Does Urine Weaken Fibers?

[Newman]

I could not come up with a phrase that would let Lord Google answer this for me.

New customer, 9000 F2 home. So if little precious pisses on Mrs. Finkelbeans sofa skirt, is there a chance that the urine contamination will weaken the fibers? Looking for a scientific answer so I can speak intelligently. (insert smart ass remark here)

My guy was cleaning this sofa today. Mrs. Finkelbeans wanted only the pissed on skirt cleaned. Went all around the sofa and it tore on this last area. We use Sapphire Scientific upholstery tools.

Note the piss damage on the hardwood. This is a close up of the skirt.

 

[Jimmy L]

Degradation on fibers due to piss
You agreed to clean it so.............

Sometimes ya gotta pass

But you can explain to her what it is.................after the fact

 

[Newman]

Degradation on fibers due to piss
You agreed to clean it so.............

Sometimes ya gotta pass

But you can explain to her what it is.................after the fact

Yes, I have accepted responsibility and called my upholstery goddess for repairs.

 

[Hack Attack]

from pic looks like its torn higher than the urine staining, but there is colour change so possibly uv damage?

 

[Cleanworks]

Almost looks like a knife slash.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

The fabric doesn't look urine damaged where its been split.

If she has used peroxide or oxiclean on it in the past in that area, both will weaken cellulose fibers over time if its been repeatedly applied.

If the fabric was made of viscose or rayon, both of those fibers become weaker when wet, and you can get that kind of damage if the vacuum on your tool was on the strong side.

I've done both: Weakened fabrics with too much oxidizer, and split them with too much vacuum when weakened by water.

I've seen urine damage jute backed carpet and rugs, but not in the way that damage appears.

 

[Nomad74]

Urine strengthens my bank account.

 

[Newman]

If she has used peroxide or oxiclean on it in the past in that area, both will weaken cellulose fibers over time if its been repeatedly applied.

Thank you Jim, I did not think of that. Now to get her to admitting that she treated it...

 

[Doug Rice]

Tell her you will have a chemical analysis done to check what might have caused the condition.
You might also ask if she used Clorox Urine Stain Remover or Oxiclean? Give her a choice and she might pick one or give you the name of the one she used.
It's amazing what people admit when they start talking.

 

[J Scott W]

Jim was up early (or maybe it was the Eastern time zone) and covered most of the key points. I will add that the fiber matters. Urine is more likely to damage natural fibers, especially as ammonia is formed raising the pH.