from a distance. So went in with water, soak then soaped it up and dabbed it off. Did that a couple of times. Then rinsed with more water. By that point was looking pretty good, still could see it but think that was more dampness than staining. Then hoovered the whole stairs and finished cleaning up. By the time the customer got back it was hardly noticeable at all, in fact when looking I wasn't convinced I was even looking at the right step! So kudos to you and thanks again!!

[Scott]

Its soo nice when customers are honest, they could have taken you to the cleaners (all puns intended) ith that and had a new carpet out of you

[JLM Tiling]

True that

[waterfd]

Worried me now, I am starting a bathroom next week and they are having black polished porcelain tiles and have asked for the blackest grout I can get (Mapei). Stairs and landing cream carpet. Will now look for the sticky stuff that can be left on the carpet till the job is done. Has any body any idea where I can get this? Will be using drop cloths as well.

[Stewart]

Worried me now, I am starting a bathroom next week and they are having black polished porcelain tiles and have asked for the blackest grout I can get (Mapei). Stairs and landing cream carpet. Will now look for the sticky stuff that can be left on the carpet till the job is done. Has any body any idea where I can get this? Will be using drop cloths as well.

Pretty sure Trade Tiler do it.