Yellow Alert for “Fine Fabric Cleaners”

There are several things that can cause furniture to have a yellow discoloration or "haze". The causes and cures of these problems are so diverse that its critical to know the fabric and its maintenance history to know what you should do (or NOT do) next.

Inspection and Testing

1. Test the fabric: Synthetic fiber fabrics tend to yellow from oily soils. Yellow discolorations on natural fiber fabrics are more often from cellulose browning. You must know how to conduct a burn test to determine what type of fiber family is present.
   
   You don't need to know the SPECIFIC fiber, but you do need to know if its synthetic or natural.
   
   
2. If the fibers present are synthetic, the yellow is most likely from oily soils, or soils from smoke related damage. In both cases the use of an alkaline prespray designed for synthetic upholstery should be used, such as Sapphire Scientific Upholstery Prespray or Bridgepoint Avenge Heavy Duty Fabric Prespray.
   
   Yellow still remains, the use of an oxidizing agent as a booster, such as Bridgepoint Boost All, will likely remove residual yellowing.
   
   NOTE: This process is NOT recommended for yellowing of natural fiber fabrics!
   

3. If the fibers are natural, you should suspect cellulose browning. Be certain to discuss previous cleaning and maintenance of the fabric. If another cleaner, or the owner of the fabric caused the browning, you must inform your customer that this yellow condition is evidence of DAMAGE to the fabric, and that you cannot be held responsible for this damage. Even if you can correct the appearance, the physical processes that cause browning cause some level of damage to the fibers.
   
   
4. Establish this understanding (in writing is always best) with your customer. You may then attempt to remove the browning using the safest methods possible to prevent further damage to the fabric. Such methods have been outlined in previous Clean Tips, but here is a brief review:
   
   
   1. Apply a mild acid treatment.
      Dye Stabilizer and Rinse from Sapphire Scientific is the best "first choice", as its a pure organic acid and will leave no damaging residue.
      
      
   2. Apply a reducing agent.
      If "a" does not work, rinse the fabric with clear water and try a reducing agent, such as a formulated product for Haitian cotton or raw cotton, or Coffee Stain Remover from Bridgepoint. These products have an objectionable odor and will often leave a stiff feel to the fabric. Their advantage is that they rarely "overwhiten" the fabric.
      
      
   3. Use an agressive blend
      If "b" does not work, or if the condition is severe, use a blend of Bridgepoint Fabric Shampoo, Boost All, and Buff All and follow label directions. This is the most aggressive, and also the most damaging correction method. Use only as a last resort.

Large, but localized yellow stains may be caused by urine, which can be detected by UV lights and odor, and should be treated with care as most urine residues damage dyes on both natural and synthetic fiber fabrics.

Small yellow stains may be from mustard, which is very difficult to remove from most any fabric. Peroxide based stain removers may remove mustard, but may also damage fabric and should only be used with great care

As you can see, the causes and related risks of yellow discolorations vary greatly. Do not ever attempt to clean or restore fabrics with yellow discolorations without a clear understanding of the nature of the fabric and the cause of the discoloration.

This situation is only one example of the reasons that inspection and testing of upholstery fabrics is critical. The wide variety of pre-existing circumstances that may be found on upholstery is such that a thorough inspection form is not only helpful, but truly critical for the fine fabric care specialist. We have just completed updating our Upholstery Condition Inspection Report, which since 1987 has been the only comprehensive such form in our industry. If you'd like to use this form, feel free to email me at jimpem2@comcast.net I will email you a free “printers proof copy” and prices for bundles of 50 of these 2 part NCR forms.

Spot Cleaning Silk Fabric Wall Covering

As a Fine Fabric Specialist, you will find opportunities to clean or spot clean fabric covered walls in both homes and commercial establishments. In many cases, the fiber commonly used in such fabrics is silk, and such wall coverings can be found anywhere from homes to professional offices to resorts.

If the coverings are only exposed to atmospheric soil, cleaning the fabric is a relatively easy task involving the use of dry cleaning sponges, which are popular in the restoration industry.

What will be more difficult to clean are the oily soiled areas around light switches and doorways, as well as spills from food and drink.

Oily soils may be removed by applying a dry cleaning solvent suitable for upholstery cleaning to a clean white towel, and VERY gently blotting the fabric. Aggressively scrubbing the fabric will not remove more soil, and will also likely distort the fabric.

Water based spills are more challenging, and usually require the use of a water based detergent for complete removal.

As with dry cleaning, apply your cleaning agent (a fine fabric type detergent, such as Natural Fiber Cleaner is an excellent choice) to a clean, white. folded terry cloth towel and firmly wipe the spotted areas covering a larger area than just where the spot exists. This should allow “blending” and prevent the appearance of a "clean spot" or "water mark".

