[John Milnes]

Cleaned a suite last week including rugs and carpets. Called  customer today to say would be returning rugs and she said the suite had turned pink in places. I'v know these peops for the last 7 years...2 high up barristers and more like friends than customers so no issues about trust.

Presprayed with Prochem Fabric Restorer and rinsed with clean water hwe. The fabric seems like cotton polyester and it has a synthetic ruberised backing. Cleaned hundreds of suites before and never had this problem. On inspection today I found it had been treated with stain protection when new...by Bob! Doesn't say which type of protection.

Anyone come accross this problem before or any advise would be appreciated.

I have taken an arm cover home to do some tests on as in pic

[richy27]

looks like colour bleed of some sort to me

[davep]

Fabric Restorer needs an acidic rinse rather than just water 

[Paul Redden Countryfresh]

what dilution was the fab/rest?

Maybe indicator dye prob.

[richy27]

Fabric Restorer needs an acidic rinse rather than just water 

i agree but i miss read thought he had mentioned clear water rinse hm s acid rinse

[Joe H]

As you got an arm cover just try something like DaveP suggested.

[John Milnes]

My first thaught was to try acid to correct the problem but I'm wondering where the pink has come from.

What is an indicator dye? It's beigh and no sign of red or pink.

Never seen this in 9 years of business...perhaps a reaction of unknown stain protection and Fabric Restorer?

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I would go with an indicator dye and in theory it's a manufacturer problem but you was the last person to touch!!!

If it is an indicator dye you need to mix bicarbonate of soda in some warm water let it dissolve and spray on affected areas it should correct the problem.

Shaun

[Neil Williams]

Exactly the same thing happened to me some years back.
A white sofa that couldn't have been any cleaner before I even started but she wanted it doing, so who was I to argue.
I spend quite a while doing a pre vac as i thought I'd better justify my time there, then literally misted the surface with just water and slightly wiped it with towels. (no point in over cleaning a clean item).
Next day I got a call saying it had gone slightly pink in places. The thing was dry and looked good when I left, but yes it had areas of pink. I tried a few things but it made no difference. Luckily she was ok about it.
What caused it? No idea.
But something i picked up off Derek Bolton yesterday at the CCDO was to lightly spray over situations like this with a solution of Bi Carb of soda. Now i suggest you try and get hold of him or Paul Pearce for the exact measurements as i accept no responsibility if you go down this route.
Sometimes things like this just happen.
 

[Mike Halliday]

this is an acid dye problem. the fabric is reacting to the acid rinse  apply more acid to this and it will get worse

 you need to treat this with a bicarb' solution, a spoonful in a spray bottle.

Shaun & Neil posted as i was writing!!

Derek Bolton talked about this very subject on Sunday

[expro]

According to the original post no acidic rinse was used.

Fabric restorer should be extracted with an acidic rinse!!

It would be interesting to know where on the suite the changes took place,

I have seen fabrics respond in this way with BOTH alkalie and acidic's.
usually in area's that were slow drying.

Expro.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Years ago Mike brought this to everyones attention with a suite he had cleaned, I have seen 2 that I have cleaned go this way and I was using a so called neutral cleaner and have also corrected a further 3 more for other cleaners but we are 'guessing' at the problem as we can't see it in the flesh.

Bicarb is less than a quid to buy and is the easiest to use IMO.

Shaun

[John Milnes]

Thanks guys for your replys,

I will try the bicarb in one area to start, nothing to loose. I don't think it is a ph problem as never had this before or with Fabric restorer...if I remember it's just above neutral. It is more prominent where the seams are which are more slow drying which could be significant.

No point in worrying, these things sometimes happen...thats what I told the customer today. He was agreeable, no big deal to him and a very nice man. His brother tells me he is very reserved and has much more on his mind...deals with big criminal cases that you don't hear about and earns up to 10 grand a day so I'm thankfull that I don't have a winging customer on my back  

[John Milnes]

I always have bicarb on my van Shaun...one of the best natural deoderisers

[Carpet Dawg]

I always have bicarb on my van Shaun...one of the best natural deoderisers

Bicarb as a deoderiser?

[robert meldrum]

It's been commonly used to deodorise refrigerators after cleaning...............left on a saucer the bicarb powder absorbs the odours.

[John Milnes]

Bicarb is also very effective at removing vomit odour.

So an indicator dye it seems is what is found on ph testing paper strips.

During your spotting procedures, you may encounter drastic colour changes when using strong acid and alkalies. Some dyes used in manufacturing carpet are indicator type dyes. They are sensitive to strong acid and alkalies. They carry some of the same properties as the dyes used in the manufacture of pH indicator paper will change colour when exposed to different pH levels.

Taken from this link:

http://www.cleancare.com.au/www/273/1001127/displayarticle/1003826.html

Now to see if it's reversable or an insurance job  :

[John Milnes]

Tested the Fab Rest mix that I used on the job and it's ph7.

Sprayed on a bicarb mix to one pink area this morning and hung on the line to dry.....pink gone!!!

That was a releif 

Thanks a gain guys for the advice

[Dave_Lee]

Its happened on two suites in my 30 years. The first one was just before the problem with indicator dyes became knowledge and resulted in an insurance claim. The second time it happened, the few in the know had discovered the Sodium Bicarb solution, so I was able to correct it.
Dave.

[Eddie_Rhone]

Just to reinforce all the above comments cleaned a sofa pale pink patches appeared sprayed bi carb dried pale pink areas gone.

only had this happen once in 15 years of cleaning so if anyone hasn't had it happen yet please make a note of this Knowledge is a wonderful thing

Glad its worked out ok for you Carpet guy

Eddie