Pink or Brown Spots on Your Couch?

Pink or brown discolorations spotted on your couch or other upholstery in the home can be unnerving, especially if you’re not sure how they got there in the first place. The most likely causes are water or spot remover if the discoloration is brown; if pink, it’s due to either a highly acidic cleanser or the stain you were trying to clean was acidic, like urine.

Problem:

Alkaline Browning. This chemical reaction occurs if a cleaning agent was applied that was too high in alkalinity (which is sometimes applied by carpet cleaners if a carpet is really dirty), or simply from mineral-rich tap water used to dab the material. If it doesn’t dry properly, you get the browning.

Solution:

When too much alkaline has caused browning, the answer is to spray the fabric with an acidic cleanser. The chemical reaction between the alkaline and the acid will remove the browning.

Problem:

Pink Discoloration. It may looked ruined when you see pink, but it’s probably fixable. Just like alkaline can turn things brown, acids can turn things pink.

Solution:

Spray the area with an alkaline spray and the pink should disappear. To be sure it was caused by acid, you can test the spot with ammonia. Spray it on, and if the spot disappears, but then comes back, it is an acid causing you to see pink. NOTE: Never use ammonia on a natural fiber and always test in an inconspicuous place.

If you are unsure about removing discolorations caused by acids or alkaline, contact us as soon as possible.

This is one of a series of articles written and published  on behalf of Stone and Tile PRO Partners.