Hi Kids,

Could you please help granny with her crisis du jour?  I just dropped hair
dye on my carpet.  Not a bucket of it, but a noticeable amount.  
Outside of performing a carpetectomy, what's the best way to remove
this stain?  I sprayed Woolite Carpet Shampoo on it without reading
the directions because I paniced.  I panic a lot.  I hope that wasn't
a way to set the stain.  I have powdered laundry soap, baking soda,
vinegar (white and apple cider) and Pepsi.  No Coke.  Will any of
these work?

A grateful klutz,
GB

Hey Granny 

You wouldn't believe it, but Badabing! I found a web site for me and
you, and people like us. Liz Hammack, of Richland, Washington, is
probably one of us people, who always spill things, bump into stuff,
etc.

I know that, because she asked for advices - and got ones, in "Good
Housekeeping". She wrote "How do I get hair color out of my carpet? I
tried paint thinner, heavy-duty spot removers, and soap and water. I'm
afraid it's really set. I thought if I kept washing the spot, it would
gradually come up."

The answer was "Next time, try what carpet experts suggest:
Immediately blot dye up with white paper towels. Then, mix 1/4
teaspoon mild hand dish-washing detergent with one cup lukewarm water.
(Don't use a stronger concentration, or laundry or automatic dish
detergent, which could damage the carpet further.) Dip a white cloth
in the mixture and dab stain from the outside in. Let set a minute or
so, then blot again. You may have to repeat several times. Have
patience. Once the stain is gone, rinse the area with cold water, then
blot dry with a clean cloth.

A last resort if small spots (like yours) don't budge: Lighten them
with three percent hydrogen peroxide, dabbed on with a cotton swab.
Let dry 24 hours. If needed, repeat. Fill in with a permanent felt-tip
fabric marker that matches carpet color. (Mark a little bit at a
time.) It may not look perfect, but it beats buying a new carpet!"
<source: http://magazines.ivillage.com/goodhousekeeping/experts/heloise/qas/0,12875,167082_291769,00.html>

That's the only sound solution I read or heard of so far, because the
conventional wisdom is that there is no solution for this, especially
if you let it dry or time had passed since.

My husband suggest using a fresh lemon: cut it in half and brush the
carpet with the juicy part. If it won't help, it won't cause any
further damage.

Okay, when a problem is so common among the Goth chicks, they also
have some tips: http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&th=370e8620bfe15a17&seekm=20020514143557.24851.00000072%40mb-cq.aol.com&frame=off

I hope that helped. As I said, I'm a sister in pain and so does my
house looks. One day I think I'll open a gambling site "what's wrong
happened today".

While the treatment wasn't 5 star-effective (and there may be none),
the answer most certainly was.  Researcher realized I was in a bind
for an answer and searched quickly for a low-tech remedy that might
readily be on hand.  Also offered additional informative backup
solution which I may also try.  Major style points for humor and
incorporating Liz Hammack and P. Gurudaddy in the process.  Admitting
that there may not be any solution is totally okay to say in a
situation like this and shouldn't reflect poorly on a researcher. 
imminently adoptable as are all the informative commenters.  thank you
so much for taking this low-dollar question when I needed an answer
fast!  I would've offered more, but I'm saving up for an
apartment-sized tarp.

Since this is opinion rather than provable fact I can only put it
here.  But if the stain is organic in nature, I have used a product
sold by means of tv commercials called Oxyclean.  It has worked
wonders on stains I thought would survive the next Ice Age.

I think if is now sold in stores, but my "TV" supply will last quite a
while yet, because I also responded to the part that said - "But Wait,
if you act now..."

Cheers
digsalot

The above was not a paid commercial announcement.  :)

Thanks, Sir Digsalot.  Never came close to taking chemistry in school.
 Granny (aka "Stumpy") took wood shop instead.

