Jim Pemberton
MB Exclusive.
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2006
- Messages
- 12,065
- Name
- Jim Pemberton
Three Reasons Not To Clean Upholstery with Carpet Cleaning Products!
by Jim Pemberton - Fabric Pro Specialist
One of the most common questions that I get as a trainer/consultant is this:
"Why can't I clean upholstery with my carpet cleaning stuff?"
While it surely would seem to be simpler to use your carpet cleaning products on upholstery, here are three very good reasons that will help you to understand why that is not a good practice:
#1 - What is in Carpet Cleaning Products? (Traffic Lane Cleaners and Detergents):
Many traffic lane pre-sprays for carpet, especially those used for restaurant and rental property carpet, are highly alkaline detergents with wetting agents designed for carpet fibers. These products are likely to cause color loss, color bleeding, and/or cellulose browning if they are used on natural fiber fabrics, and even some synthetics.
Carpet detergents likewise may have a very high pH and wetting agents that can create problems as well !
THIS COLOR DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY THE USE OF CARPET CLEANING DETERGENTS!
#2 - What is in Upholstery Cleaning Products?
It's a commonly held (and mistaken) belief that upholstery cleaning products are simply weaker and/or more dilute versions of carpet cleaning detergents. This fallacy causes some cleaners to think they can just use half as much of their carpet cleaning detergent and they'll be safe.
This is untrue, and will likely cause two things to occur:
{A}: Product won't work as well on a heavily soiled, synthetic upholstery fabric.
{B}: Product will still be nearly as unsafe! - Most carpet cleaning products are buffered to maintain pH even when diluted.
Upholstery cleaning products designed for synthetic upholstery fiber fabrics are often alkaline, have solvent boosters built in, and have wetting agents that are better to use for upholstery fabrics. These products will work as well as, and far more safely than, most traffic lane cleaners.
There are neutral and acidic detergents designed for natural fiber fabrics that are not as good at removing heavily imbedded soils and stains than some alkaline detergents can. They are safer for fabrics with such fibers, and will keep you out of trouble, while giving you the best possible cleaning within the boundaries of safety that you and your customer must be aware.
#3 - The Nature of Employees (and Owner/Operators).
If you allow your employees (or yourself) to fall into the habit of using carpet cleaning pre-sprays and detergents on fabrics that you think, or have even tested, and found to be safe at times, you leave the door open for using the products at the WRONG time when you are in a hurry, haven't tested, or just aren't thinking that day.
The majority of the most expensive claims that I've been asked to be involved with have not been caused by new or inexperienced cleaners, but instead seasoned veterans who fell into bad habits.
Three Keys to Avoiding Most Damage Claims:
You can prevent most damage claims by following these rules on every cleaning job, no matter how low the perceived risk, or how high the soil level:
Key #1 - Always Test, Inspect, and Qualify:
Soil levels are the fault of your customer, and fabrics that have been abused should not require risky heroics on your part without your customer assuming the risks. Better yet, don't clean things that cannot be cleaned safely.
Key #2 - Always Use The Right Stuff:
If your testing tells you that the fabric contains durable, colorfast, synthetic fibers, then use an aggressive pre-spray made for upholstery, not traffic lane cleaner. Certainly if your testing reveals something sensitive to damage, use the safest possible cleaners for natural fibers.
Key #3 - Always Take Your Time:
Most problems caused by cleaners are caused by being in a hurry. If you are in a hurry, you won't test, you won't stop and talk to the customer about issues with the fabric, and you'll likely use the wrong products.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you would like to learn more about how you can get spectacular results without resorting to unsafe carpet cleaning products or risky procedures, join me at our next Fabric Pro Workshop.
*********************************************
by Jim Pemberton - Fabric Pro Specialist
One of the most common questions that I get as a trainer/consultant is this:
"Why can't I clean upholstery with my carpet cleaning stuff?"
While it surely would seem to be simpler to use your carpet cleaning products on upholstery, here are three very good reasons that will help you to understand why that is not a good practice:
#1 - What is in Carpet Cleaning Products? (Traffic Lane Cleaners and Detergents):
Many traffic lane pre-sprays for carpet, especially those used for restaurant and rental property carpet, are highly alkaline detergents with wetting agents designed for carpet fibers. These products are likely to cause color loss, color bleeding, and/or cellulose browning if they are used on natural fiber fabrics, and even some synthetics.
Carpet detergents likewise may have a very high pH and wetting agents that can create problems as well !
THIS COLOR DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY THE USE OF CARPET CLEANING DETERGENTS!
#2 - What is in Upholstery Cleaning Products?
It's a commonly held (and mistaken) belief that upholstery cleaning products are simply weaker and/or more dilute versions of carpet cleaning detergents. This fallacy causes some cleaners to think they can just use half as much of their carpet cleaning detergent and they'll be safe.
This is untrue, and will likely cause two things to occur:
{A}: Product won't work as well on a heavily soiled, synthetic upholstery fabric.
{B}: Product will still be nearly as unsafe! - Most carpet cleaning products are buffered to maintain pH even when diluted.
Upholstery cleaning products designed for synthetic upholstery fiber fabrics are often alkaline, have solvent boosters built in, and have wetting agents that are better to use for upholstery fabrics. These products will work as well as, and far more safely than, most traffic lane cleaners.
There are neutral and acidic detergents designed for natural fiber fabrics that are not as good at removing heavily imbedded soils and stains than some alkaline detergents can. They are safer for fabrics with such fibers, and will keep you out of trouble, while giving you the best possible cleaning within the boundaries of safety that you and your customer must be aware.
#3 - The Nature of Employees (and Owner/Operators).
If you allow your employees (or yourself) to fall into the habit of using carpet cleaning pre-sprays and detergents on fabrics that you think, or have even tested, and found to be safe at times, you leave the door open for using the products at the WRONG time when you are in a hurry, haven't tested, or just aren't thinking that day.
The majority of the most expensive claims that I've been asked to be involved with have not been caused by new or inexperienced cleaners, but instead seasoned veterans who fell into bad habits.
Three Keys to Avoiding Most Damage Claims:
You can prevent most damage claims by following these rules on every cleaning job, no matter how low the perceived risk, or how high the soil level:
Key #1 - Always Test, Inspect, and Qualify:
Soil levels are the fault of your customer, and fabrics that have been abused should not require risky heroics on your part without your customer assuming the risks. Better yet, don't clean things that cannot be cleaned safely.
Key #2 - Always Use The Right Stuff:
If your testing tells you that the fabric contains durable, colorfast, synthetic fibers, then use an aggressive pre-spray made for upholstery, not traffic lane cleaner. Certainly if your testing reveals something sensitive to damage, use the safest possible cleaners for natural fibers.
Key #3 - Always Take Your Time:
Most problems caused by cleaners are caused by being in a hurry. If you are in a hurry, you won't test, you won't stop and talk to the customer about issues with the fabric, and you'll likely use the wrong products.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you would like to learn more about how you can get spectacular results without resorting to unsafe carpet cleaning products or risky procedures, join me at our next Fabric Pro Workshop.
*********************************************
