I'd try something like oxyclean --- which if left on long enough will bleach out color. When it dries you can just vacuum up the powder. You may need to re-wet the powder a few times to get enough of the color out and even bleaching may be difficult to achieve as well, but it eliminates the rinsing problem.

"Do Not Try This At Home"!!!

Whoa!!! I also fell in love with these carpets when I saw them on AT a few weeks ago. I currently have 2 old Persian rugs. One is too good to alter, but I was willing to attempt the techinique on the other, smaller rug (5'-7" x 7'-0"). I did some major research about dyes and neutralizers online, and wound up emailing a company that produces all the necessary products.

I received some very helpful emails back, about which products to use and instructions, but ultimately, I came to realize that the project was far, FAR too overwhelming to be tried at home!

Here is the email text & the links:

Hi, Sheila!

I looked at the rugs you are inquiring about. I am not sure what the neutralizing process is that they are using. We do have a process to remove the color with a product called Thiox and then you can over dye the rug. However, Thiox does not necessarily remove the color easily. It also needs to be used in a well ventialted area and you need to wear a dual cartridge respirator.

You can order Thiox here - http://www.prochemicalanddye.com/store/product.php?productid=16197&cat=249&page=2

Here are the directions - http://www.prochemical.com/directions/Discharge%20PDF/Thiox.pdf

To overdye, you will need to use the WashFast Acid Dyes - http://www.prochemicalanddye.com/store/home.php?cat=395

Here are the directions - http://www.prochemical.com/directions/Acid%20Dyes%20PDF/WF%20-%20Dyeing%20carpets.pdf

There are limitations to this whole process. The Thiox needs to be done in a hot bath. You would need a stainless steel pot big enough for the carpet and the appropriate amount of water. You will need to rent a carpet steamer to set the dye when overdyeing.

I replied:

Hi Vicki!

Thanks for your super-speedy response! I was looking at the Thiox on your website and thinking that's what I'd need! My rug is probably 75% reds/tan/beige and 25% navy in colour. I would expect that the navy would be the hardest to remove, but that would probably be best for my intended (read...hoped for! lol) outcome! I was thinking of doing this outside, but from what you've told me, it seems like a bathtub might be best. If I could ensure good ventilation and enough depth to cover a loosely rolled carpet, in youropinion...could that work?
The re-dying is a bit of an issue if super hot water is required...

Any further advice would be most appreciated!
She reponded:

Hi, Sheila!

The Thiox has to be applied in a bath at least 140F. A bath tub will not maintain the temperature for you to make the process work efficiently. Just keep this in mind.

Your project is an ambitious and challenging one, due to both processes. As much as I would like to sell you the products needed, I think you need to make sure that you can accommodate the conditions needed for both using the Thiox and dyeing with the WashFast Dyes.

SO! Needless to say...I wasn't going THERE!!!

I did contact several local rug dyers (Toronto), but NONE have returned my calls or emails. Pfffssstt.

Good LUCK if you try it another way...and please post results!!!

Sheila

I thought they also sheared off the remaining pile. I'm not sure on this but I thought the rugs were so old and worn down they had little value so they removed most of the pile, then bleached and dyed them. Not sure it makes a difference but it might explain the saturation of the color.

bb99,

I'm sure the rugs at ABC are worth more dyed than in their original state, (most are priced over $3000), but I I doubt they sheared any pile first. It would just be the normal wear for an old (but not collectable) rug.

The one I spoke of in my earlier post has very little nap left as it is wool, not silk, and has been in use in high traffic areas for 100 years.

This is just a bad idea.

If the fiber is wool, you MIGHT be able to take the rug outside and use a spray bottle with chlorine bleach to coat it. If the color fades, then you should rinse off the bleach maybe with a garden hose, ideally over a clothes line or something similar so the water drains off and air can circulate. (You might do this on a blue plastic tarp...) Then you should probably let the rug dry completely although some dyes are best on damp fiber, so it might depend on the instructions with the dye.