Here are the ingredients:  Tri-deceth-2 carboxamide MEA,
butoxydiglycol, prophylene glychol, PG-2 tallow amine, alcohol denat,
oleyly alcohol, polyglyeryl-2, diethylamnopropyl cocoaspartamide,
4-amino-2 hydroxytoluene (toluene! that can't be good), p-aminophehol,
p-aminophenol, pyrazolone, resorcinol, 6-hydroxyndole (geez, hope I
had my fingers on the right keys).  It doesn't *sound* very "organic."
 This seepage may account for granny's current brain condition.

5:00 stain update:  Not looking good s/p Woolite treatment.  Uh...I
suppose that's why they call it "dye," ya dingbat!  I think it's
scissa time.  I never had a cold chance in hell getting my cleaning
deposit back from this place anyway.  I do appreciate the OxyClean
testimonial though and I'll keep it in mind for my future stain
concerns...of which I have many.
 
Cheers backatcha!
GB

Before you scalp that broadloom, granny, I found reference to your
problem at a site called “Tipking”. The self-proclaimed Sovereign of
Suggestion decrees that you should try the following:

“This is really going to be difficult to remove but I suggest the
following as the best method. As the stain is non greasy we can just
use a mild detergent solution, half a teaspoon of mild detergent to a
pint of warm water.

Apply this solution to the stain starting from the outside working in
and then cover with a good quantity of tissues or paper towels. Weight
the tissues down with books or pans and leave for about an hour. Then
replace the tissues and leave over night. In the morning fluff up the
pile.”

He further ordains that you may have to repeat the process several
times.

Source:
Tipking
http://www.tipking.com/Tips/publish/tip_588.shtml
(Warning: there’s an annoying popup ad on this page)


If that should not effect an improvement in the carpet, eHow offers
the following:

“1.  Blot the stain with rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol), using a
clean, white cloth.   2.  Treat natural fibers such as wool or cotton
with a solvent such as lighter fluid, turpentine or mineral spirits;
again, use a clean, white cloth.   3.  Alternatively, treat synthetic
fibers with hydrogen peroxide, using a clean, white cloth.”

This is an excerpt of the instructions on the eHow website. Their
terms of use preclude posting all of the step-by-step instructions
here. It is necessary to register to access the rest of the
instructions. Registration is free, and well worth the moment it
takes, as this site is a wealth of information on many subjects.

Register here:
http://www.ehow.com/home/
 
Full instructions can be found here:
http://www.ehow.com/ehow/ehowDetails.jsp?index=1096&id=11784

If the above link does not take you to the instructions, enter “remove
hair dye from fabric” in the search box.

As I have no experience with either of these methods, I offer them as
a comment, in the hopes that it may save the shag.


Good luck,

Beth

Beth, thanks for that second opinion.  I'm off to try the Palmolvie
Experiment.  From the looks of both your answers, it seems there's an
untapped niche market for clean, white cloths.

P. Gurudiddy, major style points for introducing Liz Hammick of
Richland, Washington.  It reminded me of my beloved Roseanne
Roseannadanna who would start her bit with .... a Mr. Richard Fader of
Ft. Lee, New Jersey writes...
Shall we all pose for a Gilda Moment?
http://www.geocities.com/gildatribute/RRTranscript1.html

I'll rate this tomorrow so I can give you a further stain update @ 24
hours.  Do you think they have camel-colored magic markers?  Much
obliged for these links and info.

You guys are the best!
GB

Couple of thoughts:
1)If you have a friend of relative that is a member of a company
called Melaleuca (www.melaleuca.com) get them to loan you one of the
following products:
MelaMagic super cleaner
or MelaPower laundry detergent with Prespot plus stain remover and
Melabrite brightener.

If needed, combine either if these solutions with SoluMel, a cleaning
booster.

If you like these products, ask the friend who loaned them to you to
tell you more about the company. If you don't have anybody who deals
with them, then you could always sign up. If the products don't work
out you can return them for a full refund. <shameless plug mode
on>Tell them I sent you (29178111) <end shameless plug mode>

2) If it's hair dye, shouldn't eventually fade out, or wash out with
constant washing and/or isn't there a solution you can buy to get it
out of your hair? might be worth a try.

