FAQs - Dry Clean Only?

A quick question? What is your experience with dry clean only upholstery using the Drimaster
? I have a customer with a 2-3 year Clayton Marcus, microfiber cloth, chair and ottoman, no tags, but if his memory serves him dry clean only. I personally have done a number of dry clean only with the Drimaster no problem. We cleaned the ottoman with Prochem Upholstery Cleaner, lightened but nothing impressive. Any suggestions?

Microfibers are usually polyester, sometimes nylon, and possibly (but very unlikely to be) rayon. A burn test will confirm which it is. Don't worry about specific fibers; just make sure its synthetic, not regenerated cellulose (rayon).

Because of the very fine denier that gives them their name, they can adsorb (as opposed to absorb) several times their weight in water, so you'll likely be surprised, and perhaps frightened, at how dark and "wet" it will become when you clean it.

Don't let that bother you. Simply precondition it with materials suitable for synthetic upholstery (either Prochem Upholstery Prespray or Bridgepoint Avenge Heavy Duty), and if it appears to be heavily soiled, boost the prespray with Bridgepoint Citrus Solv and Boost All or Prochem Citrus Pro and Oxy Plus. Rinse with Bridgepoint Fab Set or Prochem All Fiber Rinse, and be very sure that you open any vacuum relief valves that you have on the tool and/or machine, as your only real risk is damaging the fibers themselves with excessive vacuum.

The fabric doesn't have a predetermined "nap lay", so instead just use a clean white towel to absorb left over moisture, and to "fluff up" the nap so that it dries soft.

Use a solvent based protector, as a water based protector might leave it feeling a bit stiff. Remember, people buy this product because they like it to feel soft.

FAQ's - Silk Walls

Q - I have a wall panel which is made of silk material and has a few greasy stains which have come from oily hair or oily hands. Please advise what technique and what chemical to use.

A - Fabric covered walls, panels, and partitions are usually cleaned with hot water extraction using a low wetting or "dry" upholstery tool.

In your case, silk can have issues that the more commonly used synthetic materials will not. Silk may watermark, fade, or stretch if not cleaned very carefully. While there are times that it is safe and makes sense to clean silk furniture fabrics with hot water extraction, I do not recommend you attempt to clean silk wall or partition materials in this fashion.

Its recommended that you clean as much of the surface as possible with dry cleaning sponges. The areas that have the greasy hand prints can be cleaned by applying a dry cleaning solvent with a towel, then carefully wiping the more heavily soiled areas. Further soil may be extracted with dry towels afterward.

Be very careful not to spray apply the solvent, especially if it is a volatile solvent. Volatile solvents that are applied by means of spraying may evaporate quickly, leaving circles or "watermarks" wherever residual soil exists. By carefully apply the solvent by means of blotting, such rings should not exist after cleaning.
If the body oil is not removed by dry cleaning solvent, you can try a neutral detergent, such as Prochem Fine Fabric Shampoo or Bridgepoint Fabric Shampoo. Mix either of these shampoos in a bucket of water, dip a clean white towel in the bucket, wring it out "dry", then fold the towel into a flat pad and carefully wipe the area in one direction.

CAUTION: The cleaning ability of these products is such that they might create areas that look cleaner when you are done. Be prepared to lightly wipe the entire panel to blend in the appearance, or the result may look worse when you are done.

Business Retainer FAQs

Q - Homepro spotter, is it good stuff?
A - Homepro is an excellent spotter for your customers, as is Groom Industries' Perky Spotter, and frankly both are good professional products as well.

Q - Does it help get business?
A - It doesn't help to "get business" as much as it helps you to "keep business" by reinforcing customer loyalty, and reminding them you are their cleaner.

Q - I see that the warranty cards for the Maxim Carpet Protector have some stuff on them about that. Do you teach about carpet protectors in your carpet cleaning classes?
A - Our carpet cleaning class teaches how protector is applied at the "mill", how it works chemically, and how to apply it properly.

Simple Email Question

Its interesting how a simple question is fraught with so many complexities:

1. Let's start with the first part of your question: "Can you add a deodorizer to your prespray or rinse water...."

The answer is a qualified "Yes".
Many deodorizing products work well as additives, and are compatible with presprays, cleaning detergents, and acidic rinse agents. Some products are not compatible as additives, though, so you should consult label directions of any product that you'd like to use in this fashion.

If I'm going to add a deodorizer to a cleaning product, I prefer to add it to prespray. This will help deodorize not just the carpet, but the prespray which may have an offensive odor. It also prevents the possibility of leaving behind a soil attracting residue or lingering fragrance that may not remain pleasant days after the cleaning job.

2. The second part of your question was: ".........and then say you deodorized the carpet?"
You can say you applied or added a deodorizer, but whether or not you actually deodorized the carpet is a matter of inspection after the job. If the source of the odor was confined to the face yarns of the carpet, the act of applying a deodorizer with your prespray, then rinsing away soil as well as the residue that caused the offensive odor might effectively deodorize the carpet.

If, however, the odor has penetrated through the carpet and perhaps the cushion, then odor causing residues (such as urine or vomit) would remain after cleaning, and odor would still exist. In such a case you could not fairly say that you "deodorized the carpet".

Subsurface treatments, either through injection or the use of the Spot Lifter Water Claw (tm) would be required to deodorize the carpet. In cases of severe contamination you might not be able to deodorize the carpet at all, and replacement of the carpet and cushion, as well as sealing of the floor and baseboard, would be necessary.

