Browning on welts (Cotton Print)

[KevinD]

What is the best browning remover to use on welt areas. I have never had good results when this has happened.
I was cleaning a 3 piece synthetic sectional yesterday and the customer wanted to know IF I could clean the cushions on her 16 year old wicker set (cotton print). (Kid abused with a lot of stains).
I told her I would clean the worst one and dry it while working on the sectional so she could see the results. It turned out great so I cleaned the other 4 cushions and dried them the same way but all 4 of those welts browned. I don't know what caused it. There is a hard plastic bead sticking out of the ends of the welt and all I can see of the wrap around the plastic is white so I don't know how they browned out. She thought they looked great considering the condition they were in before but those 4 welts are bugging me.
I have to go back tomorrow to clean the carpeting so I would like to see if I could improve the welts. Any advice?

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Sometimes its just wicked soil Kevin. If the material was olefin, that can happen and look just like browning.

What I've done is this:

1. If you're sure that the fabric is 100% synthetic and that there is no celloluse material in the welt cord or underneath of the fabric, just take your upholstery preconditioner on a towel and pinch the cord and wipe it clean.

2. If you discover cellulose material anywhere in the welt or under the fabric, but the material on the surface of the cord is definately synthetic, wipe it with an acid tannin spotter (one that contains a surfactant, not just acetic acid).

3. If for some reason the stain itself is on cellulose material (perhaps the material is a blend), try some hot haitian cotton detergent on the towel.

The key for me has been not just the spraying on of the chemical, but also the suspension quality of the surfactant in the mix and wiping it with a towel.

Strong peroxide would be the last resort.

I hope all remains well in your world. Is Jim Potter still with us?

 

[KevinD]

Jim, the cotton prints were the ones that browned. The first one that I cleaned dried perfect. The following 4 cushions browned, cleaned and dried the same way, same material in the welts.
And yes Jim is still with us.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

If I had read your post more carefully I would have caught that Kevin.

Try #3.

Give my best to Jim.

 

[Harry Myers]

The welting inside is foam or plastic. It is not absorbing any moisture .It is making the cotton have a longer dry time. I would towel it on like Jim said. Than dry as fast as possible. I had a chair today cotton print . That chair was a pain in the neck. This is what I am finding out . Many people cause damage when cleaning than hide it with a reducer. I hate when things like that happen . Well it is taken care of now. This chair had red spots where there was no pattern go figure. It makes me wonder.

 

[Larry Cobb]

Kevin;

Jim has some good suggestions...

but I have had good success with a powder reducing agent in very hot water.
(our FiberBrite).

It is stronger than the Haitian Cotton formulation he suggested.

Larry

 

[KevinD]

I guess it was more soil than anything. I did not have any Haitian cleaner so I used a white towel dampened with a acid rinse. They looked good when I left considering these cushions were one step away from the curb before I cleaned them.