How to Remove Dandruff Shampoo from Carpet

WARNING: Many dandruff shampoos contain sulfur compounds which may turn the fibers permanently brown, which cannot be reversed.

What ingredients are in dandruff shampoos? As an example, Head and Shoulders^® by PROCTER & GAMBLE contains:

• Active ingredient: Pyrithione zinc 1%
• Inactive ingredients: Water, sodium lauryl sulfate (very foamy), sodium laureth sulfate (very foamy), glycol distearate, zinc carbonate, sodium chloride, sodium xylenesulfonate, cocamidopropyl betaine (very foamy), fragrance, dimethicone, sodium benzoate, guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, magnesium carbonate hydroxide, methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone, blue 1 (dye), red 33 (dye).

Directions to remove:

1. If the shampoo has dried in the carpet, it will be thick and sticky. Blot with rubbing alcohol to thin it out and make it easier to remove and to dissolve it.
2. Scrape up as much as possible.
3. Because all hair shampoos are designed to be very foamy and the foam to be stable, sprinkle Crystal Defoamer on the spill area to help kill any foam and make it possible to extract out the spilled shampoo from the carpet or rug.
4. Thoroughly extract. You may need to add AFC™ Anti-Foam Concentrate Defoamer to the recovery tank via the vacuum tube too.
5. If the shampoo spill is extremely heavy, use the Water Claw^® Sub-Surface Spot Lifter to more thoroughly flush out the laundry detergent.
6. Get as dry as possible with dry white, absorbent towels.
7. To prevent wicking, heavily sprinkle Stain Blotter Anti-Wicking Absorbent Powder on area to absorb any material that wicks up.
8. The customer can vacuum up the Stain Blotter the next day.