Has anyone had any problems with color-fastness using Releasit DS on furniture? I've heard that when cleaning on an acid-dye fabric, like cotton, the dye can be pulled out with some cleaning agents. I know it's always good to test a small area first, but just curious what the experience has been with those using Releasit. I'm also wondering about applying a high PH, acidic pre-spray to help stabilize the acid dyed fabric colors before cleaning. Is it worth it? As a non-encap product, could it mess up the encap process? One of my commercial clients asked if I could clean her furniture in her home. This would be my first upholstery job, so want to make sure I do it right. - Steve

While I have not cleaned hundreds with encapping, I pretty well did some of each fairly common fabric, including both cotton jaquard tapestry and cotton chenille, quite a few olefin both smooth and velvet, couple polyester, a bunch of nylon, etc. 35 to 40 individual pieces.

I have also tested Releasit Encapsulating Detergent on silk, wool, polished cotton, and a silk rug, so I can say don't worry about it.

See my post below for pics.

Anyway, the point of low moisture cleaning such as encapping is not to get the material appreciably wet.

I would not recommend using any other product either before or after encapping the fabric. Maybe it would be OK, maybe not, and if not- TOO LATE!!

How to apply? Dilute at regular carpet cleaning dilution. I suggest a quart bottle with a trigger sprayer, but there are many other ways. Lightly mist it on, so the fabric is barely damp. Agitate with a soft brush, remove soils and moisture with a folded towel if you don't have a rotary machine.

Then leave it alone. You are done. Collect money. Dance your way to the bank.

Gary

I'm with Gary.
I dont see any problem whatsoever when you use a hand help misting bottle.. mist it til barely wet, agitate and towell off.

I have done it on quite a few different uph materials and find it safe.

Not to overwet is the key.

I dont know that encap is always the best method for uph, but def. has its time and place, esp on Synthetic fibers.



Steve Dobson
ProFloor
Custom Cleaning Services

Thanks for the input. Sounds almost too easy, but then I won't try to complicate the process. I've had good success with encapping carpeting. Will expect the same with upholstery, then do a jig to the bank - Steve

How did the encapping upholstery go?

Inquiring minds wanna know.

Gary

Hey Gary. Well, I wish I could say it went like a breeze, but it was a bear. A lot of mistakes made, which with my 20/20 hindsight will now refer to as, 'a learning experience'. The first mistake made is that I gave the customer a guaranteed price (under-priced) over the phone, without seeing what I was getting into. Turns out the two couches were totally infiltrated with dog hair- front, back, sides, cushions. It took me a solid hour just to extract it all, and that was with a fairly decent portable vacuum. The fabric was a resilient, 75% polyester material, so I could throw the FP pads to it (attached to a converted car buffer), but it still didn't get all the grime out. Also tried to towel off the dirt after working in the Releasit solution with hand-sprayer and a horsehair brush. Although some success, still not great. In the end it took me 2 1/2 hours, and I still wasn't happy with the end result. The owner wasn't there, so fortunately I didn't have her looking over my shoulder, with me having to offer those apologies. Maybe this was one of those times where using the Releasit method wasn't the best. Or with the years of dirt being so compacted in, maybe nothing would have got them completely clean. Don't know. So, it's back to re-thinking how I want to approach the next job, if I decide to. - Steve

Steve- nobody starts out at the top.

Everybody, including me has to learn what works and what does not.

OK, that said- I ALWAYS want to see it before I give a price.

Too many variables, in my opinion, to give a price over the phone, and as sure as a gun's iron, a low quoted price is gonna be the worst in the world.

The alternative is to quote a VERY high price over the phone, let's say $150 to $200, THEN when you see it, it is easier to say- "Well, it is in pretty good shape, and it will only cost $95.00 (Or whatever)" and coming down on price is a LOT easier than raising the price once you see it.

So... in that fairly severe situation, perhaps HWE would have been a better system to do- maybe, maybe not, since I have not seen it.

But any severe situation needs "More Money" to allow for more time, effort and chemicals.

Gary