Is it okay for me to use those miracle stain removers I see on TV?
Whether you watch television during daytime talk shows, in the middle of p
rime time, or during a fit of insomnia at 2 a.m., you simply can't avoid them: commercials, and infomercials, trying to convince you that some liquid in the bottle will magically remove any spot o
r stain you have on your carpet, no matter where it originated, how long it's been there, or what type of carpet you have. While it is possible that some of these products have some value, it is not possible that any product can do all of these things. Every fiber is different. Every spill is different. So, there is simply no one-stop solution to clean everything. And, unfortunately, using some of these miracle stain removers in the wrong place can cause irreversible damage to your carpet.
Miracle Oxygen Cleaners
One popular product that people tend to try, and place great faith in, is the Oxy cleaners seen on
infomercials. If you choose to use these cleaners, exercise caution. Professional carpet cleaning
companies are seeing more and more damage being done to carpet by the oxygen bleaches in these
cleaners. The damage can range from minor color loss to large permanent yellow stains caused by the
chemical reaction with the carpet fibers. Theoretically, these products should be safe if used according
to the manufacturer's directions. But there are things that can and do affect the chemical react
ion and can make results vary greatly. For instance, the exact nature of the spot you are t
rying to remove matters. Some stains do not react well to oxygen bleaches, and can even becom
e permanent if you use those products. Another problem is sunlight. Under sunlight, the o
xidizer becomes more chemically active and aggressive, resulting in heightened bleaching action. Remember, any thing that has the ability to remove food coloring has the potential to destabilize the dyes used to give your carpet its color
