UPHOLSTERY CLEANING - PRE-EXISTING HIDDEN DAMAGE

Some pre-existing damage on upholstered furniture will be immediately obvious to your cleaner and will be discussed with you prior to the cleaning being undertaken. However some pre-existing damage will not be so obvious, and may be hidden by soiling, only becoming evident after the cleaning process begins. Hidden damage can include:

1. Colour loss - Soiling can damage colour and then hide the colour loss it has caused. Body oils, and especially salt from perspiration, may cause a significant amount of colour loss. The condition is most often seen in very dark fabrics. Colour loss can also result from exposure to sunlight and from airborne pollutants. All colour loss will become more apparent after cleaning.

2. Loss of ‘finish’ or ‘glaze’ - Some fabrics have a shiny finish that is easily damaged by body oils, soiling and abrasion. In some cases cleaning may remove this finish. Most often, however, the finish is durable to cleaning but wears off in heavy usage areas such as arms and cushions. As with colour loss, this damage is often not apparent until after cleaning.

3. Texture damage - The cushions and tops of the arms of velvet furniture will matt down after even light use. Depending on the fibres used, this dulled appearance may be permanent. Natural fibres are harder to bring back to their original appearance than synthetics; even synthetic materials, however, may be permanently distorted. Grooming a velvet fabric after cleaning should remove wand marks and restore much of the original softness, but unfortunately it will not make heavily worn areas ‘as good as new’.

The good news is, however, that a professional, fully-trained upholstery cleaning technician will always conduct a thorough pre-clean survey prior to cleaning and, if hidden damage is suspected, will then be able will be able to make the necessary adjustments to the cleaning procedure to ensure the best results possible and avoid any further damage. Any potential problems that may arise from the cleaning process, and any possible limitations within the cleaning procedure, will be recorded in writing and will be presented to you before the work is carried out.

In these instances it is always a good idea to read through your copy of the pre-inspection survey thoroughly and carefully, and to voice any concerns you may have, prior to the cleaning process taking place.

Sourced from: http://www.ncca.co.uk

Art of Clean are specialists in: 

Carpet Cleaning,
Rug Cleaning,

Hardwood Floor Cleaning, 

Stone floor Cleaning,  

Upholstery Cleaning

Leather Furniture Cleaning, 

Working for domestic or commercial clients throughout Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk and Hertfordshire.

For more information about our services please contact our friendly team on 01223 863632 or visit www.artofclean.co.uk.

 

 

Alcantara cleaning

http://www.alcantara.com

About Alcantara

Alcantara is a man-made material comprised of 68% polyester and 32% polyurethane.  It has a suede like appearance and texture with the added benefits of being very durable and stain resistant.

Alcantara is often found in up-market car upholstery, used for its sensual suede affect.  It is also currently being used to upholster seats in formula 1 race cars because of it's flame retardant qualities.

http://www.alcantara.com

The material is printable and so can come in a limitless range of colours and designs, which is why it is becoming a very popular furniture upholstery choice.

How to clean Alacantara?

Stain removal instructions

Act immediately (within 30 minutes) and begin treating the stain from the outside edge into the centre in order to avoid the stain spreading. Never pour a cleaning product directly onto Alcantara. Before removing the stain, remove any of the substance that has fallen on the upholstery: if it’s thick (yoghurt, jam, etc.) use a spoon or a plastic spatula; for liquids, use non printed absorbent paper or a sponge. Avoid rubbing to prevent the stain from spreading or going deep into the material. Use a white cloth or a well wrung sponge for the removal of the stains. If you use a sponge, rinse it in clean water and wring it well between each wipe. For the specific treatment of the different types of stains and the relative materials that should be used, follow the instructions below.

http://www.ofdesign.net

Water-soluble stains

It is recommended that you use the specific products for Alcantara cleaning; if the products listed are not available, it is recommended, depending on the type of stain, that you should use water, lemon juice, or pure ethyl alcohol (from liquors) and follow the instructions below: fruit juice, jam, jelly, syrup, ketchup: use lukewarm water, rinse by dabbing with clean water. Blood, egg, excrement, urine: use cold water; avoid warm water because it makes these substances coagulate, rinse by dabbing with clean water. Liquors, alcoholic beverages, wine, beer, coke and tea: use lukewarm water; if the colour mark remains, treat it with lemon juice and then rinse it well. Indelible pencil, cocoa, chocolate, pastry with cream or chocolate, ice-cream, mustard: use lukewarm water; rinse by dabbing with clean water. Vinegar, hair gel, tomato sauce, coffee with sugar: use lemon juice and then wipe with lukewarm water; rinse by dabbing with clean water.

http://www.ofdesign.net

Stains not soluble in water

It is recommended that you should use the specific products for Alcantara cleaning; if the products listed are not available, it is recommended, depending on the type of stain, that you should use water, or lemon juice or pure ethyl alcohol (from liquors) and follow the instructions below. Lipstick, foundation, mascara, eye-shadow, perfume, shoe polish, oil and grease in general, grass stains and felt tips in general (including the indelible kind): rub with ethyl alcohol, then with water and rinse. For grass stains and felt tips, which are quite difficult to remove, especially on light colours, it is necessary to act as soon as possible in order to prevent them from becoming too "dry". Chewing-gum and wax: put a plastic bag full of ice on the stain; when the material becomes hard remove the pieces and then treat with ethyl alcohol.

Resistant stains

Repeat the above described treatments as often as necessary. Even the stains that are not soluble in water often require to be treated afterwards with water.
Old stains of unknown origin

First of all treat with lukewarm water, then rinse by dabbing them with clean water. If you see that the stain begins to dissolve in the water, repeat the treatment as often as necessary; let it dry and, if necessary, treat with ethyl alcohol.

Sourced from: http://www.alcantara.com

If you would like some more information about our upholstery cleaning services please contact our friendly team on 01223 863632 or visit www.artofclean.co.uk.

We are a professional cleaning company who specialise in Hardwood Floor Cleaning, Stone floor Cleaning,   Carpet Cleaning, Rug Cleaning, Upholstery Cleaning and Leather Furniture Cleaning for domestic and commercial clients through out Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk and Hertfordshire.