As with any cleaning of high value textiles, be certain to put the limitations of expected results and related risks of fabric damage in writing on your work order.

Fabric covered walls are NOT designed to be exposed to oily or water based soils, and any attempts at restoration should be phrased as "restorative attempts" that may work, but that 100% like new results should not be expected.

Keeping Ink Stains In Their Place!

Removing ink from upholstery fabrics can be a troublesome and somewhat risky procedure. Here are a few tips that should make the job easier, and less risky:

The nature of some types of ink is such that once a spotter is applied, the ink pigment may spread rapidly to adjoining areas of the fabric. That means, ink spots that at first appear just as a few specks, could become large and unsightly from improper spotting.

Because of the risk of the spotting procedure making the ink stains look even worse, you should only proceed

(1) IF your customer is willing to sign a release of responsibility, and
(2) IF they are willing to pay you enough (Two VERY big "if's").

If the stains are on a cushion, you can try to remove them by putting your cleaning tool UNDER the fabric by unzipping the cushion.

You then should apply a few drops of a high quality, solvent based ink remover, such as Sapphire Scientific OGC (Oil, Grease, and Cosmetic remover). As the solvent liquifies the ink, the vacuum will immediately pull the ink into the vacuum flow and keep it from spreading.

Afterward, apply Sapphire Scientific Natural Fiber Cleaner as a preconditioner, and agitate it with a soft horsehair brush. Natural Fiber Cleaner has a special surfactant that suspends pigments and particulates better than most upholstery preconditioners, so you are more likely to suspend and then later be able to rinse out remaining ink residues than if you used other cleaners.

If the ink is in areas other than cushions that can be unzipped, your risks increase. You can apply the ink spotter to a Q tip swab and gently blot the ink, with immediate extraction afterward. This will be EXTREMELY time consuming, and you still have the risk of the ink spreading.

Holiday Spots, Spills and Stains

Starting with Thanksgiving, and through the late December holiday observances, your customers will be engaging in that riskiest of activities when it comes to carpet and upholstery textiles:

They will be serving food and drinks with bright red colors, and having their homes overcrowded with guests consuming those items.

While red stains are common throughout the year, there are two that you are more likely to encounter from now until January 2nd:

Cranberry Sauce and Red Wine.

The reason that both of these might create confusion is the uncertainty as to whether the stain is from “natural red colors” or from artificial dyes. The distinction is important to you, as the types of products you use, the order in which you use them, and the time you should predict in their use may vary widely depending on what is in the item spilled.

You should, of course, attempt to learn exactly what was spilled. If the customer still has the bottle or can, you can look right on the label and often determine if there is an artificial dye involved.

In today’s world, the assumption should be that there is a dye unless you know for sure otherwise. Unless your customer made their cranberry sauce from cranberries themselves (a more involved process), the sauce likely has an artificial dye. Even wine, which throughout history has only had natural colors, lately has become another source of artificial dye staining to carpet.

Once you have this information, first clean the carpet. With the amount of “polys” out there (polyester, polypropylene, and triexta…which is essentially polyester) as well as nylon with some of the latest advanced stain resistant treatments, many of these red stains will simply clean out of the carpet, with no further need of specialty stain removal techniques.

If any stain remains, you will then need to decide if the stain has a natural red color or an artificial one. Natural red colors come out most readily with the application of an oxidizing agent, such as Stain Zone or Stain Magic. Artificial red colors should be treated with specialty red dye removal products than contain reducing agents, such as Red Zone, Red Relief, or Red One.

Use each product by following each manufacturer’s direction carefully.

Worrying about red stains should be the last thing that should concern your valued customers. Be sure to approach the treatment of these stains with confidence and concern for their needs, and make such stains a minor inconvenience during these happy times for them.

Allow me to take this occasion to thank all of you for your support and feedback to us over the years.

Is it Wicking or is it Sticking?

What do you do when you get called about a spot that has been discovered by your customer after you have cleaned their carpet?

Before you show up with an arsenal of products, you need (and your customer needs) an answer to these three questions:

1. Did the stain remain after cleaning?
2. Did the spot come back when it dried?
3. Did the spot show up over time?

The reason that these questions are so important is that they speak to three different types of problems.

1. "Did the stain remain after cleaning?"
   If you've done everything you could to clean the carpet and a stain remains, you might need to use reducing or oxidizing agents with some of your advanced skills to remove this stain. And, in some cases, there are stains that cannot be removed regardless of your skills and available stain removal chemistry arsenal.


