[Jason Hedges]

Did a job the other day where the carpet had been damaged by the sun coming through the window. I've seen fading many many times but darkening only once or twice. Had my camera in the van so took a few photos.

What causes darkening rather than fading or colour loss?

You can easily see where furniture was.



And another:

[The Great One]

Hi

It looks like wear & tear where they have been constantly walking around the bed, sun damage is usually a bleaching effect.

Regards

Martin

[Jason Hedges]

I would normally agree Martin. However this damage was at the opposite end of the room to the door. It was in a big lounge/diner (approx 30' x 15').

Not much foot traffic at that end of the room and definately not the normal door entry soiling. Also cleaning made no difference what so ever.

The rest of the carpet was reasonably clean, even the entrance doorway.

They said the sun came in through the window and saturated affected area around lunchtime / early afternoon so at hotest part of the day.

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

ive seen  this quite a few times as well and its not dirt

[The Great One]

Hi

Hmm, ok.

You can see the straight lines, so something has been there (tough with just pictures) It is in front of the window, but the stain is not the same length as the window.

The sun damage looks like that light rectangle underneath it?

Odd?

Regards

Martin

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

Hi

Hmm, ok.

You can see the straight lines, so something has been there (tough with just pictures) It is in front of the window, but the stain is not the same length as the window.

The sun damage looks like that light rectangle underneath it?

Odd?

Regards

Martin

very ture but if they have had a side board there , or a suite you will get the lines also what you need to take in acount is the movement of the sun causeing the stain to be funny shaped

[carpet guy]

The dark area is quite common and is dye transfer from the base of the suite, happens when furniture is static and the property has poor circulation. Caused by humidity and lac of regular cleaning.

rob

[Doug Holloway]

Hi Guys

It is definitely UV damage.

I have a customer with  the same carpet where this damage has occurred in a corridor with very little natural light and this damage has occurred by the windows, nowhere else.

The pigment colour has been altered by the UV.

Cheers

Doug

[carpet guy]

Which area are you actually talking about, if colour loss is caused by U V light, you don't get sharp lines as the sun moves through the day.
I thought you were referring to the marks where the furniture was standing.

[Ken Wainwright]

I'm working a commercial job in Essex at the moment (3x weekends).  Polypropylene cut pile similar to above. Traffic lane from fire escape now black. area under windows pristine. Damage fades further into office and around desks etc. Firescape used for fire drills twice a year, area barely trafficked but soiled consistently right upto ddor. Where furniture has stood looks like virgin carpet. Only realised it was UV damage after opening an office door. Same piece of carpet but undamaged beneath door and into office.  It was like day and night different.

I have to make a presentation next month about maintaining coloured textiles.  I'll be taking my camera with me tyhis weekend.

safe and happy cleaning
Ken

[Jason Hedges]

Hi Guys

It is definitely UV damage.

I have a customer with  the same carpet where this damage has occurred in a corridor with very little natural light and this damage has occurred by the windows, nowhere else.

The pigment colour has been altered by the UV.

Cheers

Doug

Cheers for the comments all,

Thats what I thought might be the problem.

I love this forum, learn something new every day!!

All the best,
Jason.

[John Kelly]

Lower quality wool carpets are made with darker wools. The lighter wools being reserved for clothing, finer carpets etc, as they can take lighter dyes more easily. Some of these wools are very dark brown sometimes nearly black. When they are dyed usually with brown, blue or green dyes, the dye can break down due to uv light allowing the original wool colour to show through.
Don't know if this one was wool or not.

[Jason Hedges]

Lower quality wool carpets are made with darker wools. The lighter wools being reserved for clothing, finer carpets etc, as they can take lighter dyes more easily. Some of these wools are very dark brown sometimes nearly black. When they are dyed usually with brown, blue or green dyes, the dye can break down due to uv light allowing the original wool colour to show through.
Don't know if this one was wool or not.

Thanks John that could well be the answer. To be honest I cant remember if it was wool or not (i cant remember what i did this morning let alone a week ago).

[Joe H]

Your in a bad way Jason - and one so young as well!

[*paul_moss]

Your in a bad way Jason - and one so young as well!

and ugly too

[Helen]

I've seen green carpet go brown and brown carpet go green through light damage. Explain that one?

[*paul_moss]

Helen its light causing the pigments to change as stated above, it can also happen with time.

[carpet guy]

Yep just ask Michael Jackson

[AJB]

Different plastics respond differently to uv light. Nylon will take on a brownish tinge
polyester becomes greenish, i used to make plastic pop bottles for a living, and this
was a problem when bagged bottles for our water plant were stored outside for collection.

[Mike Roper]

Polyprop carpets can change drastically in colour with uv light and quite quick to. Havnt you seen red ones go black , especially the cheap ribbed entrance matting.
Had to visit and report on a ' red wine stain ' for an insurance company, got there it was a holiday cottage , cheap polyprop loop ,red in colour , south facing window. Pulled rug back and the fading was significant but there was an area that looked like a stain between the rug and window as it was redder than the rest. No transfer to cloth , nothing visible on the felt back or underlay , no staining on the wool rug. But there was an artificial pot plant on the window sill casting a shadow that matched the 'stain'. Client adamant the stain appeared suddenly but I told her I would be reporting my opinion which was  uv light fading and not accidental damage.
Mike