Help with Browning on upholstery

[CleanItGreen]

Cleaned a couch for a client.   Used my portable extractor to rinse. Got the all the next day that the couch looked dingy,  or as her husband said,  like it had been cleaned using dirty water.   Great.   First time for everything!   Assured the client I would attempt to fix,  so I picked up a couple of cushions to work on.  Per a class instructor I had,  I applied a light misting of Bad Dog urine remover to one side of one cushion.   No dice.   Applied a specific Browning product to the other side and got similar results...nothing. 

Anyone had to deal with this and what did you use?   I have a feeling I'm about to be paying the client for their couch. 

[encapman]

You might try Encap-HydrOx. It is a problem solver for browning conditions. But it sounds like you've already tried some browning remedies that didn't pan out, so HydrOx may not work either. It's kind of weird what you're describing. How soiled was the couch to begin with?

[CleanItGreen]

You might try Encap-HydrOx. It is a problem solver for browning conditions. But it sounds like you've already tried some browning remedies that didn't pan out, so HydrOx may not work either. It's kind of weird what you're describing. How soiled was the couch to begin with?

Not very,  but the client wanted a deep clean.  

[Lounge Lizards]

What is the fabric??

Cotton / linen, etc; will give a brown look from cellulosic browning if over-wet and take a long time to dry.

A Browning Treatment, applied after cleaning will help resolve this problem.


Also, check what is under the fabric if possible.

Synthetics usually have wicking concerns.

It may be wicking from deep soiling, as it dries, this soil wicks to the surface.

Hope this helps.

[CleanItGreen]

Research determined it is most likely cotton.

Suggestion given to me by a knowledgeable fellow in the industry is to use a brush (he suggested the one with wire bristles but my tamping brush will have to do) and go over the fabric, then apply treatment, and put it in the sun because the sunlight will help the solution do its thing. Will report back.

[Joel Hoppe]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LHKXjOQV7s






Cotton  and most furniture now has cotton and viscose blends WILL always turn brown if the fabric is wet too long or you use something with a ph over 7ph.

Sometimes even with effort the browning can not be fixed but improved 90%

1st   A product that will loosen or a emusifier is need to rewet the cellulose browning and it needs to be 7ph or lower.
Proschoice power gel diluted in a 32 oz sprayer is what i used to use---now I use 5ph encap products like safe and soft--vacaway or LST from chemaxx

2nd remove solution with many micro fiber  cloths on a oscillating machine --even a dewalt square sander will work --so you are not spraying more water or solution while you work on fabric.

3rd use a reducing agent on browning ---it will be safer than peroxide---mist on
I use red vanish from vacaway but any reducing agent powder----coffee spotters or look for Streepene powder online----small amount of powder in 32 oz of water----teaspoon in 32 oz

4th use hair drier ----forced heated air to speed dry cushion or section or 3x3 area ---small areas at a time

Sometimes you have to repeat process which is better than soaking fabric again.


If you are going to try peroxide or a reducing agent you should test in a small area.  1 side of cushion would be good.

I have paid for some furniture that I turned brown back when I was using hwe----just misting vacuuming and putting brown out solution on fabrics.
Worst was 2 chennille sofas---I paid out of my pocket  $6000   insurance does not pay for our lack of experience. I had to practice and learn how to clean fabrics, to re-coop my losses and I did----- I have made thousands on high end furniture cleaning but i learned the hard way
and my old employer and my iicrc classes did not teach me that------- I was just told use a fabric pre spray and "do not over wet"-------had to dig for knowledge and experiment. How do you get heavy soil off fabrics that cant be wet and do not clean up with solvent or dry cleaning?
Now I can clean anything with  misting low ph encap and using many micro fiber cloths to remove soil on anything.

I hope this helps--- I wish someone could have helped me 15 years ago

[lee@deepclean.us.com]

$6,000 must have hurt quite a bit Joel.
Think I would have cried a bit over dealing with that situation!

[Joel Hoppe]

That is why charging $100-$150 to clean a $5000-$10,000 sofa is still not enough money to charge for service.

[Enge]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LHKXjOQV7s






Cotton  and most furniture now has cotton and viscose blends WILL always turn brown if the fabric is wet too long or you use something with a ph over 7ph.

Sometimes even with effort the browning can not be fixed but improved 90%

1st   A product that will loosen or a emusifier is need to rewet the cellulose browning and it needs to be 7ph or lower.
Proschoice power gel diluted in a 32 oz sprayer is what i used to use---now I use 5ph encap products like safe and soft--vacaway or LST from chemaxx

2nd remove solution with many micro fiber  cloths on a oscillating machine --even a dewalt square sander will work --so you are not spraying more water or solution while you work on fabric.

3rd use a reducing agent on browning ---it will be safer than peroxide---mist on
I use red vanish from vacaway but any reducing agent powder----coffee spotters or look for Streepene powder online----small amount of powder in 32 oz of water----teaspoon in 32 oz

4th use hair drier ----forced heated air to speed dry cushion or section or 3x3 area ---small areas at a time

Sometimes you have to repeat process which is better than soaking fabric again.


If you are going to try peroxide or a reducing agent you should test in a small area.  1 side of cushion would be good.

I have paid for some furniture that I turned brown back when I was using hwe----just misting vacuuming and putting brown out solution on fabrics.
Worst was 2 chennille sofas---I paid out of my pocket  $6000   insurance does not pay for our lack of experience. I had to practice and learn how to clean fabrics, to re-coop my losses and I did----- I have made thousands on high end furniture cleaning but i learned the hard way
and my old employer and my iicrc classes did not teach me that------- I was just told use a fabric pre spray and "do not over wet"-------had to dig for knowledge and experiment. How do you get heavy soil off fabrics that cant be wet and do not clean up with solvent or dry cleaning?
Now I can clean anything with  misting low ph encap and using many micro fiber cloths to remove soil on anything.

I hope this helps--- I wish someone could have helped me 15 years ago

Thanks Joel!

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