General Formula is a water-based acidic spotting agent most effective on soiling which contains dyes. Fruit juice, medicines, berry stains and sauces are the most common form of soiling for the requirement of this agent.
Dye-Based Soiling
Fruit juice, medicines, berry stains and sauces are dye problems rather than soil problems — the colour has attached to the fibre. That is a different job from lifting a deposit off it, and it is why a general prespray does nothing.
Water-Based, but Flammable
General Formula is water-based, but Stelco's SDS shows it also contains solvents — n-butanol (under 15%), ethanol (under 10%), n-butyl acetate and 2-butoxyethanol — alongside lactic and acetic acid. The result is a flammable liquid (flash point 27 °C) with the signal word Warning: flammable liquid and vapour (H226), causes skin irritation (H315), causes serious eye irritation (H319) and may cause drowsiness or dizziness (H336). Keep it away from ignition sources, ventilate, and store it locked up.
A Textile Spotting Range
Stelco Chemicals International (Rowville, Victoria) supply this range for professional textile and dry-cleaning spotting, and their safety data sheets give that as the recommended use. Carpet and upholstery cleaners use the same chemistry on the spot, but a spotting board and a steam gun are not the same as a carpet in a client's home — rinse and extract thoroughly, and keep solvent out of the backing.
Specifications (from the Australian SDS)
| Supplier | Stelco Chemicals International Pty Ltd, Rowville VIC |
|---|---|
| SDS recommended use | Textile spotting agent |
| Signal word | Warning |
| pH (neat) | 3.1 |
| Flash point | 27 °C |
| Appearance | Clear, colourless liquid, fruity odour |
| Dangerous goods | UN 1993, Class 3 Flammable Liquid, Packing Group III |
| Pack size | 5 L |
| SDS version | 1.6, issued 2 August 2023 |
| CCW SKU | STCGEN05 |
Method Matters More Than the Product
Apply to a white towel rather than pouring onto the carpet where you can. Work from the outside of the spot inward so you do not spread it. Tamp or agitate gently rather than scrubbing — scrubbing distorts pile and leaves a permanent mark that is more visible than the original stain.
Rinse and extract afterwards. Spotter residue left in the pile attracts soil, and the spot comes back as a dark patch a fortnight later — which the customer reads as your work failing.
Before You Use It
Read the safety data sheet for this product and follow it. Solvent-based spotters in particular require ventilation and appropriate gloves — check the SDS for the glove material, because it is not always the same across products.
Always test on an inconspicuous area first. Fibre, dye and backing all react differently, and a spotter that is safe on nylon is not automatically safe on wool or on a solution-dyed synthetic.
For this product the SDS calls for local exhaust ventilation or an organic vapour respirator, with eye protection and gloves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why an acid spotter for dye stains?
Many food and drink dyes are acid dyes, and an acid spotter works with the chemistry of the stain rather than against it. Alkaline products can set some of these stains.
Can I use it on wool?
Acidic spotters are generally kinder to wool than alkaline ones, but test first — dyes vary.
Will it remove red wine or cordial completely?
Sometimes. Older dye stains may need a specialist red-dye treatment. Stop if you see the fibre colour moving.
Information Documents
DG Shipping Surcharge AppliesOther Stelco Spotters
- Stelco Adhesive & Lacquer Remover 5Ltr
- Stelco Blood Remover 5Ltr
- Stelco Instant Paint Remover 5Ltr
- Stelco Oily Type Paint Remover 5Ltr
- Stelco Safe Silk Spotter 5Ltr NVDS
- Stelco Tan Off 5Ltr
- Stelco Spotting Solutions
Not sure which spotter the stain calls for? Tell us what it is, what the fibre is and what has already been tried, and we will talk it through — the wrong first move on a spot is much harder to recover from than the spot itself.
