with 1 in fig1 is a carpet web which at a location upstream in the figure representation has been provided via an application device with an application of a patterning agent containing thickening agents in the exemplary embodiment it is a thickened printing paste thus after the application of the patterning agent the patterning agent and the thickening agent are present on web 1 at the same time web 1 enters in the direction of arrow 2 into a steamer 3 in which the dyes from the patterning agent absorb into the fibers of web 1 at the end of the run through this process is complete and there remains on the web an agent residue which comprises small residues of dye possible slight residues of another type and the entire thickening agent the thickening agent is found as a kind of coating on the pile side of the web when it is about to leave steamer 3 at outlet 4 provided in this region of steamer 3 is a doctor blade 5 which wipes off web 1 and mechanically removes from the web a substantial portion of the agent residue on the web 1 for instance 50 to 70.