Clean It Up

UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: david@zap-clean on March 07, 2014, 11:29:28 am

Title: Its' a write-off
Post by: david@zap-clean on March 07, 2014, 11:29:28 am
I was asked to clean this yesterday... It's a viscose pile 2 seater, with lots of red wine staining.  Customer had tried everything to remove the stains before I arrived. 

In my opinion it's beyond restoration - what do you think:

(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1394191756_IMG-20140306-00246.jpg)
Title: Re: Its' a write-off
Post by: Kev Loomes on March 07, 2014, 11:47:20 am
Jeez that looks bad, looks like they have just knackered it unfortunately. Funnily enough I wrote a short article on this a couple of days ago

http://clean-pro.co.uk/Carpet_Cleaning_Blog.htm#How_Water_Can_Ruin_Your_Suite
Title: Re: Its' a write-off
Post by: Dennis on March 07, 2014, 12:04:07 pm
(http://www.bbskips.co.uk/images/hp/photo-03.jpg)
Title: Re: Its' a write-off
Post by: Deep Cleaning Solutions on March 07, 2014, 01:09:35 pm
If the cushions aren't fixed then just tell them to turn them around.  ;D
Title: Re: Its' a write-off
Post by: Neil Jones on March 07, 2014, 01:17:46 pm
Skip it but take a cushion home to see how far you can go with it and with what
Title: Re: Its' a write-off
Post by: david@zap-clean on March 07, 2014, 01:22:28 pm
Skip it but take a cushion home to see how far you can go with it and with what

For the record, I discussed the problem with the customer and we agreed for me to 'have a go' - I reduced the red staining a bit using Chemspec products, then wet cleaned the whole thing knowing full well it was going to effect the pile.  Finally, terry towel pile combing made the best of a difficult job.
Title: Re: Its' a write-off
Post by: derek west on March 07, 2014, 01:23:07 pm
How much do they want to pay? i can sort that no problem.













































my mates an upholsterer  ;D
Title: Re: Its' a write-off
Post by: david@zap-clean on March 07, 2014, 01:25:05 pm
How much do they want to pay? i can sort that no problem.

my mates an upholsterer  ;D

...ummm, not such a daft answer that Derek...
Maybe I should make similar links around here.
Title: Re: Its' a write-off
Post by: benny d on March 07, 2014, 04:54:04 pm
Looks like Fred West's sofa...
Title: Re: Its' a write-off
Post by: Radek Jablonski on March 07, 2014, 09:29:48 pm
Customer had tried everything to remove the stains before I arrived.  

Why did she/he continued to clean all the stains seeing the first one got damage?
Red looks like damage done by chemicals used to clean it. Not like red wine.
Seen the same, footstool damaged by vanish, exactly the same look on the same I presume fabric.
Title: Re: Its' a write-off
Post by: Carpet Dawg on March 07, 2014, 09:43:01 pm
Hang on, the original colour of that sofa is red is it not? i.e. that red patch you see is the original colour, not a splash of wine.

The red on the scatter cushion is red wine from the looks of it.

I've wet cleaned a few like these in the past and come up great.

I actually have a picture of a green one I cleaned that I'm going to put on my site. Cleaned it twice now, belongs to a restaurant owner who paid £4500 for it. Couldn't test for viscose and it had no labels. Low psi, lots of dry strokes, air mover and lots of towel wiping. No problems.

Just test a small patch at the back with the cleaning products you are going to use. Dry it with a hair dryer. If it looks like its knackard then walk, other wise 98% of the time it'll be fine. Don't be so feared lol
Title: Re: Its' a write-off
Post by: Kev Loomes on March 07, 2014, 10:14:23 pm
The sofa is clearly brown and viscose, to me anyway.

The red wine has been spilt on the 2 cushions, scatter cushion and even the arm (LHF), god knows how lol. It appears that the custy has attempted to clean the arm and the cushion to no avail causing damage, and stopped there.

Some of the main areas have also gone lighter but this could be due to either wear (normal colour loss) or again from wear - but the fibres have lost their shape and thus give the appearance of colour loss (as in the water damage areas).

It's always wise to apply a protector to these to help the water element in spills from causing this swelling of the fibres.

Some older viscose suites could be wet cleaned because of their shape loss, but there is a risk of fibre weakening. There is no way I would HWE a newish suite without wanting to own it (we have one to do next week but this will be dry cleaned).

Viscose mixes are a completely different story of course - depending on the % can usually be wet cleaned without issue - sometimes its hard to tell so a test will clarify. Just my opinion of course.
Title: Re: Its' a write-off
Post by: Carpet Dawg on March 07, 2014, 10:25:32 pm
I thought that was that was the back. I just realised that's the seating cushion that's been lifted up. I was thinking there is no way wine can appear on several locations on the back cushions.
 
Title: Re: Its' a write-off
Post by: david@zap-clean on March 08, 2014, 07:54:25 am
Bring back Draylon!  That was/is a fantastic fabric for upholstery.
Title: Re: Its' a write-off
Post by: stuart_clark on March 08, 2014, 07:59:38 am
Are you sure its not cotton velvet ? They both react the same from water ie pile distortion! Viscose normally goes likewet fur but you cant  restore the pile afterwards ! But with cotton velvet you can
Title: Re: Its' a write-off
Post by: david@zap-clean on March 08, 2014, 08:02:06 am
It's gold coloured. 

Cotton velvet would not be a shiny as this.  One of the appeals of Viscose fabric is it's shiny, silk-like appearance.
Title: Re: Its' a write-off
Post by: stuart_clark on March 08, 2014, 08:30:36 am
Dave

how long have you been an ncca membrr mate ?
Title: Re: Its' a write-off
Post by: david@zap-clean on March 08, 2014, 12:05:07 pm
Dave

how long have you been an ncca membrr mate ?
I joined in 2011
Title: Re: Its' a write-off
Post by: stuart_clark on March 08, 2014, 12:28:50 pm
ok Mate, I just noticed your membership number been quite high numerically that's all , mine is much lower !Lol
Title: Re: Its' a write-off
Post by: Dave_Lee on March 09, 2014, 12:17:51 am
Are you sure its not cotton velvet ? They both react the same from water ie pile distortion! Viscose normally goes likewet fur but you cant  restore the pile afterwards ! But with cotton velvet you can

First thing I thought when I saw that photo was that it is Cotton velvet, not viscose, same problem though, water distorts the pile.
Dave.
Title: Re: Its' a write-off
Post by: Paul Moss on March 09, 2014, 08:57:55 am
It's gold coloured. 

Cotton velvet would not be a shiny as this.  One of the appeals of Viscose fabric is it's shiny, silk-like appearance.
This fabric is a viscose and polyester mix, it's the poly that gives it the smooth feel and shines look. This mix of fabric will turn to lots of funny colours with different chemicals. Pink and a burnt brown colour are what I normally see when called into rectify problems.
This upholstery is very tricky to wet clean.
Title: Re: Its' a write-off
Post by: david@zap-clean on March 09, 2014, 06:15:52 pm
Paul (Moss) - so is it possible to rectify this colour change?

I did wet clean it... Sapphire hand tool and terry towel off seemed 'adequate' considering the original state it was in.