DIY Carpet Dye

Considerations

• Although most fibers take dye well, a few types of carpet can't be dyed, such as polypropylene, olefin, polyester and acrylic. If you're not sure of your carpet type, contact the manufacturer, or consider hiring a professional for a consultation to find out not only whether your carpet can be dyed, but also the best color to choose and what the dye process entails. At this point, decide whether you simply need to spot-dye a few stained areas or dye the entire carpet.

  Look for professional-quality dye from a flooring and hardware store, making sure it's colorfast. Match the color of your carpet if you have faded spots or bleached stains. If the stains are dark, use a darker color. Keep the color in the same family; otherwise your results may not be what you expected. For instance, dying a yellow carpet red will create an orange carpet.

Preparation

• A clean surface will help the dye stick better and make the color look even, so vacuum your carpet several times, then shampoo it and let it dry. Protect the baseboards and the wall above using painters tape.

  Use a scrap carpet remnant to practice your technique before working on the main carpet. Apply dye lightly, making sure the carpet and pad don't soak up too much liquid, which can damage the carpet fibers and make the pad susceptible to mold and mildew. Don't dye in one area too long, or you may end up with an uneven color. Also, dye the carpet during the daylight hours to help you spot areas that aren't taking a uniform color.

  Don't walk on the carpet with light-colored socks for the first month or so after dying, as some of the dye can rub off. Vacuum a little more often than usual to help alleviate that problem.

Method 1: Brushing

• Rent a rotary scrubbing machine or carpet-shampooing machine with nylon bristles from a hardware store, and follow the instructions on adding carpet dye to the machine. Move the scrubber evenly across the carpet in long strokes, similar to mowing your lawn. To prevent uneven color application, avoid overlapping lines or staying in one place too long. If done carefully, this method tends to produce the best overall results.

Method 2: Spraying

• Another option is to rent a pressure wand machine to apply the dye. This tends to work best if you are applying the same shade to patch up bleached or faded spots. It's not recommended if you want to apply a darker shade or change the color completely. It can be difficult to achieve uniform results and give a deep penetration of the dye into the carpet yarn unless you have a sprayer with several hundred pounds per square inch of pressure that can lay on a mist of color.