2. "Did the spot come back when it dried?"
   If spots disappear during cleaning, but reappear after the carpet dries, the problem is probably wicking. This needs to be treated with an absorbent powder or sprayed with an anti wicking agent


3. "Did the spot show up over time?"
   This is more likely a sticky residue than a wicking problem. When adhesive residues (such as from tape) or clear sugary drinks spills, the soil that was attracted to the sticky residue comes up easily, leading the cleaner to believe the spot is gone. If it comes back, you need to follow more extensive spotting procedures to remove the sticky residue that in the case of a spill is likely deep within the carpet yarns, and will require extensive flushing to remove.

Each of these three different circumstances requires cleaning, spotting, and stain removal skills to correct. But those products and skills are not of much use, and can sometimes even work against you, if you don't know the difference between the three.

Browning: Correction without Destruction!

If you clean a natural fiber fabric that contains cellulose fibers such as cotton, linen, or regenerated cellulose such as rayon, there is always a risk of a condition known as cellulose browning.

If you use the new generation "dry" upholstery cleaning tools, such as the Upholstery Pro, and acidic cleaning detergents, your chance of causing browning is far less than it once was.

However, if you tend to clean all upholstery with "the same stuff" (usually an alkaline cleaner) and use old fashioned wet upholstery tools, browning still can occur. Should you ever cause browning on upholstery, follow these steps to correct it:

1. Remove the furniture from your customer's house whenever possible. Most browning removal procedures take repeated applications, and visiting a home several times is costly to you, and annoying for your customer (which means it can become VERY costly to you if they tire of your visits before you have solved the problem.)

2. Clean the furniture using only an acidic rinse agent (such as Upholstery Rinse) or an acidic detergent (such as Natural Fiber Cleaner). This method will also remove the alkaline cleaning agent residues that caused the browning in the first place. Rapidly speed dry immediately afterward, and in most cases, the browning will be gone, or greatly reduced.

3. If step 2 does not work, apply an acidic neutralizing treatment, preferably one that does not contain any detergent or surfactant (such as Dye Stabilizer and Rinse). The reason not to use a product with a surfactant is that this eliminates the need to clean the fabric once more, or leave further residue. Repeated cleanings and accumulated residue will cause texture changes.

4. If step 3 does not work, apply a reducing agent, that again does not contain a surfactant (such as Coffee Stain Remover). This type of product requires time to work, and has a strong odor,and in this case may leave a powder residue than can be vacuumed away without causing distortion.

5. If step 3 doesn't work, you will need to rinse the fabric again, dry quickly, then use a non-chlorine oxidizing agent (such as Boost All) added to a neutral shampoo (such as Fabric Shampoo). This application will need to be followed by another acidic rinse application, and speed drying. This step may result in over whitening and additional texture distortion, and should be avoided whenever possible.

While your first goal should be to never allow browning to occur, if it does happen, your best choice is to attempt to remove the browning with steps 2 and 3, repeating those steps as needed and drying quickly. In this way you have the best chance of removing the browning, and also minimizing texture distortion and bleaching that cause additional damage.

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?

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

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

FAQs - Acrylic/Modacrylic Fibers

Q - Hey Jim,
I got a couple of Acrylic/Modacrylic area rugs in yesterday. White back ground with colored polka dots.
Should I have any concerns?

A - from Jim P
Good question!

In my limited experience with acrylic rugs, I find some to be cheaply made, so do a thorough inspection to look for any weakness or preexisting damage. The PRC (China will always be "Red China" to me) makes cheap stuff, including rugs. I have had some non colorfast acrylic rugs that were manufactured in the PRC, so test the colors carefully, even though we usually think of thermoplastic synthetics as being colorfast.

You'll also find that if there is any wear or distortion, that you cannot readily fix it with grooming or steaming like you often can with wool or even silk.

Send me some pictures, front and back!
Jim

Q - comment from reader

Thanks Jim,

The rugs do not appear to be anything too special. Typical tufted rugs, just wondering about the modacrylic fiber characteristics.

Thanks again

A - from Jim P
OK, that being said, let me know a little more, if you can.
Tufted rugs can have their challenges, especially if cheaply made. They likely have very low value.
Jim

Q – comment from reader

Jim,

Here is what I observe . . .

As I said, the rugs are from China. There are two identical rugs. One for some reason is darker/dirtier looking. After cleaning, pet spots are almost gone, 99%, but the darker rug still looks darker. Neither was super soiled, but they just don't look any better except in the pet spotted areas.

On another note, I had a badly abused wool rug with numerous dye looking colored spots or medicine spots that didn't clean. I went back over with Stain Zone (I know, I know!) lightly. All responded beyond my expectations with no (visible) bad results.

Interesting how our industry has matured over the years to come up with so many specialty products to so easily fix things that were next to impossible except for the real spotting geniuses.

A - from Jim P

Hi again, and thanks for the updates.

