Folex Instant Carpet Spot Remover Review

Folex Carpet CleanerRemoving spots and stains is an age-old problem, mainly because depending on where they’re found, they can be an embarrassing eyesore. Over the years, numerous house cleaning products have been developed, all claiming to safely and efficiently solve the problem. Have any of these products worked?

Well, most have been successful in removing some spots but didn’t do as well when it came to stains. Others have successfully removed stains but customers had to deal with residual particles left over after cleaning. Still other products cleaned the spots and stains but they contained chemicals that later proved harmful to the users or their family members.

Enter a different kind of carpet cleaner: Folex Instant Carpet Spot Remover, which can be interchangeably called Folex carpet cleaner as well. This product has been on the market for approximately 40 years claiming to be the perfect spot and stain remover.


In fact, Folex Stain Remover confidently states that after using their product, users will find that they’ll no longer have a need for any other cleaning product. Also, Folex states their product will do a superb job of removing spots and stains from carpets and other things without causing damage to anything on which it’s used. And this product can be used safely in places like the home and in cars with no harmful after effects on family members or pets.

Pets & CarpetsApparently, Folex Carpet Spot Remover has become important to many pet owners as they boast about how well it comes in handy when cleaning up pet accidents and messes. And because it’s non-toxic, non-inflammable and odor free, this adds to making it an easy choice for consumers.

Although this product’s initial focus is on carpets, it is stated it can also be used on upholstery, clothing, a variety of rug types, and many other items. The Folex formula claims to quickly loosen spots, stains and dirt so all of it can be easily removed. While there are many cleaners on the market that claim to clean specific types of singular spots and stains (i.e., oil or grass or tar, etc.), Folex Carpet Cleaner claims to clean ALL types of spots and stains. So if this is indeed the case, it seems reasonable to ask why should a person waste time, energy and money searching for and buying a multitude of cleaning products when one product suffices for cleaning most, if not all of the dirt and grime consumers face on a daily basis?

Ingredients

Folex describes its chemical ingredients listing as being a “Water Based Non-Ionic Surfactant”. The term “water based” means the solution includes water. Because of this, Folex advises that when it comes to carpets, this carpet cleaner should NOT be used on anything that can be damaged by water. If a person is unsure about whether or not to use Folex Carpet Stain Remover, they should always test a small hidden area first.

Carpet CleaningA “surfactant” appears to be a word adopted by the Folex company (unless it’s a common word/term used in the cleaning industry – couldn’t find it in the dictionary) and it’s described as being an emulsifying (blending) agent that breaks up and surrounds the stain. The stain or spot is then easily removed by blotting with a paper towel or dry cloth.

Non-Ionic means the solution doesn’t attract or repel dust and dirt so the soiled area will return to uniformity with the surrounding area and no other stain or spot will return in that area.

A further description of the Folex carpet cleaning solution is that it’s non-flammable (contains no solvents), non-toxic (doesn’t irritate normal skin, doesn’t break down into perilous byproducts and requires no ventilation), odor-free, CFC and petroleum free. This unique formula is supposed to be safe for all kinds of materials; however, Folex also advises that consumers check to make sure that whatever they’re about to clean is color fast or color stable (colors do not run or fade).

Types Of Stain/Spots On Which Folex Can Be Used

Following is a short list of the types of spots/stains, Folex carpet cleaner has been noted to remove:

  • Coffee on the carpetcoffee;
  • tea;
  • makeup;
  • grass;
  • rust;
  • household grease;
  • blood;
  • sauces, juices, wine;
  • pet accidents;

What Else Can Folex Carpet Cleaner Be Used On

As stated earlier, Folex claims not to be just for carpets only but also good for hard surfaces and the following: clothing, draperies, car interiors, walls, woodwork, floors and still more. It appears the claim is their product can work on cleaning just about anything as long as it’s 1) color fast and/or color stable, and 2) it won’t be damaged by water.

How To Use Folex Carpet Cleaner

Below are four types of cleaning jobs explaining how each should be handled.

Cleaning carpet

How much Folex carpet cleaner is sprayed depends on how heavy or deep the stain is so know that you can be generous with the amount sprayed but not to the point of over saturation.

So as not to damage the carpet fibers, do not scrub the area or use a brush. Instead, use something smooth, like the back handle of a spoon or your finger, to gently move the solution around in the carpet fibers.

As the stain is released from the carpet fibers (this would be the “surfactant” going to work and it will become noticeable within a few minutes), it can then be blotted out using an absorbent paper towel or clean cloth. A single application should be sufficient but for heavier stains and spots, simply repeat the process.

Upholstery

Since upholstery usually covers furniture, and some may even be attached to the furniture, care must be taken by applying only enough of the solution to dampen the stained or spotted area. Over saturating the area will cause the stain or spot to seep down into the furniture itself. If the upholstery can be removed from the furniture, do so and place it on a flat, clean surface. Underneath the area to be cleaned, place a clean towel or group of paper towels. Apply Folex Upholstery Cleaner and properly mix in with a finger or other smooth-edged item. Proceed with using a clean cloth or paper towel to completely clean the area.

