Discoloured Carpet: 7 Potential Causes

If the colour of your carpet doesn't look right, there are a number of things that could be causing it. While it's sometimes not obvious, figuring out the source of your carpet discolouration can help you to solve it. The list below will help you learn why your carpet is discoloured.

1. Dirt

The most common cause of a discoloured carpet is dirt, grime and dust. It can build up over time and completely change the appearance of your carpet. Luckily, you can prevent this by regularly vacuuming and cleaning your carpet.

2. Stains

From coffee to nail polish, all sorts of things can stain your carpet. Spillages happen all too easily and aren't always discovered quickly. This can cause your carpet to change colour – and can be difficult to reverse without damaging your carpet further.

It’s best get in a professional cleaner to remove these stains, because you can easily spread a small stain into a much larger one. Nail polish removal will almost certainly damage the carpet and may even affect the glue, so tufts will start to dislodge from the backing

3. Sunlight

While natural light is a welcome lift to the environment of any home, it's not good for your carpet. Over time, sunlight can cause the dyes in your carpet to fade. If you move furniture and the carpet appears a different colour, this might be because it has been protected from direct sunlight, and the rest of the carpet has faded. If this bothers you, you can close blinds and curtains during the day to protect your carpet from UV rays.

4. Wear and tear

As your carpet ages, the colour will fade. This is especially true of carpets in high-traffic areas. Not only can this cause the dye to fade, but it can compress the fibres of your carpet together and make the colour look different.

5. Moisture

When your carpet gets wet, it doesn't dry easily. If moisture seems into the deep fibres of your carpet, it stays there. It rises when it gets warm, making the top layer change colour. This can also lead to mould, which causes even more discolouration. You can prevent this by soaking up as much liquid from spillages as you can, and only letting professionals deep clean your carpet.

6. Animals

Pets can bring all sorts of dirt in on their paws, but they also produce their own messes. Animal droppings may contain ammonia – the alkaline nature of which can lead to discoloured carpet. If you're unlucky enough to have an infestation, this is also likely to cause a mess on your carpet.

7. Cleaning chemicals

Using the wrong substances to clean your carpet, or using the right substances in the wrong way, can cause damage to your carpet. Be careful when cleaning your carpet, and never use strong chemicals like bleach. If you're unsure whether you're making the best choices for your carpet, your best bet is to hire an expert.

Hire a professional carpet cleaner

For a clean carpet without discolouration, get your carpet professionally cleaned. Every National Carpet Cleaning Association (NCCA) cleaner is insured and accredited to cleanse your carpet with the best results. Our database of carpet cleaners is easily searchable to find carpet cleaners in your area. Search our carpet cleaner directory to solve your discoloured carpet woes.