You'll see I've now copied your emails to my mentor in "all things area rug related", Lisa Wagner. I think she'll have some insights regarding your Chinese acrylic rugs, though my guess is that she doesn't see them as having a very high value, and therefore that any further restoration likely exceeds the value of the rug.

But she never ceases to surprise me with her creativity and standards of excellence, so we'll see what she says.

Likewise using Stain Zone (stabilized 9% Hydrogen Peroxide Lisa, if you weren't sure) on wool.

Not a great idea, but if you can do it safely and not take on excessive liability, why not? My father was using peroxide back in the 60's, but since from the 60's to the late 80's most carpets were dark, most urine stains were bleach stains. In the last 20 years carpets are light, and the early stages of urine contamination are visible, and can be treated before dye damage occurs.

Jim

A-2 – comment from guest expert
From: Lisa Wagner
Subject: Re: Acrylic/Modacrylic

Jim is right that acrylic is really the bottom of the food chain... it's like trying to clean a styrofoam cup to make it all uniformly "white" again - the question "why bother?" comes up from all directions.

It is a very weak fiber - not as horrible as fake silk (rayon) but fake wool (acrylic) still has those concerns about too much agitation, and weakening from just about every corrective stain remover you could use.

With hydrogen peroxide on wool... yes you can improve some stains with that. Most rug plants do use this on certain stubborn stains - within reason, because it will create deterioration of the wool fibers as a result, so these areas will be weaker over time, and begin reflecting light differently, so as the rug ages, those areas you worked on will become more apparent. So it is a short term "win" with a long term consequence.

But - if the rug is not high value (i.e. an investment piece), from India or China, then this might not matter much. Actually, if it has urine stains on it, the rug even if valuable is no longer valuable... so it may be a moot point.

In these scenarios, I write on the invoice - "significant pet urine damage has permanently devalued the rug - we will attempt to lessen this damage with some corrective measures but will not be able to reverse what has been done by the pets."

Something along those lines. She needs to know her rug is less valuable - so if any work you do seems incomplete, or a different version of a problem, that she cannot come back and say YOU devalued her rug. You can damage a damaged rug, that's what I say.

So, protect yourself if you do any more work. I usually try one area, let them tell me if they want more done - give them the cost - and let them know that bleach/peroxide/stripping agents/whatever WILL damage the fibers. I make it their educated call on what they want done.

Hope that helps... please do send the acrylic photos. I hope your clients don't think they bought a wool rug, -- that would be sad.

Lisa

FAQs - Water Stains on Carpet

Question: I have a commercial carpet with dark water stains that appeared after drying out a flood loss. Any tips on how to remove them?

---

Answer: Water stains are usually simply wicked soil. If the stains are brown or rust colored, they may also contain cellulose or mineral materials from the water itself or structural materials.

Some water stains may be removed with an acid based spotter, or mild reducing agent, such as would be found in Browning Treatment by Masterblend or Coffee Stain Remover by Bridgepoint. Severe water stains often come out more readily with the use of an oxidizer, however.

I worked on one such stain that was a dark rust color, and had defied every conventional removal process. I then tried a new product of ours, Groom Solutions Peroxicap. This unique product works primarily for use in encapsulation cleaning, but it also has peroxide in its formulation. By applying the product to the stained area and the surrounding carpet as well, then following with agitation with a rotary scrubber and encapsulation pad, every bit of the water stain was removed.

One of the above processes should work for you, depending on the severity of the stain and the equipment and products available to you.

FAQs - "Triexta" Carpet

Question -
Hey Jim,
Do these new "Triexta" carpets clean better than the regular polyesters? The dealers seem to think it's the new miracle carpet fiber!

Answer -
Glad you asked about this new fiber.

Following my comments is a press release you should read & keep a copy.

But first, just why is this press release of importance to you, the carpet cleaner? Simply this: "Triexta", often marketed under the Mohawk brand name "Smartstrand ™", has and is promoted as a "new and better" carpet fiber. While this product is partly made from sustainable resources, and has been claimed to have superior resiliency than the original "PET" polyester fiber, it is important to note that no claims of superior oil resistance are being made for this product.

You should, of course, work as closely as possible with any manufacturer's directions if asked to clean a carpet while its under warranty, but do not be overly enthusiastic about stain resistance claims made about this product.

It is true that "Triexta" has superior WATER BASED stain resistance, and that even stains that contain dyes may be easier to remove, but there is no evidence that this product is any less oil loving than "PET" (polyester). For that reason, you may need to use preconditioning agents designed to break the oil bonding that occurs with such fibers before you can successfully clean this carpet, or any other oil loving carpet such as “PET” (polyester).

Feedback on your experience with this new fiber and how it has responded to professional cleaning is welcome.

