Upholstery Inspection and Testing

In the last few weeks I've gotten more than a few emails and calls about upholstery cleaning problems. In fact, one of which came in after this video was done!

Every one of these problems, without exception, could have been prevented by proper testing and inspection of the fabric. Taking a few minutes (and it only takes a very few minutes) to look over the piece of furniture before you clean it, and conducting a few tests, will help you determine three VERY important things that you and the customer need to know before you begin cleaning:

1. Testing and Inspection helps you better inform your customer as to what they should expect in the way of a result from your cleaning efforts. Simply put, a heavily soiled and stained white polyester sofa will clean more quickly and look a lot better than a heavily soiled and stained white rayon sofa.


2. Testing and Inspection helps you to chose the best products. The "best" products doesn't mean defaulting to "safe" either. This means you can use aggressive and effective products on durable synthetic fiber fabrics, and of course gentle and safe products on less durable, perhaps non colorfast natural fiber fabrics.


3. Finally, Testing and Inspection helps keep you out of trouble and from paying claims. Finding out that the dyes in a fabric might bleed, or that fabric weakness might result in a torn area during cleaning keeps you from paying needless claims.

Understanding Traffic Lane Presprays

At my last count, we sell over 30 different traffic lane presprays here at Pembertons! That can make things pretty confusing for the most experienced cleaners. Much of that variety exists because of brand, fragrance, and other preferences. To simplify things, you can break prespray products down into four categories:

Standard Traffic Lane Cleaners, Olefin Preconditioners, Enzyme Presprays, and High pH Presprays. The names of these categories are mine, but they give you an idea of what each one is.

Standard Traffic Lane Cleaners usually have a pH around 10, and are considered by most carpet manufacturers and fiber producers to be safe for all synthetic carpets. These products have solvents and surfactants as part of their formulation to create products that really do most of your cleaning. You'll find that they emulsify oils, suspend soil, and break down most spots so completely that you need to use little, if anything, in your extraction solution. Products such as these have lead to the use of acid rinse agents and detergents, and sometimes simply the use of clear water rinses. There remains a place for alkaline cleaning detergents of course, and we'll discuss that at a later time.

Olefin preconditioners are made primarily to cope with the issue of the way oily soils, especially oily particulates, cling to oil loving fibers such as olefin, polyester, and triexta. These products use advanced surfactant technology to break the bond of these oily soils and allow for easy suspension and later extraction. The use of such products will lessen the chance of wicking as well.

Enzyme presprays work specifically on food based soils, such as proteins, carbohydrates, and starches. If you clean restaurants, cafeterias, and other food service areas, such products can speed up your cleaning, and eliminate the need for special spotting. These products are not necessarily as effective on the oily soils that are often found in Asian restaurants, however.

Your ultimate "nuclear option" is the use of highly alkaline presprays. Such products have pH ranges between 11 and 12, and may not be suitable for non colorfast carpet fibers. Their distinct advantages are the fact that they can be used for abused rental property carpet, as well as restaurants and other carpets that have been exposed to heavy traffic, accumulated synthetic and protein based oils, and general abuse.

Introduction to Cleaning Chemistry

This is the beginning of a series of presentations I’ll be giving about how your cleaning products work. I was struggling to come up with a way to begin this series, and my good friend and fellow trainer Jim Smith shared this idea with me, and I’d like to share it with you.

“In order to remove soil and stains from carpets and fabrics, you need to change those soils to a free flowing nature. An example of something with a free flowing nature would be sand or water running through your fingers.

If soil behaves like sand, it can be readily vacuumed away. If stains behave like water, they can be blotted or extracted from the textile.

Where we need cleaning chemistry is where a soil or stain is not free flowing, but instead it is sticky or oily, and therefore no longer “free flowing”. Sticky can include, by the way, the process where electric charges hold very fine particles to fibers that otherwise resist vacuuming.

Once we understand what chemistry is needed to break those sticky or oily bonds away from the fiber surface, we can better choose what products are needed.

Stryker Cleaning & Extraction Wand

This new carpet cleaning wand is changing how carpet is cleaned! The primary reason that this tool was invented was to create a wand that minimizes repetitive stress issues with what used to be called "the trigger hand".

The Stryker eliminates two key stress areas in the following ways:

1. Solution Flow. On the Stryker wand, this is controlled by an ball valve that is activated by the left hand. This allows the right hand (or opposite if you are left handed) to simply push the wand.


2. Wand Use: The handle on the Stryker is designed to be used like a wood plane, or saw handle. This "straight push" design allows for easier movement of the arm, and eliminates the "45 degree" grip needed when the operators hand has to reach around a conventional wand tube and activate the solution valve.

In addition to these two ergonomic improvements, the design of the cleaning head enabled hot water to flow out of several small holes instead of jets, which means that the hot solution pours directly onto the carpet yarns, rather than allowing heat and pressure loss into the air.