Clothing

Begin by placing the article of clothing on a piece of clean material (a towel will do) and putting it on top of a flat, clean surface. Apply Folex as explained above and repeat the process if necessary.

Machine washing

When cleaning by putting in a washing machine, mix 1 part Folex to 4 – 6 equal parts WARM water. As a guide, the water should be as soft as possible for the best results. Also, NEVER use HOT water because it can contribute to setting the spot/stain even deeper into the material. If the spot/stain is heavy, pre-treat it with Folex prior to putting it into the machine by applying it and gently smoothing it into the material.

Pros And Cons

We live in an imperfect world so there are always pros and cons to everything; so it is with Folex carpet cleaner. The following begins the list.

Pros

  1. A multi-purpose cleaner that claims to clean all types of dirt, spots and stains on practically any materials.
  2. Its ingredients contain no harmful chemicals or solvents so it can be safely used around family and pets.
  3. It’s odor free.
  4. Many spots/stains can be removed with just one application.
  5. It leaves no sticky or soapy residue so vacuuming or rinsing is never needed after the area is cleaned.
  6. The stain resistant chemicals applied to carpets during the manufacturing process is never affected or washed away when using Folex carpet cleaner.
  7. Works quickly and efficiently on small areas – heavier stains may require a second application.
  8. If customer is dissatisfied in any way, Folex offers a 100% money back guarantee!

Cons

  1. Since Folex carpet cleaner can only be used on carpets and other materials that proclaim to be color fast and color stable, an extra step of testing should be included is the user isn’t sure if this is the case with the item they’re about to clean.
  2. It MUST NOT be used on any product that is subject to water damage.
  3. If the carpet or material has been dyed or bleached by the contents of the particular stain or spot (i.e., hair dye, wine, etc.), Folex carpet cleaner can remove the spot or stain, but it won’t change the color back to the original color. In cases such as this, it’s suggested that whenever possible, attend to these areas as quickly as possible after the spill occurs.
  4. While Folex has stated that the user’s finger can be used to mix the solution into the spot or stain, it has been suggested by some (who have used their fingers to do this) that the hands should be protected when using this product. As it was further explained, this isn’t suggested because the user experienced some harmful chemical reaction after using. Instead, the user praises this Folex product but said that the natural oils of the skin were removed, leaving the user with somewhat raw fingertips after using the solution over a lengthy period of time (the fingertips eventually returned to normal).

Recommendation

When researching customer reviews, approximately 90% were more than satisfied with Folex Instant Carpet Spot Remover. In fact, to be totally honest, these customers raved about this product giving it sterling reviews resulting in testimonies such as there is no other cleaner out there that even compares to Folex carpet cleaner. Apparently, they’ve used the product on all kinds of stains on all types of materials and it magically removed the stains and the stains never returned. In other words, they are sworn Folex Instant Carpet Spot Remover users for life (provided the Folex formula remains the same)!

Folex stain removerHowever, in all fairness, the other 10% of the equation claimed that the product was useless and worthless. It did nothing for removing their spots or stains and it was even reported that some of the stains disappeared at first but returned hours later.

For some, it cleaned maybe 50% of the stain, and some reported they were unable to clean the stain or spot no matter what they did.

There were also problems with delivered good: lots of leaking leaving a mess to clean up and a lot less of the product in the container, and some received empty bottles with no Folex carpet cleaner inside at all.

So here we have a case where customers rate this product between excellent and completely useless with no in-betweens. Barring visiting each of the homes that used this product and found it worthless to see how they used the product, there’s no way to tell the exact reason why Folex carpet cleaner worked so well for such a large population of people, and so badly for the few.

However, since the majority of the ratings gave exceptional and incomparable assessments, I think it’s safe to say that if nothing else, it’s at least worth a try to use Folex Instant Carpet Spot Remover, especially if there’s been no success using any of the other household cleaning solutions.

Where to Buy

Folex carpet cleaner can be found in many of the home improvement stores (i.e., Home Depot, Lowes, etc.), and it also can be purchased online at these stores, as well as at Amazon.com.
Actual costs of each individual purchase depends on where it’s being purchased and what sizes are purchased.

Folex Carpet Spot Remover, 32 oz
View Folex (32oz, Pack of 2) on Amazon:

  • Check the Price
  • Read Folex Customer Reviews
  • Commonly asked Questions and Answers

16 thoughts on “Folex Instant Carpet Spot Remover Review”

  1. my guess is they used too much of something else prior to using folex… i understand that is common reaction to using too many different products for one problem.

  2. I used this product and the stain remains. It’s not lighter nor darker. After two days tried the product again and still the stain remains just as it was before using this product.

    I will not waste the money on this product even I was asked to use it again.

