30 Nov Heacock’s Corner: The Myth Of Acid Dye Blockers (revisited)
I say there is no such thing as an acid dye blocker!
We were told in 1987 by DuPont’s representative (when they went all over the country teaching the course about the new stain resistant 5th generation carpets) that the 5th generation fibers would resist acid dyes such as Kool-Aid and other beverages, that contained acid dyes. Furthermore, we were told that these fibers had an added “clear dye” that filled its “dye receptor sites” so spilled materials containing dyes would not stain the fibers.
The problem, as I see it, is this:
There is no such thing as a clear dye!
Dyes are nothing more than pigment that has been dissolved in water or alcohol. The dyes are set with chemicals, heat, or both. If this “clear dye” was truly a dye, it could not (by definition) be clear.
If it is not a clear dye, what is it? Furthermore, why are we told that it is a clear dye? Again, I say, “There ain’t no such a thing!”
All of us have seen stains from products such as Kool-Aid and many other staining substances spilt on carpets. If there were such a thing as an acid dye blocker, then these staining substances would not make a stain at all! However, they all do. In theory, if there were such a thing as an acid dye blocker, these potential stains would easily wipe up, or come out with a water-based spot remover. However, they do not.
Question: How do we remove these stains?
Answer: With an acid stripper and heat, or a bleaching agent.
While these stains are not as “color fast” as the carpet’s original dyes, they are almost as color fast and will not come out with a routine cleaning (or spot removers of any sort).
In 1987, we were told that cleaning temperature must be limited to 150 degrees, and the cleaning agent used should not have a pH over 9. Yet, time has proven both of these points to be fairly inconsequential.
A while back, I “Turbo-Steam Cleaned” my own carpet. It is a two years old Stainmaster 5th Generation nylon. This was its third cleaning. I have grandchildren, who drink and spill Kool-Aid, as well as other beverages containing acid dyes.
How many of these acid dye spills came out with my cleaning? None.
How many came out with spot removers of any kind? None.
So… Where are the stains blocked (if there is such a thing)?
In my opinion, the existence of acid dye blockers is simply not true. If anyone can show me an acid dye spill that has been blocked by, this so called acid dye blocker; I will become a believer.
Until then, the existence of acid dye blockers remains a myth.
Gary Heacock -The Interstellar Crossroads of The Universe- http://www.heacocks.com