Finally, the rotomolded body gives unimpeded airflow for better extraction and drying.

Try this wand out with our 30 day "no questions asked" money back guarantee!

Upholstery Pro Tool

This tool has changed the way that I clean upholstery, and it can for you too.

The Upholstery Pro is more than "just another dry tool". Instead it combines a shearing effect to keep cleaning solution from penetrating into fabric, along with a light weight design and a few never before used features that put this tool head and shoulders above the rest.

The features that make this tool so unique include its ability to use either a conventional "off on" trigger, or a "constant flow" design that only needs to be turned off when the fabric is vacuumed or the tool is moved. This enables the operator to have maximum solution flow control on delicate natural fibers when needed, and constant flow for increased heat and decreased fatigue on heavily soiled synthetics.

Perhaps the most overlooked feature is the design of the face of the tool that contacts the fabric. The rounded design and jetless flow has nearly eliminated cleaning tool marks and texture distortion during cleaning. This makes this tool ideal on microfibers, velvets, and chenille.

If you wish to try a tool that is easy to use, easy on textures, and yet aggressive enough to clean the most soiled fabrics, give the Upholstery Pro a try. As with any Pembertons purchase, you have the security of knowing that we will honor our 30 day, no questions asked, money back guarantee if you don't love this tool.

FAQs - Rust Colored Marks on Chenille

Q - Hey Lisa:

Here in the Orange County area I periodically come up against a problem with furniture covered using a "Chenille" fabric and my ability to clean it.

When the couch has "DOWN FEATHERS" filling in the cushions and, (depending on the age of the couch), during pre-inspection I see what appears to be orange or seemingly rust marks on the outside of the fabric.

I have been told by one of the local high end upholstery shops that it is the breaking down of the fire retardant (sprayed on the feathers), fabric protector and long term moisture in the air.

To date I explain but most normally walk away from those couches – Have you seen this before and do you have any suggestions on how to remove this discoloration?

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Lisa - Re: Chenille question

If I started out by sharing my opinion of chenille RUGS with you (which are sold at Pottery Barn, and shrink to about half their size when washed...) - we would have a long dissertation here. :)

As a fabric on upholstered furnishings, this type of tricky textiles needs advice from someone in that field. So I'm copying this to Jim Pemberton who is the best I know. (Jim and I are team teaching Aug. 6-7 in Vegas with a new program combining hands-on rug and fine fabric topics.)

JIM - any advice on this topic? Or explanation? Is this stenciling?

Please copy me... as I'd like to learn about it as well.

Lisa
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A – from Jim Pemberton

Lisa Wagner asked that I comment on your questions on rayon chenille upholstery and the discoloration that you're seeing.

I'd like to have a digital picture to look at, but I think based on your report to Lisa, that I can make these conclusions:

1 - I doubt that its flame retardant. Flame retardant, when exposed to excessive moisture, usually leaves a white stain, not a brown one.

2 - I doubt that its fabric protector. The only discoloration that I've seen from some over applications of fabric protector has been yellow, not rusty-brown.

3 - Whatever the cause, I also doubt that its from within the cushion, as you did mention that the discoloration is at the tips of the yarns.

This is what I have seen in rayon upholstery, as well as draperies, that can cause this type of discoloration.

1 - Oxidized spills, especially those that are sugary or oily. These can start as clear and turn brown over time. I do NOT think this is your problem, as the discoloration should look like a spill.

2 - Reaction to cleaning agent residues. This isn't like the browning you see on unprocessed cotton, but the result is the same. You haven't indicated that you cleaned it, though, so I'm assuming its not that.

3 - Sizing: Water marks on rayon turn rusty brown when sizing is present. I doubt its that only because its usually seen as a ring, and I'm not convinced there would be a great deal of sizing used on chenille. However, based on the moisture you say might be present in the environment, it is a possibility.

4 - Oxidation from exposure to light and pollutants. This is what I believe to be the cause. You can see this sort of problem on draperies that are exposed to direct sunlight, humidity, and fumes.

Correcting the problem is problematic, as rayon is sensitive to both moisture and bleaches, as well as the fact that repeated clean and rinse processing will distort the hand of the fabric.

If you wish to try, I would use a neutral detergent and an mild, non chlorine bleach additive that contains sodium percarbonate. You can apply the solution in a mist, GENTLY agitate with a soft horsehair brush in one direction; allow about 20 minutes of dwell time, then extract with an acidic rinse agent, followed by fast drying.

I would hesitate to do this on location, especially as you mentioned the humid environment. Take this to a location where you can control the humidity and closely monitor your results.

Before you go to this trouble, you might consider testing a small area with fresh 3% hydrogen peroxide. If that doesn't work, the above formula likely will not.