PRESS RELEASE:
A New Carpet Fiber!

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a final rule, effective March 26, 2009, that establishes the subclass name triexta as an alternative to the generic name polyester for a subclass of polyester fibers made from poly(trimethylene terephthalate).

The petitioners who sought this designation stated that PTT fiber, while having the same general chemical composition of polyester, has distinctive features of durability, resilience, softness and ability to stretch with recovery that make it significantly more suitable than conventional polyester for carpet and apparel.

The FTC has concluded that each of the four criteria for creating a new generic fiber subclass have been met:

1. PTT has the same general chemical composition as an established generic fiber category


2. PTT has distinctive properties that make it suitable for uses for which other fibers under the established generic name would not be suited or would be significantly less well suited


3. These properties are important to the general public


4. These properties are the result of a new method of manufacture or PTT’s substantially differentiated physical characteristics.

(Source: Centexbel website, www.centexbel.be)

Question

Hey Jim,

Do these new “Triexta” carpets clean better than the regular polyesters? The dealers seem to think it’s the new miracle carpet fiber!

Answer:

Glad you asked about this new fiber.

Following my comments is a press release you should read & keep a copy.

But first, just why is this press release of importance to you, the carpet cleaner? Simply this: “Triexta”, often marketed under the Mohawk brand name “Smartstrand ™”, has and is promoted as a “new and better” carpet fiber. While this product is partly made from sustainable resources, and has been claimed to have superior resiliency than the original “PET” polyester fiber, it is important to note that no claims of superior oil resistance are being made for this product.

You should, of course, work as closely as possible with any manufacturer’s directions if asked to clean a carpet while its under warranty, but do not be overly enthusiastic about stain resistance claims made about this product.

It is true that “Triexta” has superior WATER BASED stain resistance, and that even stains that contain dyes may be easier to remove, but there is no evidence that this product is any less oil loving than “PET” (polyester). For that reason, you may need to use preconditioning agents designed to break the oil bonding that occurs with such fibers before you can successfully clean this carpet, or any other oil loving carpet such as “PET” (polyester).

Feedback on your experience with this new fiber and how it has responded to professional cleaning is welcome.

PRESS RELEASE:

A New Carpet Fiber!

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a final rule, effective March 26, 2009, that establishes the subclass name triexta as an alternative to the generic name polyester for a subclass of polyester fibers made from poly(trimethylene terephthalate).

The petitioners who sought this designation stated that PTT fiber, while having the same general chemical composition of polyester, has distinctive features of durability, resilience, softness and ability to stretch with recovery that make it significantly more suitable than conventional polyester for carpet and apparel.

The FTC has concluded that each of the four criteria for creating a new generic fiber subclass have been met:

1. PTT has the same general chemical composition as an established generic fiber category

2. PTT has distinctive properties that make it suitable for uses for which other fibers under the established generic name would not be suited or would be significantly less well suited

3. These properties are important to the general public

4. These properties are the result of a new method of manufacture or PTT’s substantially differentiated physical characteristics.

(Source: Centexbel website, www.centexbel.be)

FAQs - Feces on White Carpet

Q – Hi Jim,

Dog ate perhaps some deer pooh and pooped on a white polyester carpet. Homeowner tried to clean it up. I was limited to what I had.

I first used coffee stain remover. Then MB color accelerant. Although it lightened it, it wasn't gone. Then I used the power gel. There's just a shade. I didn't have any OSR or Stain Magic.

What is odd is that the polyester stained. That's never happened to me before. Is that normal, and why.

Thanks

--------------------
A –
Let’s answer the last part first . . .

Polyester is going to be the "olefin" of the next decade. Because we encountered little of it until recently, we (our industry) have never paid much attention to it.

It is not nearly as stain resistant as is olefin, it is resistant to some stains that nylon is not resistant to.

Polyester is disperse dyed, and for that reason is more readily stained by mustard, herbal teas, instant soup, shoe polish, etc. So its not stain proof.

Now to your question:

#1 - Deer feces reprocessed through the dog and presented to the carpet as dog feces should not contain disperse dye.

#2 - We don't know what else the dog may have consumed, and we do not know what your customer may have used to clean it.

#3 - The reducing agents that you attempted to use are not usually effective on this type of stain and carpet; the oxidizing agents that you propose to use (OSR and/or Stain Magic) will likely be effective.

Finally, if you are only seeing a shade remaining, and if you are certain that you have neutralized, rinsed, and extracted all of the residues from both your customer's and your spotting attempts, simply apply Stain Magic, cover it with plastic, and allow time for it to work.

This should remove the remaining stain.

FAQs - Mattress Topper with Black Spot On It

Question:
Hey Jim, sorry I missed you.

