FAQs - Acrylic / Cotton Upholstery Fabric

Question -

Subject: Acrylic/cotton upholstery fabric

At least that's what the Interior Designer said the fabric is according to her records on a chair I am to clean. It's red and off white. There is no place to cut a sample to test. -- This designer keeps all records so I trust what she sold her customer.

I'm thinking to treat it as a natural, should I use the shampoo made for problem wool rugs. I typically shampoo and steam/rinse. Otherwise I have foam solvent. There may be a slight chance I have cotton shampoo.

Tips?

Thanks
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Answer:
Subject: Acrylic/cotton upholstery fabric

Acrylic is the only synthetic fiber that I've known to bleed. I'd feel more comfortable with the Mastertech Shampoo than the cotton shampoo, as the red might fade from the reducing agent in the cotton shampoo. Foam Solvent Shampoo would even be safer (acid pH).

Do your rinse with Fabset or All Fiber Rinse with lukewarm water, dry it fast, and you should be fine.

Do a color test of course.

Jim

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 - Is It Really Possible to Dry Carpet Before Leaving the Job?

Question:
Hey Jim,
Do you have some thoughts on this Dri-Eaz Studebaker AirPath? I heard that the carpet dries when you leave the job.

-------------------------------Answer:
Thanks for your interest in the Dri-Eaz AirPath.

The speed of which the Airpath will dry a carpet varies with the cleaning method used, the carpet fiber type, and the atmospheric conditions in the structure.

More simply put:
Heavily soiled carpets that require extensive preconditioning treatments take longer to dry.

Carpets cleaned with portable machines with weak vacuum and high pressure pumps take longer to dry.

Wool carpet takes longer to dry than do synthetic fiber carpets.

Carpet cleaned in a dwelling without air conditioning when there is high humidity outside will take longer to dry.

Homes where the entire carpet as well as the upholstery is cleaned, will generate a great deal more water vapor during the evaporation process, and will take longer to dry than they might when only a living room, dining room, and a hallway or stairs are cleaned.

Carpets that have protector applied will take longer to dry.

With all of the above factors in mind, our experience has been that nylon carpet cleaned in an environment of controlled humidity (A/C in summer, as an example) with a truck mount system in good operating condition and 300 CFM or more airflow will dry in about 15 minutes in the room that the AirPath is running. If you add any of the above factors into the equation, the drying time can extend to a few hours or more even with the AirPath.

Jim Pemberton-------------------------------Question:
My equipment has a vacuum 16" Hg: 280 CFM with installed SOVC. I always connect
my auto pump out for my recovery tank and also a inline aqua filter to reduce
debris getting inside the recovery tank. My question is: Will the CFM decrease?
Jim, thank you for your response about the performance of Dri-Eaz Studebaker AirPath.-------------------------------Answer:
Your equipment specifications are such that you should be able to have carpet fairly dry if not dry when you leave the job, although you should still bear in mind the variables of "heavy preconditioning wetting", wool absorbency, the extra moisture left behind after protector application, and the environmental conditions.

In line filtration devices are a great convenience, and will help to prevent clogging in your automatic pump out. However, they do restrict airflow; the amount of which varies somewhat with design, but mostly with how often you clean the filter.

Jim

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 - Paste Wax on Old Wood Floor

Question -
Morning,

I was looking over your website & I have a few questions about the Bridgepoint Wood Floor Systems.

I have an older hardwood floor in a nursing home. They have preferred it to be top coated with a paste wax for the urethane.

It has become increasingly harder to find the paste wax. I particularly do not like it as it doesn't take too much traffic to really dig into the paste wax.

My question being...would it be possible to clean the floor, use a maroon pad to clean and rough up what is left of that paste wax and then apply a Bridgepoint finish? My fear would be trying to get all that old paste wax off with mineral spirits.

Thanks for your help.

----------------------
Answer -
Hello,

We appreciate your interest in our product line, but in this case must let you know that our Bridgepoint Wood Floor Systems will not be of any help to you.

Paste wax, once applied to a wood floor, makes our system unusable. No matter how much scrubbing and stripping that you do, the residues of that paste wax will keep the finish from adhering, and it will peel off like skin after a sunburn.

Your only option is to have the floor sanded and a fresh coat of polyurethane finish applied by a wood floor restoration specialist.

Again, thank you for your interest in our products. We hope you'll try some of our carpet cleaners, spotters, and deodorizers some time when the need arises.

Jim Pemberton

FAQs - Remove Allergens from the Home

Question - Hey Jim,

I have a friend that contacted me to ask what product she could use to remove allergens from her home, she just found out her daughter was allergic to cats.

Would you be able to recommend the proper procedures and any products that would be of help?

Thank you

-----------------------------
Answer - Hi Don,

The first, and most important issue that you must address regarding any allergy issue is that the child is under the care of a qualified specialist. Do not allow yourself to be put in the position of diagnosis or promises of cures of things as complex as allergies.