Gran, 

Thanks for the kind words and good luck with your carpet. I think I'll
have to rate you 5* for that great and funny Gilda link you sent us.

I want to be your grandaughter. Please adopt me.

Wife has been a hairdresser since the days when mankind had hair all
over his/her body and used flint knives instead of clippers. Product
used by professionals for dye removal from skin: "CleanTouch". Not
designed for carpets, though... effectiveness will depend upon how far
set the stain is, as well as what the carpet is made of. Available in
beauty supply houses.. most towns in USA seem to have a "Sally's
Beauty supply", for example.

Good luck.. if you go ahead with this try a small test patch before
going hog-wild. This applies to all the other suggested stuff in the
other posts, too. No point in creating a second stain to go with the
first.

well...wouldja look at all these nice people comin' to granny's aid. 
what sweet kids you are.  I did the Great Palmolive Experiment. 
Overnight I left on la tela blanca limpa weighted down with my
Dorland's Medical Dictionary and several psychiatric treatises on
granny's "condition."  this morning, I could see some of the color on
the white cloth, but it still needs more work so I'm going to repeat
the process.  I will keep all these methods in mind for backup
solutions.

beth, my carpet has previous scalp wounds from before I found your
nifty service.   I do believe the carpet is wool and it's a very dense
weave so if I don't cut too much, the carpatient might live.  They
didn't skimp on the construction or what they chose to put in the
apartments in my complex.  and although carpeting throughout is nice
for the tooties in the winter months, carpet in the bathroom is iffy
at best, IMO.  too many natural catastrophies waiting to happen.

sparky4:  no, granny has no friends.  she's a shut-in with bad breath.
 thanks for the melaleuca tip though.  as for signing up, I'm still
trying to unload a carton of BestLine Floor Wax from 1968.

your second question made granny upsnort her coffee conjuring up a
possible carpet chiapet invention.  as your hair grows the roots need
constant touch-up, but if you're using permanent dye the color remains
on old hair strands -- not as bright as your first application, but
still there nonetheless.   I think maybe using hydrogen peroxide would
take out the color from both the hair and the carpet -- a bit of
'fighting fire with fire' approach.   I'm keeping that for my last
resort.  it seems blanket4 has my number in that I have a tendency to
go hog wild.

P.  gurudiddy:  I'm glad you enjoyed the RR sketch.   I will try to
cover in humor what I can't always provide monetarily.  and while we
could all 'pose' for a Gilda moment, I think 'pause' might have been
the word I couldn't produce yesterday.  too much toluene finding it's
way into granny's brain, dyeing her white matter a Lucille Ball
irridescent cardinal red.  please give P. gurudaddy 5* also.  my dad
shined a heavy brass Buddhist face mask that I keep on my door with
lemon recently.  ReaLemon works too when you don't have fresh.  it's
so shiny now, I can resume my Morse code messaging to Mars.

oh, child, consider yourself (and all you noble researchers)
granny-adopted.   granny is a lone grey wolf with a busy tail who will
always live alone because she's a big 'ol mess.  she carries all of
you with her in her mind though.  it's quite overpopulated in there.

blanket4:  I have several times been mistaken for a yeti at the
grocery store, so I could probably use your wife's number.  yes, I
have a Sally's just down the street.  I bought my Isinis (made in
France) hairbrush there that I could never be without.  I will look
for that CleanTouch.  I don't really understand your comment and what
the heck those Goth girls are doing and why they need something to
remove dye from their skin.   I've never had a problem with dye on my
skin but it could be immediately absorbed through my pores.  granny is
quite sponge-like.

thanks everyone for rescuing me from my current dilemma.   next week's
question:  can one explode from mucus overproduction and, if so,
what's the best way to remove it from your carpet?  put your best
people on that, okay?