How to Dye Carpet

Co-authored by Andrew Rohr

Last Updated: September 3, 2021 Approved

Carpet inside of a home or vehicle often becomes stained and discolored long before it is worn out. Even with regular vacuuming and cleaning, your carpet may look old before its time. If your carpet is made of wool or nylon, dyeing the carpet can be an effective way to make it look new again, extend its life, or change it to fit a new home décor. Do not dye your carpet if it is made from acrylic, polypropylene or polyester – the fiber won’t absorb the dye properly. There are professionals available to help you should you decide to dye your carpet. Do-it-yourself carpet dyeing is very risky and results are marginal, but it is possible.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Prepping the Carpet

1
Consider the cost and effort. A good idea might be to show the carpet by a professional first just to see how much it might cost. Use the figures quoted to you by a professional as the numbers to keep in mind while you judge the cost of doing the job yourself. If it isn’t much more expensive and you aren’t totally confident in your ability to do it yourself, it might be worth it to hire the professional. It is also very difficult.
- You can dye a carpet on your own, but it's typically something that's best done by a skilled professional.^{[1]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Andrew Rohr
  Carpet Cleaning Specialist
  Expert Interview. 15 April 2021.}
2
Choose the right carpet dye for your carpet. Only dye your carpet if you are sure it is wool or nylon. Read the dye packaging carefully to make sure it is safe for use on these materials. Some local fabric, carpet and home supply stores, as well as a variety of online retailers, sell carpet dye in an assortment of standard colors. Some online sites offer a large variety of common colors, in addition to an array of unique carpet colors.
- In general, home carpet dying is more effective when you choose a color that is darker than the original color of the carpet. ^{[2]
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  Research source} If the carpet is heavily stained with dark colored stains, a color darker than the stain produces best results. You cannot dye a carpet to a lighter color.
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3
Find a retailer that sells custom carpet dyes if you are trying to dye your carpet to the original color, or to match walls, drapery or other décor. Some companies offer coloring matching. You can bring or mail in a small piece of the carpet left and they will mix a customized carpet dye for you. Be wary, as this might be more expensive. Paint swatches from paint stores, curtain tiebacks, and other color samples can also be effectively color matched. ^{[3]
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Research source}
4
Remove all furniture from the room. This is definitely necessary if you are dying a wall-to-wall carpet and you’re going to need to do a deep cleaning regardless so you might as well get the furniture out of the way.
5
Purchase or rent a carpet steam cleaning machine. Both Walmart and Home Depot rent steam cleaners, so you can go to one of these stores or a local shop and just rent the cleaner for the day. You shouldn’t need it for longer than that. Rug Doctor also offers renting services.
6
Clean your carpet thoroughly. Be sure you are following the direction on your specific carpet steam machine. They can be dangerous and you want to make sure that it is doing a good job cleaning too. Make sure that you go over every spot on the carpet at least twice. A ‘lawn-mowing’ approach is a good idea – go up the width of the carpet and then continue as you cover all the dirty areas.
7
Allow the carpet and pad to dry thoroughly before dying. If the carpet is wet when you try to dye it the process will be much more difficult. Use paper towels or sponges to pad it dry. It doesn’t need to be 100 % dry, but it can’t be wet either. A little damp is okay. ^{[4]
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Research source}

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Dyeing the Carpet

1
Follow the instructions on the dye package to prepare the dye. It’s different for every dye, so it’s hard to be specific here but most carpet dyes require you to mix them with hot water and a chemical. Mix the dye according to manufacturer's suggestions.
2
Wear the correct clothing. You won't want to wear your nice khakis or your favorite dress. The odds are pretty high that you will get some of the dye on your clothing. You'll also want to wear protective eyewear, and maybe gloves.
3
Test the dye on your carpet in an inconspicuous area before beginning the job. The corner might be a good spot for this, or some part of the carpet that normally rests under the table. Test it and give it a few hours to dry, because the immediate color might not be the same color once it is no longer wet. The manufacturer should have a listed drying time. If you’re happy with the result, you can continue dying your carpet. Proceed with your decision to dye your carpet only if there are no adverse effects to the look or feel of the carpet and you are happy with the color.
- You could also practice on a spare piece of carpet. Just follow the instructions in the dyeing kit.^{[5]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Andrew Rohr
  Carpet Cleaning Specialist
  Expert Interview. 15 April 2021.}
4
Apply the dye to the carpet. Start the dye application in the furthest corner of the room and continue working your way towards your exit door so you do not have to step on the wet dye. Many manufacturers want you to spray the dye onto the carpet. This is easy enough, all you'll have to do is take an empty sprayer that you have lying around and pour the dye into it. Be careful not to spill the dye - pouring it into a cup first and then into the sprayer might work better. An empty Windex sprayer or something of that nature will work. ^{[6]
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Research source}^{[7]
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Research source} Scrub the dye into the fibers of the carpet after spraying it on. Use a stiff bristled brush and work in a circular motion. Take your time to ensure that all carpet fibers are evenly covered when you look at them from all angles. If you scrub carpet - the fibers will untwist. Raking with a carpet rake in a single direction is the only way to agitate dyes and not harm the fibers.
5
Let it dry. Keep children and animals out of the room and give your carpet ample time to dry. The dye manufacturer should have an estimated drying time, and it’s always safe to wait a little longer after that. Hopefully your carpet will look great!

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Hiring a Professional to Dye Your Carpet

1
Hire a local carpet cleaning company to die your Carpet. Many local carpet-cleaning companies offer dying services at reasonable prices. Invite some of them to your home so they can see the job, provide options and offer quotes.
- Only contact companies that offer only carpet dyeing services. Hiring a carpet cleaner who has no carpet dying expertise could result in the carpet being poorly done. Make sure that whoever you are hiring is a professional and that they have dyed carpets before.^{[8]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Andrew Rohr
  Carpet Cleaning Specialist
  Expert Interview. 15 April 2021.}
2
Get a warranty that covers the results. Even if even if you hire professionals, you don’t want to be on the hook for an expensive carpet that has been ruined by a sloppy job. Especially if you paid them to do it! Be sure to read their contract before you hire them. That way you have covered your back.
3
Set up a dying time and a date either over the phone or in person. Make sure that you won't need to use the room that the carpet is in during that time. The professionals will take care of the rest.

Expert Q&A

Question

What is the best carpet dye?

Andrew Rohr
Carpet Cleaning Specialist
Andrew Rohr is a Carpet Cleaning Specialist and the President of MSS Cleaning out of Denver, Colorado. With over five years of cleaning experience, he specializes in carpet cleaning, stretching, and repairs as well as upholstery cleaning, water damage restoration, and tile and grout cleaning. Andrew holds a BA in Psychology and Business Administration from The University of New Hampshire and an MBA in Corporate Finance from The University of Denver.

Andrew Rohr

Carpet Cleaning Specialist

Expert Answer

Professional dyeing kits are the best option. Don't use anything like diluted bleach or other DIY dyeing solutions—the results likely won't leave you very happy.
Question

The border of my polypropylene carpet is too light. Is there anything I can do to make it a darker beige?

Community Answer

Polypropylene (Olefin) and polyester carpets cannot be dyed. Nylon, wool and silk carpets can be dyed.
Question

Can regular clothing dye be used on an area rug?

Community Answer

Depends on the material of the rug. Read the directions on the dye package and see if it matches the rug. Cotton is probably the most reliable, and what I have the most experience with. The weight of the rug will also be a factor, heavy rugs won't hold the dye as well. Be sure you have a big enough tub to do this in.