[neil 47]

I went to a house today and the customer had a white suite made of what looked like toweling the cushions (suite city)were black with dirt and only 6 months old .
i asked if he could put the cushions in the wash as i didn,t think i would be able to do a lot with them due to the amount of soiling.
He said he had it protected by Gaurdsman and they had said if he did this it would invalidate his protector, which has a 5 year garuantee.

What do they recommend for cleaning this?
He paid £360 for this thinking dirt would just come off it
 thanks for any suggestions 

Neil

[Karl Wildey]

I think it says in the Guardsman small print that if you touch this, you invalidate his guardsman protection.
So don't touch it, get the client to contact Guardsman first, saying suite is filthy and what should he do. They will send a chemical in the post which won't work and then he can get a guardsman cleaner in (safeclean) or you, if allowed.

If you clean the suite and it goes pear shaped you will have a client moaning about the suite and the waste of guardsman protection.( two nags in one clean).

Think about it, how seriously do you need to clean a white suite?

P.S. Why do people buy white suites and carpets?

[dave401uk]

the problem lies with the protector,it is i belive silocone based,
Ive come across this a number of times,most recently on to of the same DFS suite,s

The first i cleaned in the normal way , and no big improvement, the second i did with M/S
I sprayed the whole suite with no2, then a mist of eco spotter,then brushed for ages!

the results were as far apart as you could get,
the second suite was clean, and the client happy,the first client was also happy,but i wasnt.

hope this helps,


dave

[neil 47]

thanks dave and karl, I wont be touching this suite as even  with m/s i dont think the cushion will ever come back to white as his daughter rides horses then comes in from the stables and sit,s on it while still mucky so they have ingrained dirt.
thanks for the advice

 Neil

[dave401uk]

the best choice by far :

Dave.

[david_m]

what about oxybrite from prochem
have used this befor on white suites with very  good results
 
     davy

[neil 47]

Dave
The customer is going to try and claim through gaurdsman .
Then if he cant get them to replace it or clean it .
i will have a go with the oxybrite to see if its any good thanks

   Neil

[paulchambers]

Ring copperhouse he may be able to help   

[doug@munters]

 hi first post.......i think you will find guardsman will boot out the claim they are providing a stain protectant and will deal with a specific stain but doubt they will allow a complete suite clean if it is just soil build up,used to get the same poop from scotchguard etc,they may well let safeclean do a specific panel/cushion but theres just no way they will pay them to clean it all

suggest you get her to sign disclaimer before you clean it and play down the result you expect you never know it might just clean up brilliantly

good luck

doug

[Derek]

Firstly I think you will find that for many years now Guardsman fabric protector has been a fluorochemical treatment.

With regard to warranties and me being one of the 'Scotchgard nuts' that Doug mentioned...you have to bare in mind that every case is not clearcut. 3M certainly bent over backwards to deal with warranty claims often well above what was required.
The main reason why warranties changed by all Companies issuing them was that they were continually being exploited by some individuals... you wouldn't believe some of the ploys used.

Derek

[Mike Halliday]

Why blame the protector, I always believe that protectors make the suite easier to clean not keep it clean. I've cleaned this fabric many times ( often it is white or cream) with great results. If its really bad even if you remove 50% of the dirt the result will be pleasing to the customer.

Don't guardsmen insist on the protector being topped up every 18mths?

if this was my clean I'd tell the customer that I'll book an appiontment and clean the first ( and worse cushion) first, if they are happy with the result I'd continue, if not I'll pack up and call it quits.
MIke

[Dynafoam]

if this was my clean I'd tell the customer that I'll book an appointment and clean the first ( and worse cushion) first, if they are happy with the result I'd continue, if not I'll pack up and call it quits.
MIke

A very sensible approach.

I have used it where I either feel that indelible stains will look worse when the surrounding fabric is clean, or where general wear-and-tear is going to be more apparent after the covering of surface soil is removed.

[woodman]

Hi John

I do the same thing and can only remember once when the customer asked me not to go any further and paid for just the call out.

Even when the results of the test clean have been disapointing usually they ask you to continue as they are comforted by the fact that at least it will be clean if not stain free.

[neil 47]

These cushions do zip off wopuld any of you reccommed putting them in the washer and then just doing the carcase thanks


 Neil
ps paul I phoned and hes is booked up solid with work in ST Ives 

[Karl Wildey]

If the guy has paid a guardsman protection, then he will be expecting a reasonable result, or he just wasted his money.
By cleaning the suite you may invalidate his guardsman warranty, is it really wirth the hassle.
As Neil states earlier let guardsman sort it and then if no luck try clean with oxibrite, m/s wahtever.

Mike - Protector only work when applied properly. Cleaned loads of shop protected suites, to find no protected applied, just the shop making a little extra dosh

[Len Gribble]

While taking to a regular customer today (even Tmers take time out to talk customers) she ask about red wine stains on her friends carpet she thinks it has been protected due to cost (bit like us really) my recommendation was to advise her friend to look at sales invoice to see if they have been charged to have it protected and proceed from there! Waiting for the phone call.

Len

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Derek does the Guardsman treatment still smell and knock you off your feet?

Shaun

PS how did you go on with your 'special' spotting machine was it what you expected?

[Derek]

I don't know whether Guardsman have reformulated to erradicate the smell...I do know that H & S regulations overall are pretty strict on spraying solvents in the home. rule of thumb is...'don't do it'!

The 'device' is not performing as I hoped it would as yet... I am arranging for the guy who lent it to me to find the time to pop round and exchange a few ideas.. logically it has to work... ongoing project.

Derek