Need help dealing with cellulosic browning? Get in touch with Expert Carpet Cleaning today. Our professionals will not help you deal with cellulosic browning but also give advice on how best to maintain your carpet. Contact one of our representatives, call 0418 957 690 or send an email to expert@expertcarpetcleaning.com.au.
Carpet cleaning Perth Coogee Bibra Lake Cellulosic Browning?
Why are there brown spots on my carpet once I finish cleaning it? This is a very common question when it comes to matters carpet. In this post, we’ll get to answer this common question by looking at cellulosic browning.
If you’ve paid some interest in matters carpet cleaning or happen to have cleaned a carpet on your own, chances are you might have noticed some carpet yellowing or browning. Those who have noticed this yellowing and browning do have two key questions, one what is it? And two what causes it? That said, carpet yellowing or browning is brought about by a condition known as cellulosic browning. In most cases, this condition causes occasional brown discolouration to appear on carpets. Do keep in mind that this brown discolouration usually appears on carpets after being cleaned.
What Causes Cellulosic Browning?
Now that you are aware of what cellulosic browning is, the next step is getting to know what causes it. So what causes cellulosic browning? Well, it is brought about by a number of factors. Furthermore, these factors must be present for the discoloration to develop. So what are these factors? Well, we have;
- Cellulosic Fiber
- Moisture
- Slow Drying
- High PH or Shampoo Residue
These four factors are known to cause carpet yellowing or browning. This is more so true if they are all present at the same time. It’s good to note however that not all cellulosic browning come as a result of high PH or shampoo residue. Some cleaning substances tend to have very low PH thus reducing chances of cellulosic browning occurring. The same also goes for shampoo residue. That said a major source of cellulosic browning is cellulosic fibers. These types of fibers are usually found in jute carpets or rug backings.
How does cellulosic fiber contribute to carpet yellowing and browning? Well, the process of cleaning a carpet usually involves making it wet. If the carpet has cellulosic fibers, they’ll end up absorbing excessive moisture from the wet carpet. With time (usually the drying period), these fibers push the excessive moisture upwards. Due to certain circumstances, this excessive moisture fails to evaporate. This then goes to make it reappear as brown or yellow stains on the carpet. This is why it’s important to have in place a fast drying method when cleaning a carpet. This will help in soaking up all the excess moisture from the cellulosic fibers.
Additional Causes
The age of a carpet is equally as important when it comes to cellulosic browning. Why is this? Well, jute backings tend to deteriorate over time. When this happens they usually undergo some sought of chemical changes. These changes end up producing brown or red colourants (lignin). In most cases, these colourants wick up to the face yarns when you clean your carpet. They then end up appearing on the surface of the carpet. When this happens, the red or brown colours tend to remain on the tip of the tufts as the carpet dries off.
How to Fix It?
In the event that cellulosic browning develops, the colouring or stain created is not always permanent. It’s good to note however that you can easily remove it by seeking services of a professional for example Expert Carpet Cleaners. It’s good to note however that in some instances the discolouration or stain can’t be removed. This is usually true when dealing with cotton, sisal or wool carpets.
If the stain is not permanent, cleaning it continuously won’t just cut. Why? Well, the stain will come back over and over again. This is especially true if you have an aged carpet. That said, the best way of dealing with cellulosic browning is through proper drying. You should work on making sure you have the best drying solution after cleaning your carpet.
Make sure you come up with an effective solution when it comes to matters drying your carpet. For instance, you should consider using paper towels. How? Simply weigh them into the carpet using a heavy object and leave it for at least 24 hours. In addition to paper towels, you can use a wet vacuum to dry the carpet faster.
Once you’ve done all this, wait 24 hours and then pour baking soda over the cellulosic browning stain. The baking soda will absorb moisture that tends to resurface. Furthermore, it acts as a deodorizer for the carpet. Once you’ve poured on the affected area wait for three to four hours then vacuum that area.
