Help! Carpet!

[righteous mama]

OK, let me just say that I will never again have carpet. You couldn't MAKE me.

We gave our 30 day notice and the office told us that if the carpet is beyond repair we have to pay them $900-1200!!!! :eek :wow I think that is simply ridiculous. Our last place I spilled a bottle of ink and they didn't charge us to replace the carpet! So, everything is pretty much coming out, but I have a stain of fruit punch. Dh actually spilled it when we first moved in. I've gone over and over it and it's not coming out. Does anyone have any secrets?

After we move the furniture out we're going to rent one of those Rug Doctors. Right now I'm on my hands and knees getting the big spots out. I thought if there is something I could treat that one stain with, then go over with the Dr. maybe we'd have a fighting chance. They always bring someone in to clean the carpets after someone moves, so between all of that, hopefully it will come out.

[PurpleButterfly]

Marcella, there's something my grandfather has been using around here on some old furniture fabric stains that nothing else would even touch. It's for carpet, too, and works like nothing I've ever seen before - he got it from a professional carpet cleaner. I'll ask him for the bottle tomorrow and post all the info so you can check it out.

[Mamaka]

Have you tried oxyclean? Not tried it on fruit punch but it got blood out of my mom's brand new beautiful white shag carpet.

[PurpleButterfly]

It's called Avenge:

http://www.rhcarpetcleaning.com/en-us/p_4.html

From what the product description says, it won't remove food dyes. But it did remove red dye from a non-washable marker from our ottoman. :shrug

[righteous mama]

Thank you! I bought some Resolve to get some of the spots...but I know this will be a two bottle job, so I will order some Avenge, also. I will take it with me to my mom's house for any accidents. :shifty

[momofmany]

Marcella, if they try to charge you for the carpet check with the Fair Housing Council (it's in Santa Ana, I think). They can tell you what your rights are.

[righteous mama]

Thank you! I did contact them via email on Thursday night. They take every other Friday off (must be nice!), so I'm assuming this was their Friday off. If I don't hear from them the beginning of the week, I will give them a call. Our office is saying we need to pay for repainting the walls, cleaning, carpet, etc. We've been here 18 months and the walls are dirty from just living. It's that terrible paint that soaks in even oil from a hand print. They are unscrubbable. The house is already fairly clean, I can't imagine what else they want to do! I'm so frustrated! :banghead

[MarynMunchkins]

We just moved out of an apartment like that. :rolleyes

First of all, rubbing alcohol will remove most food dyes. Spot test it first, but it takes out red and orange Kool-aid for sure. ;)

And Magic Erasers will clean flat paint. :) But dh and I just spent $15/gal for cheap flat paint (antique white is a standard color - you can buy it off the shelf) and repainted. It was faster and easier than cleaning.

[ThreeJane]

IIRC, at least in California, the office can't charge you for more than cleaning (usually $50 to $150) if you've lived in a place longer than one year. Anything beyond a year that needs fixing/replacing/repairing as far as paint, carpet, etc. is considered "normal wear and tear".

Hope they get back to you soon. Sounds like the office is trying to make some money back off people who are leaving the complex!!! :mad

[Garnet]

lets see fruit punch.......oxyclean, dish detergent diluted, .....what color is the carpet? Try one of those stain devils things in the clothing dye isle.....there s one for juices and wines. If the carpet is white you can use Cascade dishwasher liquid ( use gloves, its got bleach in it) if you have too. Good luck!