You’ve just cleaned your carpet and not long after you start enjoying the new fresh and clean appearance of your carpet, spots and stains start to reappear. If this happens to you, don’t worry as you’re not alone. This is a common occurrence when your carpet is cleaned using the traditional shampoo and rinse method. So why do stains reappear on carpet?
Why Do Stains Reappear on Carpet?
In this article, we’ll discuss some of the typical reasons stains would reappear on your carpet just a short while after you’ve had your carpet cleaned.
Sometimes, these spots can reappear once your carpet dries and other times, they can start showing after several weeks have passed. Either way, seeing spots re-emerge on a carpet you thought would be looking as good as new can be quite frustrating. Carpet re-spotting can be attributed to two primary causes: Wicking and Residue. While one originates in the carpet fibers themselves, the other originates in the pad or backing of the carpet.
Wicking
Stains and spots that resurface due to wicking originate below the carpet fibers. In such cases, the original stains have soiled the fibers and also penetrated into the backing and underlying pad of the carpet. In an attempt to get rid of a stubborn stain, too much water may have been used to rinse the carpet. Excessively rinsing a carpet can saturate the area, allowing water to penetrate beyond the carpet fibers and into the backing/pad of the carpet. The rinse water will then mix with the deep stain and become discolored and dirty.
The extraction process will draw some of the dirty water out of the carpet, but a significant amount will remain in the carpet pad and backing. Then once moisture evaporates and your carpet is dry, the dirty water gradually wicks into the fibers. The stain that was once deep then rises to the top and becomes visible.
If stains and spots reappear as soon as your carpet dries, then wicking is the most likely culprit.
Residue
If a stain reappears due to residue, it originates within the carpet fibers. This occurs when some of the cleaning agents such as soap or shampoo are left behind in your carpet. The residue will still remain even after the carpet dries.
Because soap residue and shampoo are quite sticky, they attract dirt and grime. This is particularly the case in high traffic areas. Similarly, any settling particles of dust will adhere to the residue in the carpet. Residue is one of the main reasons carpets that have been cleaned become re-soiled so quickly. Chances are vacuuming the carpet will do little to remove the soil struck to the residue. The same spots seem to reappear but it mostly results from new soil that gets stuck to the residue within the fibers. You can then learn how to get the soapy water and residue out of your carpet.
Bottom Line
Why do stains reappear on carpet? The short answer is that it’s either due to wicking or residue. To avoid having to deal with recurring stains, be sure to hire professional carpet cleaners with experience. A professional carpet cleaner like our team here at Actually Clean will know the right cleaning agents to use for any sort of carpet stain removal and ensure your carpet is well rinsed without over saturating the fibers.
Are you just starting your carpet cleaning business? Contact us for help or any information you would like to know!
