Dye Stability 0808 101 6222
Dye Stability Testing
When the yarn is used to make a rug, it is dyed and goes through a process of being set called the mordant process (from the Latin 'modere', to bite). This involves using a metal salt which helps the dye to bind with the fibres. The wool is then rinsed to remove any excess dye which remains in the yarn. The lack of running water in some areas of the Middle East means that some rugs will contain wool which has not been rinsed properly and can therefore bleed.
Some rug dyes will not be colourfast and may migrate when exposed to moisture or a wet cleaning solution (most painted rugs fall into this category). Some rugs may even dry crock (colour transfer by rubbing in a dry state). We therefore need to test each and every rug upon collection and prior to cleaning. This will help us to determine the safest way to proceed. Rugs which bleed may still be wet cleanable if we are able to set the dyes. This is usually done with a mild acetic acid. If we are unable to make the dyes stable then we will either clean the rugs in a way that allows us to safely remove the excess dye or use a low moisture method of cleaning. A small number of rugs which we test will not be wet cleanable at all, and so the only option is for us to use a dry dusting process and stop at this stage.
Ph Testing
We use ph testing for two very important reasons.
- Firstly it allows us to identify any unusual spots or stains which may be present. By determining what caused the spots we are able to pre-treat these areas more effectively prior to the cleaning process.
- Secondly, we ph test to make sure that a rug is not in a very alkaline state. Because the dyes used in rugs are acidic, any serious altering of the fibre's ph will result in de-stabilising of the dye-fibre bond. A rug which has previously been cleaned using alkaline chemicals and not rinsed properly may have a ph which is not acidic. Repeated cleaning in this way can eventually cause a rug to bleed. Any tested rugs which show an alkaline ph reading are first corrected prior to cleaning.
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