I'm doing some redecorating as we've been in the same house for 6 years. Got
the office done and it looks good. Now it's time to move to the bedroom.

The carpet in our home is cut pile and is a dusty rose/light purplish color.
There aren't a lot of colours that go well with this carpet, so I'm
considering dyeing the carpet somehow. I'd like to just pull it out and
install hardwood or laminate, but the time nor money are available.

Is there anything I can use to colour the carpet, that isn't too expensive?
I'm considering using a clothing dye inside of a carpet shampooer, but I'm
concerned that I won't get the colour of of the shampooer and then the
colour will come out of the carpet.

"Noozer" writes:

Is there anything I can use to colour the carpet, that isn't too expensive?
I'm considering using a clothing dye inside of a carpet shampooer, but I'm
concerned that I won't get the colour of of the shampooer and then the
colour will come out of the carpet.

After a mishap of a college roommate involving a loose cap on a bottle
of bleach (doh!), we tried to dye a 12" diameter circle of suddenly
white carpet. The dye was RIT brand.

Despite a lot of care and feeding paid to that tiny area, the
aesthetics of the results were quite hideous. :-)

Based on that experience, I am quite pessimistic on your plan. Dying
over purple is going to nearly impossible unless you go darker, and to
be uniform, you'd have to have nearly perfect rate control as you
apply and I'm guessing that you'd end up with stripes based on
non-uniformity of the spray on the ends of the machine's nozzle.
however, if you hit it with enough dye and aim to make it black, I
suppose it could work. But then I also wonder if walking on it with
damp white socks would turn them black in perpetuity. You'll need a
LOT of dye.

I'd say learn to live with teh purple until you can afford some area
rugs or to replace the flooring.

Best Regards
--
Todd H.
http://www.toddh.net/

On Mon, 01 Jan 2007 04:44:19 GMT, "Noozer" wrote:

I'm doing some redecorating as we've been in the same house for 6 years. Got
the office done and it looks good. Now it's time to move to the bedroom.

The carpet in our home is cut pile and is a dusty rose/light purplish color.
There aren't a lot of colours that go well with this carpet, so I'm
considering dyeing the carpet somehow. I'd like to just pull it out and
install hardwood or laminate, but the time nor money are available.

Is there anything I can use to colour the carpet, that isn't too expensive?
I'm considering using a clothing dye inside of a carpet shampooer, but I'm
concerned that I won't get the colour of of the shampooer and then the
colour will come out of the carpet.


The only time I've seen carpet dyed in place was (my brother) spraying
clothing dye from an automotive spray gun on a vehicle carpet, but not
a home. In the 50's mix a RITZ (sp) clothing dye in a container and
mix well.. pour in the gun and spray.

--
Oren

"My doctor says I have a malformed public-duty gland
and a natural deficiency in moral fiber, and that I am therefore
excused from saving Universes."

Noozer wrote:
I'm doing some redecorating as we've been in the same house for 6 years. Got
the office done and it looks good. Now it's time to move to the bedroom.

The carpet in our home is cut pile and is a dusty rose/light purplish color.
There aren't a lot of colours that go well with this carpet, so I'm
considering dyeing the carpet somehow. I'd like to just pull it out and
install hardwood or laminate, but the time nor money are available.

Is there anything I can use to colour the carpet, that isn't too expensive?
I'm considering using a clothing dye inside of a carpet shampooer, but I'm
concerned that I won't get the colour of of the shampooer and then the
colour will come out of the carpet.

Formidable task. Carpet is most likely nylon and dyes available to
consumers are generally vat dyes for cotton. They would not stick to
nylon, which takes acid dyes. Carpet may contain soil resistant finish
which will also make dyeing difficult. A nylon dye might be steamed
into the carpet but if anyone does, it would probably be a
professional.
Frank

Frank wrote:
Noozer wrote:
I'm doing some redecorating as we've been in the same house for 6 years. Got
the office done and it looks good. Now it's time to move to the bedroom.

The carpet in our home is cut pile and is a dusty rose/light purplish color.
There aren't a lot of colours that go well with this carpet, so I'm
considering dyeing the carpet somehow. I'd like to just pull it out and
install hardwood or laminate, but the time nor money are available.

Is there anything I can use to colour the carpet, that isn't too expensive?
I'm considering using a clothing dye inside of a carpet shampooer, but I'm
concerned that I won't get the colour of of the shampooer and then the
colour will come out of the carpet.

Formidable task. Carpet is most likely nylon and dyes available to
consumers are generally vat dyes for cotton. They would not stick to
nylon, which takes acid dyes. Carpet may contain soil resistant finish
which will also make dyeing difficult. A nylon dye might be steamed
into the carpet but if anyone does, it would probably be a
professional.
Frank


I looked into this about 10 years ago when I moved into a house that I
had bought. It had ugly dark grey carpet, but physically it was in
very good condition. There are companies that will dye it. However,
even here in the NY/NJ area, I couldn't find one nearby. I think the
closest was like 60 miles away.

I looked into it a bit and don't remember the exact cost, but it wasn't
cheap. The conclusion I came to was that for the cost, uncertainty of
the outcome, how long it will last, etc vs new carpet, it wasn't worth
it. Also, the fact that I couldn't find more companies in this area
should also tell you something.

Noozer wrote:
I'm doing some redecorating as we've been in the same house for 6 years. Got
the office done and it looks good. Now it's time to move to the bedroom.

The carpet in our home is cut pile and is a dusty rose/light purplish color.
There aren't a lot of colours that go well with this carpet, so I'm
considering dyeing the carpet somehow. I'd like to just pull it out and
install hardwood or laminate, but the time nor money are available.

Is there anything I can use to colour the carpet, that isn't too expensive?
I'm considering using a clothing dye inside of a carpet shampooer, but I'm
concerned that I won't get the colour of of the shampooer and then the
colour will come out of the carpet.

Some carpet cleaning companies will dye carpet but it depends on the
carpet material.

If its one room it would probably be easier to remove the carpet and
replace it .

"Noozer" wrote in message
newsk0mh.535997$1T2.439081@pd7urf2no...
snip
Is there anything I can use to colour the carpet, that isn't too
expensive? I'm considering using a clothing dye inside of a carpet
shampooer, but I'm concerned that I won't get the colour of of the
shampooer and then the colour will come out of the carpet.

Thanks folks... I didn't think it was the greatest idea. I'll just live with
the color for now.