(Overdying without bleaching will merely add the new color on top of the old one, so pink over red will result in a slightly more pinkish red... paint might cover but would stick the fibers together.)

Chlorine bleach does weaken fibers, though, so bear that in mind.

Synthetic fibers in rugs might not bleach at all (or, for that matter, dye) so if you don't think the rug is wool, you might want to try a tiny test patch.

I have never tried any of this, but I do have some background in fibers, so I think it might work! Further research might prove me wrong, though -- go with experience if you can find it.

If you have a natural fibers, bleach will remove color. I think SherryBinNH has it right. Outside, with a spray bottle. I'd do it that way.

I read (somewhere) that ABC used a lemon juice/heat process to strip the color out of the rugs. They would have to be natural fiber carpets and naturally dyed, but I would imagine it's not that tough on a hot day (or with a serious hairdryer/space heater)

I would call Dharma Trading (dharmatrading.com) and ask them. They carry all sorts of products for fiber and textile arts, particularly those that are used in dying. They're also very nice.

Yikes! Do not try this at home!

Although the rugs do look lovely, I would leave this technique to the professionals.

One of the misconceptions of Rit and other 'home' dyes is that they are safe. They are not safe. Dye particles that are virtually invisible to the untrained eye are released as soon as your open/pierce the Rit dye container (if using powder form). If you are mixing from powder form, it should be done in a dye box to prevent dye particles from escaping.

If using liquid form, remember that once the dye solution dries, for example on a kitchen counter, it becomes a powder again, that can be inhaled, consumed, etc.

This is why folks who dye professionally (textile workers or artists, folks in the movie industry) wear proper masks that prevent inhalation of dye particles (ie. dual cartridge mask referred to above). Their work spaces are usually stainless steel (much like a professional kitchen) so that every last bit of dye can be wiped up during and after dyeing. Industrial gloves are also required so that you don't come in contact with the dye through the skin on your hands. All utensils used in the dye process (measuring cups, spoons/stir sticks, etc) cannot again be used for food/ food preparation.

In addition to the safety hazard posed by dye particles, ensuring a hot enough dye bath, proper ventilation and an even dye job are pretty unlikely if this is attempted at home in a tub. Even experienced dyers find that the larger a dye job, the more challenging it becomes.

Also keep in mind that all of the dye that rinses out has to go somewhere. That somewhere is our water - scary!

I give this plan (and the original project on AT Boston) a big thumbs down in terms of safety and biting off more than one can chew.

Seriously, NOT a good DIY project.

Oooooh, good idea deleriumsama! Dharmatrading has products that can do just about anything.

Honestly, I'd give it a go if I had a rug to experiment on. I liked the original post, but wouldn't have paid that much for a ratty overdyed rug. DIY is the way to go.

I looked at dharmatrading, but found that they didn't supply enough info about the materials needed for a project of this scale (for me, anyway). They are probably great for "crafty-type" projects, but stripping and redying a rug is hardly that.

Check out http://www.prochemicalanddye.com/store/home.php , they still have supplies for home projects, but their range of products (and instruction sheets) seems far more suited to the scope of this undertaking.

I totally agree with FlorenceAnn, but if you are determined to try the AT Boston technique, be forewarned...your result will not be similar to the ABC rugs. Boston started with an off-white rug. If you bleach yours, and fail to get it all rinsed out, your carpet will rapidly disintegrate. Once you've applied the dye, you'll need to get all THAT out as well...then set the colour.

I hate to be a downer, but please think it through before you attempt on a Persian rug!

Again, Good Luck

I tried to dye just a cotton runner once and couldn't end up using it because every time I walked on the rug the color would rub off on my socks. And this was after washing and drying it several times (which you couldn't do with a persian rug.) I'm afraid it might be very difficult to get the dye to set completely. Just a thought.

It's a HUGE job even with suitable facilities and equipment (and EXPERIENCE). The scope of the work easily explains the prices of the rugs at ABC carpet! LOL!

found a great blog on handmade rug http://blog.amararugs.com they have a new post on these over dyed vintage carpets http://blog.amararugs.com/bloghome/bid/53336/over-dyed-area-rugs , thought should share !

