Product Manual

CHAPTER 10: THE INSIDE STORY The Scooter

™

ON COLOR CHANGES

2. COLOR CHANGES

When dyeing carpet, you need to keep in mind the colors you are working with. You always add

colors when dyeing. So you have to learn to think in terms of what is missing from the desired

color when you are working.

For example:

1. BEIGE, YELLOW OR GOLD TO BROWN

Brown’s dominant color is blue, with red the next. The dominant color in Beige is Yellow.

So you need to apply a color that is strong in Red and Blue, with very little visible Yellow

(adding only Purple would not result in a color that is dark enough). Our Dark Rust is just

such a color.

While having red and blue as dominant colors of about equal visible strength, it contains

enough Yellow to maintain the balance and keep it in the Brown end of the spectrum.

2. GREEN TO BROWN

Do not attempt to color change very dark green carpets, as the color is probably too

dominant. The dominant color in most shades of Green is Blue. The ingredient needed to

make Brown is Red. However, just adding the Red will not automatically turn the Green to

Brown, although it definitely helps. Our Rust dye is very strong in Red, and will do the job

in most cases. Depending on the darkness of the Green, and how well the carpet takes

dye, a second coat of dye may be necessary to keep any Green from bleeding back

through. If this is the case, you can simply re-apply the same mix, or a stronger mix.

DO NOT extract the first coat before applying the second, but work it in well with a Grandi-

Groom. If a darker shade is desired, you could use Dark Rust for the second coat, as it,

too, is strong in Red. If you want a shade that tends toward a Burnt-Orange, simply add

Orange or Red dye to either the Rust or the Dark Rust to desired strength.

The lighter the Green, the less Red is needed to achieve a Brown. On very light green, you

could simply start with Dark Rust dye.

If Rust or Dark Rust is not strong enough, use a strong blend of Red and Dark Brown. You

can mix these two colors together to make either a super-strong Chestnut or Dark Rust,

depending on the ratio of Red to Brown.

3. ORANGE TO BROWN

It is sometimes very difficult to achieve a true Brown from Orange, as Orange is so strong

in Red. How well it changes usually depends upon how well the carpet accepts the dye and

how strong the Red in the Orange is.