Most Common "Problem" Upholstery Fabric

[Jim Pemberton]

I can only go by what I get calls and emails about, so I'd like some feedback on what you are seeing.

The poll is part of it, but please post your experiences too.

I'll let you know what I'm encountering after we get some discussion going.

 

[ascrubabove]

I have a few custys with linnen type uph, almost like a 800 thread count sheet, tag said it was cotton, one of them was a very light blue, big pita to clean cause as soon as you agitate it gets fuzzy and the weave is so tight and small it won't release the soil

 

[Mikey P]

Nice to see you again Jim!

 

[steve g]

the biggest problem I have is fabrics that just will not clean worth a shit and nothing can be used to change it. so I guess that would be in the heavily soiled catagory. The white fabrics can be managed, bascially use mild products with those. if its a colorfast issue that is operator error because that can be checked before hand.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Nice to see you again Jim!

Nice to be able to see again, if still somewhat poorly

Thanks Mike.

 

[ruff]

Definitely upholstery that was let go too long and is very heavily soiled.
It requires heavy agitation or very strong cleaners but can not take it.

 

[The Great Oz]

I guess I'm the only one that doesn't like color-losing fabric. From denim (or any other 100% cotton) to prints and poorly dyed weaves, these cause more difficult to explain problems and present unique challenges to removing spots.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

New Chinese furniture with inaccurate or missing wearcare info.

 

[XTREME1]

100% cotton prints mostly from Bauhaus and a few others or certain linen and cottons from Pottery Barn. My problem is they don't loo so great damp when I leave but look awesome dried but sound like a used car salesman explaining it as I am leaving with a check

 

[Royal Man]

New Chinese furniture with inaccurate or missing wearcare info.

1.First rule of fabric cleaning,

Never, never trust a tag.

 

[ruff]

Actually when I had my first upholstery cleaning class, I think it was Tom Sheppard.

Anyhow, he suggested, half in jest, that when the client doesn't look to tear them off and throw away.

 

[Hoody]

[quote="Lee Stockwell":2g406hz0]New Chinese furniture with inaccurate or missing wearcare info.

1.First rule of fabric cleaning,

Never, never trust a tag.[/quote:2g406hz0]

True, but that may also cause problems for the consumer on proper maintenance in between professional cleanings.

 

[XTREME1]

or maybe you could explain the tag and what it means and point out the problems with following those direction and give them the more expensive better option or what the tag says

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Thank you all for your participation. If anyone else wants to chime in, please do.

The reason I put up this poll was to help to confirm nearly a year of research that I've been doing in upholstery cleaning. I decided at that time to resign from teaching IICRC certification courses (though am still a board member and supporter of the IICRC) to teach classes that reflected the most current issues that cleaners face.

"Natural Whites", "Textures" (of which velvet has a far smaller part to play today), and mostly "Poor Cleaning Results" do seem to be the 21st century challenges that need to be addressed in the classroom today.

My participation in Mikeysboard from its inception was to get information from cleaners I would not otherwise meet in my showroom or classroom.

Thank you for this assistance, and all the help so many of you have been to me here over the years.

I'm a better trainer and consultant because of your help.

 

[Jay D]

And the answer IS? I know, "how do you keep a idiot in suspence? I'll tell you later." :roll:

 

[Danny Strickland]

Jim, i have to say that the Denim fabric has to be the biggest PITA to clean. do you have some tips on a tool or something that will work on such material???

PS i wish you'd bring yore classroom to FLA, i'd even set up a 2 day class for you to bring it down!!!

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Jay

I don't think there is enough data here or in my research to give you a "#1"

I can say that more cleaners lose money in refunds, customer dissatisfaction, and/or "money losing jobs" than they do in damage claims, so my guess is the biggest problem is stuff that just resists all your efforts to get it clean.

I have some tips in my class to improve results, but the real answer is helping your customer understand that "fine fabrics" need to be cleaned when they look dull, not when they become stained or evidently dirty.

Danny

I'm traveling more than I want to, and perhaps you'll see me nearby in the future. The class is only one day though. I've stripped out the stuff that most classes (including the ones I used to teach) cover that you don't need to know in facing your day to day cleaning challenges.

 

[Bob Savage]

IMO, some cleaners are leery about getting aggressive when cleaning heavily soiled or stained upholstery.

They are concerned about getting the upholstery "too wet".

The only upholstery I have ever had to be really careful with is Haitian cotton. If you get that wet, it will turn orange, so it needs extra care, and a special process, when cleaning.

I haven't seen any Haitian cotton in decades.

Cleaners are also afraid of white. I can't tell you how many white upholstery I've cleaned that had been turned down by other cleaners because it was white, or they told the homeowner that white upholstery has to be specially dry cleaned.

 

[Contemporary Carpet Clean]

I agree with many of the other posts. Anything cotton is a bastard if not impossible. The blue/denim material is also really tough. Microfiber cleans well, but make sure you do not have the upholestry tool lines/patterns left in the material. When microfiber dries some of those lines are hard to remove. When custys spot clean microfiber on there own, the spot cleaning leaves black/brown rings on the material. Any fiber that is smooth like a bed sheet and is heavily soiled....forget about getting that to look great again. Some pure white stuff is a bastard too, but you can usually make it look alot better. We use the hydramaster/drimaster tools and since using those we do not have problems with bleeders/double material fabrics.

When we see these materials we do one of two things. One, tell them that the material might not/probably will not clean up well or perfect. Two, tell them we can clean the dirtiest part and see how they like it. If they like it continue, if not do not charge them and move on. I have done the free sample and sometimes it cleans right up(probably staingarded) and other times it doesn't but makes you look like a hero for being honest and not wasting the custys money. Plus they won't call someone else, because you just showed them the results. Sometimes people say just do it anyway, as they just want to know its clean even though the spots and soil/wear does not come out.

WHY CAN'T ALL MATERIAL BE HERCULON!!! YOU CAN'T KILL THAT STUFF!