Commercial Carpet
or Residential Olefin Carpet:
Note: You can use your strongest Prochem carpet cleaning
chemicals here.
Pre-spray: Prochem Olefin Pre-Conditioner (E827), 4 to 6
oz./gallon
Extraction Detergent: Prochem Dry Slurry (S776) 3
cups per 5 gallons, meter through Prochem truck mount at 3
gallons/ hour.
Being a
professional carpet and upholstery cleaner means proper training
and proper practices. Always follow guidelines even when you
"know" what a fabric is. Inspection and testing are
important preliminary steps to a well-cleaned piece of upholstery
or a delicate rug.
Here is a guideline for most of the situations you may
encounter:
1. Visually inspect the item to be cleaned. Discuss any
areas of concern with the customer.
2. Do a burn test and a color fastness test to determine
fabric and type of cleaning.
3. Involve your customer and agree on cleaning and any
conditions of fabric noted.
4. Set up your work area
5. Always dry vacuum fabric first.
6. Use cleaning process you have determined to be best for
the fabric.
7. Inspect with customer.
8. Apply protection.
9. Dry fabric.
10. Clean up work area.
Burn Test:
A simple technique to test all fibers is the burn test. To
properly execute the burn test, you need the following items:
1. Small sharp scissors: Duckbill scissors are the best.
2. Tweezers or a paper clip to protect your fingers from getting
burnt.
3. A lighter.
4. A sample fiber from an inconspicuous flap or hidden area
5. Ash tray to protect your customer and yourself from burning
embers.
Burn Test Evaluation:
For accurate evaluation, you must carefully observe the following
during your test:
1. The color of the flame.
2. The action of the flame
3. The color of the smoke
4. The odor of the smoke
5. The color and the feel of the ash.
CAUTION: Sometimes blends of fibers are used in
carpet construction. In these cases, test results may be
misleading. Be certain to test both back and face yarns, as
shrinkage occurs when cellulose fibers in the backing of woven
carpet swell, a condition that cannot be detected by testing face
yarns only.
Burn Test Results
Hard Ball, No Ash Use Synthetic Upholstery Cleaning Instructions
Hard Ball, Some Ash Indicates a blended fabric. Move to Cotton or
Wool Cleaning Instructions.
Crumbles, Ash Natural fabric, move to color fastness test.
Color Fastness Test:
The second standard test should be a color fastness test. This
will determine if any of the colors will bleed or migrate. By
testing each of the colors with the cleaning product you
anticipate using, this will help your decision on which process to
use.
1. Apply solution in the same dilution and temperature you
anticipate using to a clean white towel and apply to an
inconspicuous location on the fabric. If you are going to use more
than one product, test each product. Use a small clamp, binder
clamp, or even a paper clip for securing.
2. Allow dwell time. Do not rub.
3. OBSERVE. Look for dye transfer to the towel, or dye migration
on the fabric. The appearance of a ring or water marking may be
evidence of dye bleeding. Dry test area the same as you would the
entire item.
4. Based on the color fastness of results, you can determine the
cleaning process to use.
Color Fastness Test Results
No Bleed, No Migration – Use Prochem Fine Fabric Cleaning
Instructions (good for 88% of all natural fibers).
No Bleed, Migrates, Browns Indicates the use of unrefined cotton
or natural fiber, most commonly Haitian cotton. Use Foam Cleaning
for Cotton Instructions.
Bleeds or Migrates Use Delicate Fabric Cleaning Instructions
(approximately 7% of natural fibers). Requires additional testing
using Foam or Dry Cleaning methods. Recommend proceeding with
these fabrics only after completing formal training.