I need some cleaning tips RE: A mattress topper with black spot on it . . .

This high loft mattress topper (2" loft) has polyester stuffing and a cotton cover. It has some black spots from moisture on the underside.

Doesn't look like we can fit it in a washer even at a laundromat.

Would a bleach/water prespray help?

Is chlorine bleach any safer than Stain Magic on cotton in addressing the mildew or black spots?

Thanks Jim

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Answer:
Any bleaching agent will weaken cotton. The black spots are likely an evidence of damage to the fiber already, so you must advise your customer than any further cleaning (with or without bleaching) will weaken the fabric further. I would not use anything except Boost All or Oxy Plus in your pre-conditioner. At use dilutions they will produce the equivalent of 3% peroxide, which is safe on cotton.

PS - Do not promise your customer much in the way of results

Also, I might add, that another positive thing about the powdered oxidizers (like Oxy Plus and Boost All) is that they are stable until diluted in water and are then at their maximum effectiveness.

The liquid peroxide spotting agents such as found in products like Stain Magic and Stain Zone are ready to use and easy to apply, but you can't always be sure just how strong your solution is based on its age and how much excessive heat or light it has been exposed to in your truck!

Jim
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Hey Jim,

Thanks for the reminder about Oxy Plus. Anymore we are quick to grab Stain Magic or Stain Zone.

And I also understand about the "promise" thing.

Thanks for your help Jim

FAQs - Blood Stain on Viscose Fabric

Q - Jim,

Need your help if possible. We have a customer that has a fabric that we got blood on, just one small spot. I need to know the best way to clean this safely. The fabric is 100% viscose. The cleaning code is "P". The fabric is from Robert Allen.
If you can help, please advise.

Thank You
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A – The blood isn't the problem, the viscose is.

Viscose is another name for rayon, and you'll find that it loses color and water marks easily. If it weren't for the fact that blood needs removed with water based materials, I'd say dry clean it.

Was the fabric protected? If it was, you MIGHT have a chance of getting reasonably good results. If not, your chances are slim.

That said, this would be the procedures I'd recommend:

1. Inform the customer that most wet spotting procedures can remove color and potentially distort the texture of rayon. Your process may also cause puckering and shrinkage, depending on the construction of the fabric. (A sturdy, rough weave construction could respond well).
2. Once you have her written approval, try to simply rinse the entire cushion with Fab Set, diluted 1 ounce per gallon of water. An acidic rinse agent like Fab Set rarely removes blood, but if it had a protector applied, you might have some success. The main reason to do this first is that by evenly dampening the fabric with Fab Set, and using this simple rinse step, you will prevent water marks and perhaps color loss.
3. If blood remains, apply Avenge spotter to a towel, and VERY GENTLY blot the blood stain. Do NOT rub it, as viscose is much weaker wet than dry and you will cause distortion otherwise.
4. If the Avenge spotter does not remove the blood, apply Protein Spotter to a towel and gently blot the stain. You will likely remove color with this procedure, so this is why a signed, specifically worded agreement is critical. You might remove the blood and not the color, and if you are so fortunate as to do so, be sure to rinse the fabric again with Fab Set to remove residual Avenge and Protein Spotter.
5. If the Protein Spotter does not remove the blood, you may try 3% Hydrogen Peroxide. Blot and watch for a color change.
6. If you get reasonably good results, the fabric was probably protected when it was purchased. If it wasn't protected, you will likely remove the blood stain, the original dye, and distort the fabric as well. Patience and limited applications of spotting agents might limit this damage, but its nearly impossible to avoid some color and texture damage when cleaning viscose.

Jim

FAQs - Black Marks from Dragging Feet

Q - Hello Jim,

I'm on a job and they have a kid that drags his feet with shoes on and has put black marks on the carpet. how would i get that out?

A - The black marks from dragged shoes have two potential staining sources: Two not so bad, one VERY bad:

1. If the black marks are from oily soils, a volatile spotter such as All Solv or Solvent Clean will remove the marks readily. You need only to apply it with a clean white cloth, and blot until the carpet looks clean.
   
   Both of these solvents leave no residue, and will require no additional cleaning. If, however, you still find that there is a light brown stain, the application of a traffic lane cleaner, such as Zone Perfect or Megapack, will emulsify the remaining oily residues and allow them to be extracted during the cleaning process.


2. Sometimes what spots that appear to be black marks are marks where deicing salt has been walked into the carpet and left as a moisture attracting residue. The same salt that melts ice also keeps carpet wet while attracting dirt that sticks to the wet spots. What results are black marks that feel damp instead of greasy to the touch.
   