Perhaps you should try a "Rug Doctor" type machine with a bleach solution. This way you can apply the solution & rinse in one tool. You could lay the rug in a garage (clean floor first) and have at it!

I did a diy version of this for my living room. It was definitely work, but not as difficult as I thought it would be. Check out my blog for full instructions:
http://akindoflove.blogspot.com/2011/05/over-dye-diy.html

In case anyone is still going to try this, do NOT use Oxyclean on wool/wool blend or silk/silk blends. I just tried it on a small wool from the thrift shop and am kicking myself for not reading the box first-- the colors are fading beautifully, but the fibers have a chemical burn (they feel slimy and are falling out. On the plus side, I only paid $5 for the rug and can always turn it over & pretend it's a needlepoint.

As someone who does this professionally, I would like to share how this is done.

Step 1) Go to Wal-Mart and buy the biggest plastic storage bin you can find.

Step 2) Buy a bucket heater - Jon-Don chemical supply has them

Step 3) Buy Thiox and Soda Ash from Pro Chemical and Dye online

Step 4) Buy a respirator from Home Depot ($40.00)

Step 5) Fill plastic container with water from your hot water heater until it covers the heat shield on the bucket heater - plug in bucket heater and let sit with lid on container until temp reaches 130-140 degrees

Step 6) Add Thiox and Soda Ash to water solution and place rug in container - folding rug is perfectly fine

Step 7) Let rug and solution work for about 30 minutes and then add more thiox and more soda ash per instructions

Step 8) Allow to heat for another 30 minutes - pull rug - rinse and clean with any gentle fabric cleaner, such as laundry detergent

The above steps reduce the color

Step 9) do same process to overdye rug, but instead of Thiox and Soda Ash, use dye of choice and citric acid crystals

Step 10) Heat rug and solution for one hour, then pull out bucket heaters and allow rug to sit in closed container and cool on its own for 3 hours - rinse and enjoy!

DO NOT BLEACH WOOL RUGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wool dissolves in bleach and the rug will not accept the dye nearly as well as if you do the color reduction in Thiox and Soda ash

Thank you @LONDONV, for these instructions, and especially the tip about Pro Chemical and Dye-- what a great resource! Once my little rug dried it stopped molting and still has most of it's pile, so I'm giving it another try.

So I did it!

I followed a combination of the Pro Chem and Londonv instructions. Here are my comments-

1. Londonv, thanks for the bucket heater tip. 2 worked very nicely.
2. Dye set really nicely, even though temp was well under boil (170)
3. Thiox didn't remove as much dye as I hoped it would. I did 4 reductions using greater amounts of Thiox at 185 degrees. It worked, just not as well as hoped. I may have been the particular dye used in my test rug.
4. This job is not nearly as difficult as some make it out to be, just make sure you have the bucket heaters.

Anyone know how to distress a rug, specifically pile reduction.

I'm working on test two now, I'll post pics of the results soon.

1) Does anyone know how to dispose of the big bucket of dye water? I mean, you can't just pour that stuff in the yard, right? 2) When you pull the rug out of the dye bath, it must weight a ton and be dripping with dye. Do you use a huge tarp to put it on, or what? Thanks.

Also, fwiw, I had a sick cat that, let's just say, ruined an oriental rug of mine. I dragged it in the yard and power washed it -- used Dawn first, then Resolve Spray & Wash. Rinsed it good, then laid it out to dry. It took DAYS to dry, and on the last day, when I was going to bring it in, it rained, of course. So, it was outside for a week and a half. The sun bleached it from a multi, mostly red rug to a neutral (no sign of red). I was shocked. Now I'm going to overdye that puppy.

Please do not try this process and leave this job to us who are professionals. We dye 600 to 3000 sq/feet rugs a day and you must know about dye of your rug also the wool quality.
We are based in NYC and you are welcome to contact us for free consultation.
orientalisthome@gmail.com