  3. I am 60 and think I have tried most types of cleaners. My opinion, FOLEX is one of the best I have used if not the best – of course subjective on my part. All stains are not the same and require different solvents. That said, FOLEX has worked very well on most home problems.

  4. 100 % satisfied. Amazed at the results! Just used Folex Carpet Stain Remover to clean large, black mascara stain on a light tan wall to wall carpet – this was not an “oops, I dropped my mascara stain – this was a toddler having fun with mom’s makeup covering about 8 sq feet of carpet.) Less than an hour spent spraying, gently working solution into about 30 penny to quarter sized black smears, then blotting each stain (changed blotting cloths a couple of times because the mascara literally was being transferred to the cloths from the carpet) .

  5. I have used and recommended this product for years. I have found if I catch the stain right away, it is immediately removed with an application of Folex. BUT it also has worked for me on older stains. I like that it doesn’t smell. I used it on pet stains and it worked well on them. (I also used a deodorizer on the pet stains to help remove any remaining smell.) This product has been around for 40 years for a reason. . . I can normally find it in the Fred Meyer I shop at, but it is always on the bottom shelf. So if you go looking for it, be sure to check there.

  6. I purchased a 15 year old 5th wheel that hadn’t been taken very good care of or let’s say, “the carpeting was nearly ruined with the filth”. Tried all different methods and kinds of cleaning solutions to get out the dirt and after many months of cleaning I honestly think that I finally got out the worst of the dirt but with all of the different cleaning products I tried there seemed to be a discoloration of browns and yellows in the carpet after it dried and it also didn’t feel clean. After some investigation on the internet I saw this Folex stuff and gave it a shot to see what it would do. IT WORKED beautifully in my Hoover steam cleaner and not only is the carpeting clean but the original color is now back with no discoloration and it also feels soft to the touch. Thank you Folex for saving my RV’s carpet and also my sanity!

  7. Is Folex appropriate for whole room (carpet) shampooing. I would rent shampooer. Rain water came in under brick wall, it seems, a distance of3- 10 inches. I have tried approaches on internet, have used folex successly on small stain on ( white) carpet in hallway. (No pets). How could it be applied on whole room , and vacuumed with Rainbow vacuum (not blotted.)

    • I have spot treated large and small areas, then used my Rainbow with the handheld attachment to wet and pull up the spot treated. I then used the Rainbow full size carpet cleaning attachment with just water in the water reservoir and water only in the soap reservoir. I did this across the whole room after the initial spot treatment.
      Yes, it wet the area down but it pulled 99% of the gunk back out of the carpet AND padding. The only thing it did not remove was the burn stains, since that is actual damage to the carpet fibers instead of a stain.

  8. Excellent cleaner, use it for a long time. But there are small flaws, it ends very quickly. Perhaps they should make a more concentrated version so that users can independently mix it in the required proportions and use at their discretion.

  9. Let me tell you I have used many types of carpet cleaners and I am so glad I found Folex. I have pets – my carpet is under 2 years old and 3 days after getting the new carpet a family member accidentally put the trash bag on the floor and cooking grease from the trash bag stained the carpet. I had it professionally cleaned and the stain remained. I now clean the carpets myself and still the stain remained. I bought Folex, pretreated that stain and a few others by spraying directly on it and agitating it. I used the rest in the my carpet cleaning machine. I cannot believe how great my carpet came out. The stain is 95% or better gone and I when I changed out the water it was 4 full canisters of black water, It did a great job and I will use it faithfully.

  10. I love it for pet stains….particularly for dog poo stains on carpets. My old dog is having accidents now and this is a miracle product for taking care of that problem. Thank you Folex!!!!!

  11. I would like to say, that we have used Folex in the past, honestly, we were never disappointed! This time I need to ask for your advice: we had a Tennant, who left a lot for us to dispose of. Although some of this could be used by people in need. We are 80 ourselves, not in need of much, hence this question: his children left some marks on upholstered chairs crayon and pencil markings also some color spots. The seat covers are cotton with polyurethane foam inside. The Outside cover is some color of beige/slightly with soft yellowish tinge all over. My question: since the seat cannot be removed, how would I use your product in this instance?

    • Great.. i spilled of all things gun powder on living room floor. I know dont say it!
      Then the dog chewed an ink pen . I tried everything… even professional carpet cleaning company no results. My wife found Folex. Man the dog and I both enjoy being allowed back in the house. It worked like magic.

  12. I had never heard of Folex before but a friend said to try it after cutting my hand and bleeding all over my wifes favorite chair. Followed the directions on the bottle and it got rid of the blood stains. It has sold me, Great stuff

  13. I have tried it twice, once on a big carpet stain, followed the instructions, no change…2 nd tried on light colored chaise, 2 Brown spots and they are still there.
    I purchased 2 large bottles. So I hope That it will work on something? Any ideas or suggestions are welcome.

  14. I have used Folex for over 20 years. I have never had a stain that it did not remove. I wish they would make some of the wipes. I would buy them. Make Some Handy Wipes

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