   Such salt residues should be removed by applying an acidic rinse agent, such as FabSet or Refresh Soft, then cleaning with hot water extraction. The acidic rinse agent changes the insoluble calcium chloride to very soluble sodium chloride. This procedure is also helpful if crusty white stains are found on the carpet from salt as well.


3. The toughest black mark from shoes comes from shoe polish. Shoe polish may contain disperse dyes that permanently stain most carpets. If you suspect shoe polish, clean the carpet as best as you can, then apply Stain Zone or Stain Magic. Over time it may lighten or remove the stains. But don't count on it.

FAQs - Brown Spots After Cleaning

Hello Jim -

I'm hoping you can assist me with a problem carpet. I've seen your posts on the various Internet bulletin boards and realize you are amongst the most respected professionals within the carpet cleaning industry.

I cleaned a carpet a week ago Friday and was called back because of an issue which caused brown, elongated spotting on the carpet. I've cleaned it twice since then but the marks continue to return after each cleaning but in different areas. In some places on the carpet, the the marks seem to correspond with the end of wand strokes and/or where a pad moved across the carpet. I've attached several pictures so you can see the problem areas.

Here are the particulars:

1. Carpet fiber is Olefin as determined via the burn test and the fibers floated on water without absorbing.
2. Carpet style is cut pile, perhaps Saxony.
3. Carpet had not been cleaned in four years and was extremely soiled. No kids or pets.
4. Cleaning process: pre-vacuumed using a Proteam commercial with beater brush; applied cleaning solution; agitated with machine pad (initial cleaning only); rinsed and extracted with Prochem Peak; post-padded with white cotton pad (most recent cleaning only); groomed. Ceiling fans in all rooms set on high.
5. Cleaning agents used: 1) Traffic Slam prespray boosted with Prochem Oxy Plus & End Zone rinse; 2) Zone Perfect prespray & Prochem All Fiber Rinse; 3) Zone Perfect & End Zone.

On the second cleaning, I used added dry strokes pushing the wand well beyond normal overlapping. I post-padded before grooming during the most recent cleaning. My plan is to next use a Prochem ProCaps machine with an appropriate cleaning solution.

I've never run into this before so any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you
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Hello

I am always happy to help someone in need in our industry, and I have an idea of what might help.

1. Do you know the prior cleaning history of the carpet (before the four year interval?)
2. When you clean carpet, do you release the trigger valve on your back stroke, or do you leave the trigger on as you push the wand forward?
3. Do you have available any of the following products? Bridgepoint Encapugard or Pros Choice ARA?

Let me know and I'll give you a step by step process to solve the problem.

Best regards,
Jim Pemberton
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Hello Jim -

Thanks very much for replying.

Cleaning history: I am told by the current home owner that the carpets were cleaned by the previous owner just before she moved into the house about four years ago. She has no idea what cleaning method was used. After the second cleaning resulted in the same issue, I asked if she could get in touch with the previous owners to find out how the carpets were cleaned but she believes they moved out of the area.

Wand strokes: I have the trigger engaged on the upstroke (pushing forward), release it just before completing that stroke, and the back stroke is dry.

ARA/Encapugard: I don't have either on the van - thought I had ARA but it is CSS - but can purchase either (would lean towards ARA) easy enough.

Again, thank you for taking the time to assist. I truly appreciate it.
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Hello

Thank you for your feedback. The answer would be easier if you HAD kept the valve on during your backstroke, as that does render the type of discoloration that is shown in the pictures.

Nevertheless, the problem appears to be wicking, regardless of the cause. Carpets made from olefin fibers have a greater tendency to wick, and the history of an unknown prior cleaning and a long period before professional cleaning reinforce that to me.

I think you've introduced enough chemistry to this carpet. Unless the carpet has become heavily soiled since your last attempt, I'd use End Zone only the next time, with your water pressure set at 250-300 PSI, several vacuum strokes, and then apply the Anti Resoiling Agent.

If you have airmovers of any sort, use them to dry the carpet quickly.

Let me know how this works for you.

Jim Pemberton

FAQs - Get Self Tanner Out of Nylon Carpet

Q - Hey Jim,
What's the best process to get some instant tan, tan lotion off of white nylon carpet?

A
There are several ingredients in self tanning lotions, but the two basic ingredients that will challenge you are oils and pigments.

Break down the oily component with a gelled solvent first. Products such as Bridgepoint Gel Break or Pro's Choice Prosolv Gel will suspend the oils without allowing the pigments to penetrate deeper in the yarns, such as would occur if you use a basic volatile or non volatile solvent.

Next, you should attempt to remove the emulsified oil and suspended pigment with an alkaline spotter, such as Bridgepoint Protein Spotter or Pro's Choice Power Gel.

Follow this step with Hot Water Extraction.

If any stain remains, apply an oxidizing stain remover, such as Bridgepoint Stain Zone or Pro's Choice Stain Magic.