Here are some things you must know before you engage in any cleaning and treating processes:

1. Is the cat still in the home? Much like pet odor issues, you may be able to lessen the child's discomfort with the treatments that are available, but there is no 100% relief available as long as a cat remains there to "re-pollute" the environment.
2. What type of heating system in in the home? If it is forced air, then the furnace filter should be changed and treated with Anti Allergen Filter Treatment. If the contamination of the ductwork is severe (animal hair visible in registers when inspected with a flashlight), duct cleaning by a air duct cleaning specialist would also be recommended.
3. Are there rooms in the home that the child finds herself most uncomfortable? Those rooms would need more treatment.
4. The treatment itself will require vacuuming of all textile surfaces with a vacuum cleaner that has true HEPA filtration. Afterward, the carpet, upholstery,and the child's mattress should be cleaned with Anti Allergen Prespray and Anti Allergen Fiber Rinse. A final application of Anti Allergen Treatment should be applied to the carpet, mattress, and windowsills in her bedroom at a minimum, and the carpet and upholstery in the entire home if necessary.

If done properly, and IF the cat is absent from the home, the child should have noticeable relief within three days. Cleaning professionals usually make the guarantee that if such improvement is not noticed (with the cat absent), there will be a refund for the treatment (not for the cleaning, of course).

If you have further questions on this process, feel free to email me back.

Jim
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Response

Hey Jim,

Thank you very much for your excellent technical advice and for your time. This is the reason I purchase all of my carpet cleaning supplies from your company, your knowledge and quality products (even though I have a very small company).

I will pass this information on and see if they would like me provide the services needed, if so, I will purchase the products from your company.

Thanks again

FAQs - Chair Turned Pink

Question:

Hey Jim

I just got a call from a customer that I cleaned for yesterday. She says her beige cotton chair turned pink after I cleaned it. I finished with an acid rinse like I was taught to do, so why did this happen to me? Should I just spray it with a stronger solution of acid rinse, or maybe use a strong acid browning treatment?

Answer:

In most cases its safest to rinse cottons and other natural fibers on the acid side. Its great for preventing cellulose browning and color bleeding, both of which are more difficult to correct than your problem, which we hear of only a few times a year.

Here is my comment on your problem . . .

Some of the dyes used in fabric react with acid side cleaners (like your acid rinse) and appear to turn the fabric pink. The simplest solution is to buy household ammonia (not the sudsy or scented kind) and test an area to see if that makes it go away.

Most of the time it will.

If it works, spray the fabric with the ammonia, and within a few minutes the color will revert to normal and the odor will also go away.

In rare occasions, the pink color comes back after the ammonia leaves the fabric. If THAT happens, you have a bit of a tougher job ahead of you.

You'll need to spray the fabric with an alkaline prespray that does not self neutralize in the way that ammonia does. Bridgepoint Avenge Heavy Duty Prespray or either Prochem or Bridgepoint Protein Spotter will work. BUT either can cause color bleeding or fading, so test them carefully.

You then cannot rinse these materials with an acid rinse, or the pink will return. Instead, extract, using a neutral or mildly alkaline product formulated for cleaning upholstery, such as Bridgepoint Avenge Clean Rinse or Prochem Liquid Pro.

This should leave the fabric in a "safe" alkaline condition to prevent the pink haze, BUT might now contribute to "browning". Because of this, speed drying afterward is critical. You should consider packing the tops of the arms and cushions with an absorbent compound, such as Bridgepoint Stain Absorb. This product will absorb moisture and any browning and can be vacuumed away after the fabric is dry.

Jim

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

-------------------------
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
-------------------------
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 - Specialty Antique Brick Floor

Q - Jim,

I have a valuable customer who purchases quite a few services from us each year.

We clean thousands of $$ worth of Orientals each year, and just completed a $2,000 duct job for her.

She has a kitchen floor that is constructed using the bricks of demolished French Cottages. The grout is mortar. The bricks are red. She thinks they were sealed when installed 10 or so years ago.

Your thoughts on cleaning this stuff, please.

Secondly. I have a question regarding successful commercial tile and grout cleaning being done. Is anyone using high speed t&g equipment? (Seems I recall seeing a dual head spinner somewhere).

Thanks
------------------------------
A - Customers like her make up for the nickle and dime ones who demand champagne service for beer pricing.

Your should be able to clean the brick just like ceramic tile. Here is my only concern: Efflorescence. Do you remember the grout lines in the assembly hall you and I worked on where we needed acid to correct the white haze in the grout?

Some types of brick do that all over the brick, not the grout. No real way to know ahead of time.

So I'd look at trying to first clean it with a milder tile product (Spinergy 7) and a floor scrubber, followed by a clear water rinse with your SX12. If the brick is very uneven, it may need wet vacuumed with a floor attachment with a flexible squeegee head.

If that doesn't clean it, prespray with Spinergy 11, but do not allow more than about 5 minutes of dwell time before rinsing in the same fashion with the SX12, but now you can run Spinergy 7 through the machine.

If there is any efflorescence after it dries, try to remove it dry with a green pad run "dry" on a scrubber. If that doesn't work, try Viper Renew, but pretest to make sure it doesn't etch the brick so badly that it gets a washed out look.

Obviously you want a release.

We have nothing larger for T & G cleaning. If there is, be aware of the need to limit jet size so that you don't get pressure and volume loss on your machine.

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

Q - Jim,

The "dry green pad" is totally new to me. Can you elaborate on that. Also, what else are green pads used for. How are they as to aggressiveness compared to other colored pads.

Thanks

A - The green pad is usually used for scrubbing of tile floors without stripping. Both it and the slightly less aggressive blue pad are used for this purpose. The next more aggressive is the brown pad for light stripping. The next less aggressive (after blue) is the red pad.

Using the green pad "dry" simply means you apply no moisture to the surface, but just use the pad to aggressively brush off the mineral residue. By adding no water, you don't get any more efflorescence.

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