Help! Downey(fabric softener) stain

M

madazskunk

New member
A lady at my work said she spilled downy on the carpet in her car and the carwash she took it to could'nt get it out so she asked me for some suggestions. from her description it seems the car wash shampood and used a hot water extracter but didn't touch it. I did a search and it seems that fabric softener is animal fat or fatty acids of some sort. I was thinking that degreaser like apc should work but I would think that the car wash shampoo had to have some type of degreasing ability. She said it looks like oil only with a blue tint. Any suggestions?
 
I would try wetting the area with warm water, scrubbing in some laundry detergent with a scrub brush, and then removing with a hot water extractor.



Laudry detergent is a very strong detergent, and should break down the fabric softener. You need something strong to break down or bond to the softener (typically includes silicones and waxes).



Be sure to use LOTS of hot water when extracting, going over the same area for many, many, many passes.



It may be necessary to reapply more detergent a couple of times during the process, as the old detergent is used up/removed. But this should get it out.



I've had a couple of times where I would have to continuously scrub in detergent, remove with extractor - for up to 20-30 minutes over the same area. Eventually, I was able to get everything out.



Of course, the larger the extractor, the quicker it will go. (I use the small, Bissell, consumer/home version, with about a 1/2 gal reservoir).



Good luck.
 
~One man’s opinion /observation~



The silicone in these ‘softener’ type products is hard to breakdown. As Fly Navy suggested try Distilled White Vinegar or Isopropyl (suggest you test on an inconspicuous place for colour fastness)



~Hope this helps~





Experience unshared; is knowledge wasted…/



justadumbarchitect * so i question everything*
 
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