[derek west]

3 seater and a 2 seater, 90% viscose 10% linen.
never cleaned this material before and the training book scares the crap out of me when it comes to this stuff.
it weakens when wet, don't use heat, swells up.

am i worrying too much?

think someone might be getting a phone call in a bit

derek

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Do a small test on it, apply your product to a small area at the back of a cushion and gently rub it in with your fingers, if it feels weak then walk, if it goes rough then it may want dry cleaning so IMO walk, doesn't matter what name they call the fabric just look for the obvious, you are now getting carpet cleaners conscience and it can be a bad thing to have.

Shaun

[cleaningmaster]

Derek
Solvent (dry) clean it by hand, but test it first.
It will take longer by hand but add on 25% for solvent cost.
I wouldnt put water anywhere near it and if you have never done "dry" cleaning then walk, (problem is dry cleaning is easy, but only if youve done it)
As shaun and i have said test, test and test again

Regards

Daryl

[Simon Gerrard]

Derek,
Walk!
Viscose is basically woodpulp, the same thing they make paper tissues from and every bit as absorbent as tissue paper and once you wet it it swells up and deforms and never goes back to its original shape. The simple test for this is damp a small square and twist your thumb in it, if the pile distorts that is what the rest of the suite will look like if you wet clean it. (people used to call this effect, 'brushed velour') The trouble with dry cleaning Viscose suites is they never look any better afterwards so if I were you faced with 90% viscose and 10% linen, I'd say thanks, but no thanks and walk away.

Simon

[derek west]

really appreciate the comments here guys but i'm confused.

when i went to look at it, i guessed cotton.
she rang the manufacturers and rang me back today, 90% viscose, 10% linen.
had a look in my manual and the only sample i could find was rayon viscose which had a pile, the fabric i looked at had no pile what so ever.
has viscose always got a pile or is that rayon viscose?
and if viscose always has a pile then i'm guessing the manufacturer, (arighi bianci) have miss informed my client.

there is no swatch and no loose threads inside the cushions.

again really appreciate the help. thanks
derek

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

Derek

Arighi Bianci is more up-market than "John Lewis". It is a department store, not a manufacturer. I would not trust what you are told by your customer as to what comes from where she bought it. She'll only have spoken to somebody who sells the stuff not makes it.

Roger

[Mike_Roper]

If it hasnt got a pile ,hence flat weave you MAY be able to wet clean with care. With viscose due to its make up as said is water sensitive - check for- change of texture/appearance, lack of strenght when wet and colour loss.
Consider hand shampoo then rinse preferably with CFR type tool or fine spray ms and rinse.Keep ph neutral.
Mike

[Simon Gerrard]

If it's 90% viscose just leave it well alone. This is one of those jobs that if you take it on and it goes wrong you'll regret for a very long time. If it's a really expensive suite, can you afford to replace it, bearing in mind that insurance doesn't cover us for negligence.

Simon

[robert meldrum]

Derek you have the advantage of loads of information and guidance which was in very short supply when many of us started up. I sailed very close to the wind in early days, but I was very lucky on several occasions.

YOU don't have to depend on luck..............

Because of your training and willingness to ask for help you can avoid a potential disaster.

[Simon Gerrard]

This is a chair from a ship covered in a very fine fabric that looks like a high class dralon type fabric but is viscose and absolutely lethal to clean, wet or dry. You can see the distortion in the fabric on the side panels that once in cannot be removed. Fortunately the crew cleaned the chairs without knowing what the fabric was but they all had to be recovered.
Simon

[derek west]

as you can see from the pictures theres no pile.

i told her i might clean one side of a cushion to see what happens.

i know i should walk and to be honest, i probably will but if i can get enough advice then maybe i'll try, i'm not stupid so its not like i'm gonna rush in and do it, if theres too much doubt i'll walk.
anyway, heres the piccies
derek

[Mike_Roper]

Test those red and blacks for colour fastness. There are plenty of places to do a test clean if the customer agrees . When you have viscose in a flat weave its not the same as a viscose velour which people are getting confused with.
Test ,test ,test  then if your happy with it go ahead if not dont do it.
Mike

[derek west]

if its not the same, then whats the difference? is it stronger when wet, does it not swell as much? is heat okay.
ive no problems doing a bleed test, that would be my first port of call, but from all the other advice and my manual i'm worried about ripping the fabric or possible fabric distortion and anything else that may occur, if i'm aware of the dangers then i know what to look out for.
derek

[Karl Wildey]

I looked at a 67% vis 23% poly 10% linen last night, just a 2 seater but a lot of monies, I told client no problem, but I am not sure. May solvent clean, or just go for it and wet clean. Problem with my job is, it could lead to a few more jobs, so I want to look like I know what I am doing without looking like an amateur, which is difficult when you are sh@tting yourself till its dry.

[John Kelly]

Take your pick:

http://www.chinasuppliers.globalsources.com/china-suppliers/Viscose-Linen-Fabric.htm

[Dennis]

If after the test Shaun described seems OK, with the customer's permission (explain what could go wrong) take a cushion, clean the zipper side only as you would normally, dry it and see the results. Take the cushion away and do it on another job rather than set-up just for 1 cushion.

[cleaningmaster]

Derek
By the look of one of your pictures, it looks as if there is a water mark.
If thats correct, is there any colour run? is there any damage that you would expect to see if it "had" been test cleaned/ wet cleaned? Also you will have to be careful when you test clean as not to cause a water mark. Now that you have posted pictures, i would wet clean but in my experience they dont respond too well to cleaning and the water mark may not go. As long as you tell them of the problems its up to them.
If you dont clean it someone else will, what do they do, live with a dirty suite??

After saying all that, if your not comfortable, walk

Regards

Daryl

[mark shannon]

Derek do a test behind a cushion, then get on and wet clean a cushion, show custy result and with their OK clean away I think the sofa will clean OK but test clean an area first.

mark

[Doug Holloway]

Hi Guys

Viscose and Rayon are the same thing, both are cellulosic fibres, which will have reduced wet strength but are hardly paper and lets face it you can make papers with high wet strenths, £20 notes are pretty good !

Your fabric contains 10% linen to add strength both wet and dry.

From the picture it has watermarked but there does not seem to be any pile distortion , or any pile for that matter.

I would clean it relatively gently, dry cleaning will not remove so water is the way to go.

Be straightforward with the customer, check for colour run, and you should be O.K. It doesn't look very dirty so a mildly alkaline solution with a mildy acidic rinse should work.

The water mark may come out or you may need to sodium met it.

Cheers

Doug

[derek west]

its a wine stain.
think i'll wet clean the cushion (the one with wine stain) just that one side. after doing a few colour run checks then dry it and see what happens.
i'll use natural orange (low ph) and rinse with fib fab. guessing i should keep temp down.
ive told the custy this and there ok for me to go ahead.

derek

its help like this that makes ciu an amazing site.

cheers guys