FAQs - Tile & Grout Questions

Q – Listen Jim, is the SX-12 a good machine?
A - Yes, the SX-12 HARD SURFACE TOOL can be an excellent accessory to a heavy duty, high pressure portable or a truckmounted system. In fact it is the latest technology for cleaning tile and grout!
It works with an easy front-to-back and side-to-side motion, it even works on uneven stone, tile surfaces & smooth concrete. It is light-weight and I find it non-fatiguing: as it glides so easily over the floor.

Q – Jim, what kind of pressure do you need to operate it?
A - 800 psi. The SX-12 blasts soil and dirt from tile, grout, and smooth or rough hard surfaces. The rotary arm spins to create amazing soil blasting power working from 700 to 2,000 psi while the vacuum ports pick up all the waste. The SX-12 is ready to work with truckmount or heavy duty, high pressure portable carpet machines, pressure washers and vac systems.

Q - I am just wondering because I am starting to do work for a local company who installs tile and I might want that in the near future.
A - Tile and grout cleaning is very profitable. You'd be better to use a truck mounted unit, or a portable designed for the purpose. The portable units are very heavy, though.

Doing More with Less

In today's times, finding products that serve multiple purposes not only can save a cleaning and restoration company money, but it also reduces stress by bringing more simplicity into the workplace and minimizing complexity.

Over the past decades, product manufacturers often put multiple labels on the same or similar products to make training easier and to minimize label copy and sales support time. With a little time and attention, you can reverse that trend and begin to learn how to get more out of less.

One such example came to me just yesterday. A fire restoration contractor was asked to clean a home after a protein fire. He wanted a deodorizer to add to his cleaning solution that would counteract the odor, but had none in stock and had to begin the job that day. I discovered that he had Citrus Solv, which is used primarily to boost the effectiveness of carpet and fabric presprays. In this case, I suggested that he use it to boost the detergents he was using for both the hard surfaces as well as the textiles.

The solvent in Citrus Solv is also used in most protein odor counteractants, and with this knowledge the restorer was able to use a product that he had on hand, and that cost 50% less than would the specialty protein odor counteractant.

Ask you suppliers which of the products that you use have such multiple purposes, and begin to simply your work and save money at the same time.

Slate floors

Within the past few months, I've fielded over a dozen calls or emails about how to clean or (more accurately) restore slate floors. I hadn't had this many request for slate floor restoration in the past several years, so I wondered why I'm having so many now.

I think I know.

Here in the Pittsburgh area, many homes were built with slate foyers in the 60's and early 70's. People cleaned them the best they could, and often put floor finish on them to give the stone some shine. Years of VCT floor finish application (not a recommended practice) eventually leave these floors even more dull, and sometimes yellowed.

The reason people seem to be wanting to have these floors cleaned is likely because they either have decided to stay in their home longer than they expected, or because of falling home values they are trying to "spruce up the house" and know that a dull, discolored entry area creates a negative first impression.

I think this is a good sign for our industry. First, its a service that you should be providing (I'll give you some tips in my next blog entry), and second, even if you don't choose to restore slate, it proves that people are finally moving into the "clean rather than replace" psychology that usually goes with an economy in recession.

What services do you offer that can help to make your customer's home more pleasant in which to live, or will make the home have the most possible value when its up for sale or rent?

Some Spotting FAQ's

Q – Jim, what about T-Rust rust remover? Does it work? Is it worth the money? Is anything better or as good but cheaper.

A - T Rust would be my personal choice. There are cheap mineral acids that might work, but you take risks of pulling dye from nylon and wool with such products.

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Q – Jim, is that spotting kit(CS03A) really worth the money?

A - I like this spotting kit a great deal, but you could probably do better by making your own, less complicated one, based on today's stain removal standards.

Here is what I would have in my kit:
* Stain Zone
* Red One
* All Solv
* PIG
* Gel Break
* T Rust
* Avenge
* Filter Out

All are products I would have in a kit. I would also have a spotting spatula, tamping brush, a steamer or iron to activate the Red One and also a Spot Lifter Water Claw.

More FAQ's

Q – Jim, Can I switch out Power Point liquid concentrate for Point Blue powder concentrate?

A - Yes. Power Point is a great easy to dilute, liquid cleaner. Point Blue, being a powder, is a bit more work to dissolve, but powders are always more aggressive cleaners, work better if the water is hard (such as well water), and can have better degreasing qualities where high amounts of petroleum or fat are present.

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Q – Hey Jim, Could I substitute Power Break pre-spray for Traffic Slam pre-spray? -- or is it too strong for lighter commercial traffic?

A - Power Break is a very aggressive product that is used mostly on restaurant and apartment carpets. Traffic Slam is designed for the fine, oily particulate soils that make commercial carpet so difficult to clean. You can use these products interchangeably, but you'll find with Traffic Slam you'll have less chance of wicking on your commercial glue down carpet. Most of your decision should work around the type of work you do more often: Greasy food service and rental property or commercial carpet subject to normal traffic and spills.

Q – Hey Jim, You recommended the spotter, Stain Zone. What about Avenge?

Stain Zone is a new advanced technology oxidizing (bleaching) stain remover that is safe for all synthetic carpet fibers. You just spray it on a stain that doesn't come out in normal cleaning (especially coffee or urine and other unknown yellow or brown stains) and over minutes or sometimes hours the stain simply fades away. You don't need to rinse afterward.

A - Avenge is an excellent "general purpose spotter", designed to remove spots when a full cleaning is not planned or needed. You'll remove most spots in cleaning because of the efficiency of our superior traffic lane pre-sprays, but if you need to spot without cleaning, or if you have a stubborn spot that contains a lot of sticky sugar, fine particulates (like copier toner), or similar spots, Avenge is definitely a good choice.