Resist trying stronger concentrations of hydrogen peroxide, as these might weaken the fabric.

Let me know what comes of any tests or remediation processes that you attempt.

Best regards,
Jim Pemberton

Pets don't only contaminate carpet! Small pets often have "accidents" (some are "on purposes") on your customers' furniture. The processes used to treat furniture for animal odor are much like the processes that you use on carpet.

If cleaning and a surface application of deodorizer does not suffice, you can inject deodorizer into cushions. To distribute this deodorant throughout the cushion foam, put the cushion in a plastic bag and use your vacuum hose and extractor to draw the air out of the cushion in side of the bag. This will more evenly distribute the deodorizer that you've injected.

Note: Be sure to clean the cushion again afterward, as you very likely see watermarks appear on the cushion as injected deodorizer wicks to the surface.

If this measure is not sufficient, consider removing the cushion foam and using a sub surface extraction tool, such as the Water Claw Spot Lifter or the Flash Extractor.

In cases of extreme contamination, cushion foam might be better discarded and replaced.

Do not inject deodorizer into the body of a sofa or chair without a specific written release. Injecting deodorizing materials into the structure of a chair or sofa may cause materials or markers used beneath the fabric to bleed through and leave permanent stains.

Protector Failure -- Are You Guilty?

I have a strong belief that fabric protector is even more important for furniture than it is for carpet!

The nature of people's activities in their homes, along with the fact that a large percentage of upholstery is made from absorbent and difficult to clean natural fibers and blends make the need for the protection critical.

However, in your efforts to clean and protect fabrics, have you considered what you might do that keeps protector from working?

You should.

Here is an example.

This picture is of a fabric that was protected after cleaning. You should be able to clearly see how well the protector has worked.

Note, however, what happened in an area where a red dye stain remover was applied, and to the technicians point of view, rinsed out.

The protector was not able to properly bond this area that had a spotting agent residue.

Its arguable that the removal of an unsightly red dye is more important than fabric protection, but before applying a protector, think carefully about whether or not difficult to rinse residues might keep that product from performing.

FAQs - Cotton Denim-Like Fabric

Q – Hi Jim,

A customer has a sectional comprised of a light colored denim fabric. There are numerous baby formula spots on multiple panels.

I mentioned to the customer that there is a good likelihood that the spots will not be removable, but they would like me to try. I will burn test it, but, assuming it is cotton, I was thinking of trying either cool protein spotter (Zoop, or possibly Avenge or Perky spotter), letting it dwell for a few minutes, rinsing with Clean Rinse in my rinse solution, then force-drying with a blower.

What are your thoughts on this? I would appreciate any advice you would be willing to give.

----------------------------------------------------

A – From Jim . . .

Much of the outcome will depend on whether the fabric had a protector on it, how long the spots have been on the material, and if they tried anything first.

What color is "light color"? Dark denim, like jeans, loses color easily, and spotting often causes color loss. To be on the safe side, I'd follow this procedure:

• Precondition the entire fabric with Avenge Heavy Duty Prespray. It has a high enough pH to break protein bonds in most cases, especially if the furniture was protected.
• DO NOT apply it only in spots.
• Allow ten minutes of dwell time, and then extract with your Clean Rinse. You will take out some, if not all, of the spots. If any do remain, you can try the Zoop Enzyme Spotter, as it is very mild and unlikely to cause color loss. Also, if you apply it immediately after you rinse the fabric, the presence of moisture will prevent water marks.
• You can accelerate the Zoop by lightly steaming it with a steamer or iron, but hold the steam back and do not let the iron touch the fabric.
• Rinse again with the Clean Rinse and see what you have.

If any spots remain, you should get some sort of release. Once you are clear of liability, Protein Stain Spotter is one of the best baby formula spotters I've ever used, but it can pull color from natural fiber fabrics, so apply on a small amount at a time, and rinse it as quickly as possible.

If you have any before and after pictures, please send them!

Jim

Research Reveals Key Reason Why Carpet Cleaners Don't Clean Upholstery

"I've been engaged in an ongoing study about why cleaners don't make enough money cleaning upholstery to feel that its worthwhile to position themselves as an upholstery cleaning specialist.

Much of this attitude appears to come from the fact that, unlike carpet, its difficult to predict how long it will take to clean upholstery because of the wide variety of fibers used in the constructions, as well as the differences of durability of those constructions themselves.

I recently did a study on a chair made from a blend of rayon and polyester fibers, that was both heavily soiled and stained. The techniques used initially on this chair to clean it improved the appearance over the way it looked before professional cleaning, but the process took longer than most cleaners could afford to take on location, and results were still less than stellar.

Check my blog on Monday afternoon to see pictures of this chair, along with the improvement conventional on location techniques were able to give, and what processes were finally used to restore the chair to an almost “like new” condition.