If your customer hasn't tried to do anything first, such as scrubbing the spot with a household spotter, you have a very good chance of removing the stain completely with this process.

- Jim Pemberton

FAQs - Coffee Stain on Wool Rug

Q - Hey Jim,
Can I clean a coffee stain on a wool area rug with Bridgepoint Coffee Stain Remover?

A -
A bit of background is important before answering this question.
The manufacturer's of wool carpets and rugs do not recommend the use of any oxidizing or reducing agents on their products. (Coffee Stain Remover is a mild reducing agent).

That said, there is likely no other way to remove coffee from this rug. Be sure to get a release IN WRITING from the client and advise them that the use of this product is not recommended on wool, but that its your only chance to remove the stain. Once you've gotten permission, mix the product in warm water, apply it, then allow it to work. It does not need to be agitated or blotted, as it is not a spot remover, but a stain remover.

If the stain is removable at all (a 50/50 proposition on wool), it may take hours, so this is best done in plant. Once the stain is gone or lightened, clean the carpet. DO NOT clean the area with very hot water (not a wise practice on area rugs anyway) as the residual reducing agent in Coffee Stain Remover may react with heat and cause color fading.

FAQs - Wicking After Spot Treatment

Q - Hi Jim

I treated my customer's carpet for urine, and even used the Spot Lifter, but she just called and said there was a big brown spot where I treated for the odor, and it wasn't there before.

Any ideas on how this might have happened?

Josh

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A - Hi Josh

Whether you use an injection syringe or the Spot Lifter Water Claw, both can leave enough moisture to cause wicking.

This brown spot might simply be wicked soil, or it may also include urine residues that were not completely flushed out.

You can avoid this problem by applying an absorbent spotting compound to the area immediately after you treat with either of the above mentioned methods. Both Bridgepoint's Stain Absorb and Masterblend's Absorbent Powder work well for this problem. Simply apply the product 1/8" deep and in an area that covers both the treated area and about 2" additional inches onto the dry carpet.

There is an added benefit to applying either of these products:

As they absorb any excess moisture, soil, or urine, they are also creating an odor barrier and odor absorbent process that controls any remaining odor while the enzymatic action of your deodorizing solution takes effect.

All you need to do when you are finished is then to advise your customer to wait for a day, then sweep up the powder with a broom and dustpan, and vacuum away any remaining powder that is still in the carpet pile.

To handle this specific problem, just flush again with your Spot Lifter Water Claw, and then apply the powder.

Jim

FAQs - Removing Blood from Denim Sofa

Q - Greetings, Jim.

Wonder if you would be kind enough to share your insight on this:

I have an appointment this Wednesday to attempt to clean a dime-sized blood stain on the seat cushion of a sofa.

I haven't seen the fabric yet, but the customer states that it is tan colored cotton denim. The warranty company sent her a bottle of Crypton to try, but it didn't remove the stain.

I took a look at the MSDS for Crypton, but the specific ingredients are considered trade secrets and weren't listed.

I was thinking of trying Zoop, and lowering the pH with Fab Set afterward. I'm also considering hydrogen peroxide (3%) after testing in a hidden area.

I'm not too optimistic due to the Crypton and the time lapsed. Do you know what type of agent Crypton is? Also, any suggestions on an approach?

On another note, my colleague told me he was pretty excited with the course – he definitely found it worth the time and expense to travel from NJ.

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A - Hi Jeff

Thank you for passing along that Barry's experience was positive, and for referring him to us.

I worry about denim because of its tendency to fade when exposed to ANY cleaner, yet alone peroxide.

Are you authorized to rinse the fabric from seam to seam?

If so, you should rinse the fabric with clear, cool water first to remove the "Crypton". The enzyme spotter Zoop is relatively neutral, so I'd just warm it up by putting the bottle in a bucket of hot water (since its not to be diluted).

Apply the warmed product to a clean white cloth, and then blot both the blood and the surrounding area to prevent an obvious "clean mark" or fading of the denim.

(Get a waiver from the fabric manufacturer too, by the way)

Give the Zoop half an hour to work, then rinse again with cool, clear water. If that removes the spot, use a hair dryer on a cool setting.

If the blood remains, get a full release before applying 3% peroxide. Even mild 3% peroxide can lighten such a stain. Allow several minutes for the peroxide to work, then rinse the fabric again with clear water. Dry quickly again.

High pH protein spotters, such as Prochem or Bridgepoint Protein Spotter may work, but are usually between 10-11 on the pH scale, and almost always will pull color from natural fiber fabrics. Be VERY wary of such products and never use them without extensive pretesting and a release signed whatever your test results show.

I hope this helped.

Jim