I cleaned a house and didn't touch a customers 4 x 6 oriental.I actually rolled it out of the way. Anyhow, a week later, six inches of the fringe turned up white as if it was bleached. The fringe was antiqued, so it is a tan /light brown color. I can't think of how I could have caused this but I need to fix it. I was going to try to spray it with a solution of tea until the color matched. Any suggestions?

Contact either Ruth Travis with IICRC or Lisa Wagner with K. Blanchard Oriental Rug Cleaning. Ruth writes articles for ICS Mag and Lisa writes 'em for Cleanfax. Both are top notch rug specialists. Unless you have experience with that (and you may), but aren't sure about how to do it, I would start with one or both of these ladies.

How do you know for sure that you did something to cause this? Did you see anything before you rolled up the rug? If you rolled it up as you say you did,do you think that there is a chance that you may have hit it with prespray?If you know you did nothing wrong,then you explain to your customer your exact process and that there must be a logical explanation.In your post you mentioned that a week later that the fringe looks bleached.Whos' to say that your customer didn't try botch a DIY attempt to "brighten" her "dirty looking" fringe and now she is trying to get a free rug or fix.If...I sat if she accidently layed the rug down back onto the carpet before it was dry.then I would ask;How come only six inches of the fringe was affected?-What did you use on her carpet?If you accidently presprayed it,I'd ask the same questions.How expensive is the rug?Is it a big box store rug or a real antique,collectable?Don't know?Then I'd say don't pay until you know for sure if you're responsible at all,especially when it comes to my money!I honestly think that an apprasial might be in order.Keep us posted.
Patrick

if as you say you didn't touch it, then how is it your fault? unless SHE layed it out on damp carpet and SOMEHOW it whitened it....dont see how with Encap. what did you use?

thanx --- Derek.

I guess I didn't explain my situation perfectly. I'm not totally in the hot seat. Although I was in the house alone cleaning carpets and several days later the fringe bleaches out. I explained to her nothing I used on the other carpets would have turned the fringe white even if I had spilled it. It's a GOOD$$ repeat customer and I told her I'd try to fix it and politely mad it clear I did. think I did it. I used HWE with Bridgepoint products, nothing over a ph of 9 went in the house. It could have been a botched attempt to clean it by her housekeer or nanny. At first I think she blamed me but when I went to look at it I explained all this. She just bought the rug for 1300 although I won't be financially liable, I just don't want any mistrust in the back of her mind. I pull a lot of money out of her neighborhood.

while some here do HWE, more do it on the ICS forum....check with those fellas :

http://www.i-boards.com/ics/

thanx --- Derek.

Call Nathan Koets from the ICS board he should be able to help you out.

Kevin Pearson