Clean It Up

UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: homenclean on March 24, 2011, 06:39:08 pm

Title: Browning on cotton suite
Post by: homenclean on March 24, 2011, 06:39:08 pm
Cleaned a suite today - White cotton loose covers, fully machine washable (customer has washed odd cusion with no problem).

Lightly soilled, so no need for pre spray cleaned with Ashbys Fabric safe cleaner (which states for water sensative fabric) ph 8.5 then towled and dried with turbo drier. Only 2 scoops in ninja tank as recomened. Only used warm solution not hot.

Lady called me to have a look and it is drying with yellow patches here and there, some more obvious than others,

Contacted ashbys and spoke with Derick he was at a loss as i had done every thing right. He suggested wasing in machine to rinse it through.

Can any body shed any light on why this has happened obviously i Know that it has browned but what else could have gone wrong.

The customer was very good and did not kick up a fuss and actually said she didnt blame me. Did not charge for any off carpets or suite i have cleaned.

Comment and opinions would be appreciated.

Many thanks
John
Title: Re: Browning on cotton suite
Post by: davep on March 24, 2011, 06:41:54 pm
Conused as to why no prespray?
Title: Re: Browning on cotton suite
Post by: Bob Allen on March 24, 2011, 06:47:34 pm
I trust you will be charging her when everything is sorted?
Title: Re: Browning on cotton suite
Post by: homenclean on March 24, 2011, 07:06:25 pm
Very lightly soiled no visible stains, was only having cleade to freshern after been in storage 99 out off a hundred people wouldnt have had this cleaned.

Didnt over wet in fact when we took the cover off the base fabric was bone dry.
John
Title: Re: Browning on cotton suite
Post by: robert meldrum on March 24, 2011, 11:22:42 pm
Some white cotton suites used to have a tar in the fabric which reacted to the slightest hint of solvent which is in some chemicals.

I mention this as you say there are yellow PATCHES rather than yellowish  or  brownish  watermarks   ( browning )  which is usually easy to get rid of with a browning solution.

It's probably 25 years since I came across a Natural White cotton containing tar and can't remember the remedy if disolving took place.

I'm sure someone with a better memory will have the answer. If of course that is the problem !
Title: Re: Browning on cotton suite
Post by: Phillip Mold on March 25, 2011, 07:52:13 am
Had a very similar experience with a Linen suite last week, put it on the "other" board. Mine is now an insurance claim. Like yours, I thought if it was mine I would not have bothered cleaning it.
Title: Re: Browning on cotton suite
Post by: Peter Sweeney on March 25, 2011, 08:04:12 pm
Mix fibre and fabric rinse 1-1 with water. Spray and watch dissappear. Training?  ::)
Title: Re: Browning on cotton suite
Post by: Jamie Pearson on March 25, 2011, 11:05:45 pm
Any latex on back of fabric?
Title: Re: Browning on cotton suite
Post by: garybristow on March 26, 2011, 10:25:17 am
Could be a number of things but to rectify machine wash as label
Gary Bristowclean
Title: Re: Browning on cotton suite
Post by: Doctor Carpet (Ret'd) on March 26, 2011, 12:01:48 pm
Ethical dilemma.

Would you clean a suite with fully removable, washable covers-and presumably charge your normal rate for such-or point out that the client could simply put them in the wash an save a fortune on professional cleaning costs? (assuming you considered the client either had a suitable washing machine and were competent enough to do so.)

Rog
Title: Re: Browning on cotton suite
Post by: homenclean on March 27, 2011, 09:40:54 am
I am aware of what and how to rectify the problem but it was more why it happened, with a seamingly straight forward fabric.

Having tested it prior to clean and also been told by the customer she had cleaned a patch with a vax and washed a cusion cover in the machine.

Suggested she just washed it but she said she did not have the time or space to dry the covers.

Ihave spoke to Ashbys and prochem`s tech`s and they both have said i did not do any thing wrong in my approach.

They both seem as puzzeled as i do, and could only suggest that as it had been in storage it could have been rapped in polythene and got slightly damp.

John
Title: Re: Browning on cotton suite
Post by: homenclean on March 30, 2011, 05:23:18 pm
The lady telephoned the other day to say problem rectified by washing in machine but with plenty of time to soak, ie saturate the fabric.

I make evey effort to leave things as dry as poss and then this happens, soak the fabric and it goes away. makes no sense.

John
Title: Re: Browning on cotton suite
Post by: Steve Chapman on March 30, 2011, 05:55:18 pm
Let me get this straight, 

you cleaned a suite, it dried with yellow patches and you knew how to rectify it, but instead phoned ashbys, then didnt charge for anything, and didnt go back and rectify the situation but let her wash it in the washing machine,   ???

Is it just me or does this seem a bizarre way to deal with a customer  ???


Steve
Title: Re: Browning on cotton suite
Post by: homenclean on March 30, 2011, 08:07:07 pm
Whats is bizzare about it the problem has been rectified.

When the customer said she didnt blame me for what happened and insisted she ran it through the machine i was happy that i wasnt making an insurance claim.

I cleaned it exactly the right way, i did not use any aggresive cleaning products and dried it after cleaning. I telephned ashbys because i wanted to know if there was any underlaying problem, as i could see no reason why it browned.

As for not charging i did not charge for the suite, the carpets i was cleaning are to be paid for by the landlord.

All in all i am happy with the out come and so is the customer who has recomened me to her son.

She has how ever complained to the company who made the loose covers as they are supposed to be washable ie wet cleanable.

John