Prochem Europe colour.gif (3964 bytes)[ Home ]

[ News ] [ Chemicals ] [ Machines ] [ Truck-Mounts ] [ Equipment & Accessories ] [ Training ] [ Safety Data Sheets ] [ Service Manuals & Parts ] [ Cleaning Specialist ] [ Stain Removal Guide ] [ Enquiries ] [ Distributors ]

Stain Removal Guide

 

To view and print the Prochem Pocket Stain Removal Guide you will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your PC. If you do not have this software installed you can obtain a free download by clicking on the "Get Adobe Acrobat Reader" button.

 Adobe.gif (1558 bytes)
 

SPOT & STAIN REMOVAL TIPS & PRECAUTIONS
  1. Always be aware that no guarantee can be given for complete stain removal and agree this with the customer before proceeding.
  2. Some stains, such as but not limited to:- food colourings, hot drinks, cosmetic preparations, plant foods etc. may cause permanent colour change to the fibres and may react adversely to stain removal products.
  3. Always pre-test a small section of the stain with the stain remover to check for any adverse reaction or colour change before proceeding with the treatment.
  4. All spills and stains should be treated as quickly as possible to help prevent permanent staining.
  5. The longer a spot or stain remains on the carpet or fabric, the more difficult it will be to remove.
  6. Always remove any solid matter first by using a spatula, or blunt knife edge.
  7. Spills and fresh stains should always be blotted with clean, white, absorbent towels, napkins or tissues. Never use coloured towels or tissues.
  8. Apply towel or tissues with firm pressure. Keep blotting and repeat.
  9. Always pre-test stain removal procedures and products in an inconspicuous area (under a sofa, on an area of carpet under or behind a piece of furniture).
  10. Apply a small amount of spotting agent to the fibre and blot gently with a clean, white towel. If colour transfers to towel or a colour change occurs, do not proceed. Notify customer and seek advice from Prochem.
  11. Do not over-wet or over-apply solvents. Use small amounts of the spotting products and blot frequently.
  12. Always blot, do not rub or brush. Continue until all of the stain is removed, then brush to re-align fibres.
  13. Work from outer edge of the stain towards the centre to prevent ring marks.
  14. If more than one product is indicated in the stain removal chart, start with the first product.
  15. If the treatment is unsuccessful then try the next product, treat the stain with each spotting agent until the stain is removed or the best result is obtained.
  16. It may not be necessary to use all of the products listed.
  17. The final step is always to rinse the area with water or Fibre & Fabric Rinse, if indicated, then absorb all the remaining moisture with absorbent towels.
  18. Be patient. Some spots and stains respond slowly. All spots and stains cannot be removed from every fibre and fabric due to differences in fibres, dyes, construction, finishes, composition of the spills, length of time the spot has remained on the article and many other factors.
  19. Important: Prochem water-based stain treatments may require dilution with water. Always check label directions before proceeding.
  20. Application is the sole responsibility of the cleaning operator. Some stains may be permanent.
  21. Always pre-test in an inconspicuous area and test a small area of the stain to assess the suitability and performance of the treatment before proceeding.

STAIN REMOVAL CHART

STAIN TYPE

STAIN REMOVAL PROCEDURE

Alcohol

Apply Neutral Pro-Spotter and blot. Apply Coffee Stain Remover and blot. Apply Fibre and Fabric Rinse solution and blot. Rinse thoroughly with water and blot until dry.
Blood Take safety precautions to avoid infection or contamination. Apply Stain Pro and blot. Apply Rust Remover, wait 2-5 minutes and blot. Allow to react 5 to 15 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with water and blot until dry. It may be necessary to apply a solution of 30ml of Oxibrite per litre of water (subject to colour test).
Browning Apply Browning Prescription solution. Agitate fibres, leave 5 to15 minutes then rinse extract with Fibre & Fabric Rinse. (For severe discoloration apply Oxibrite, Fibrebuff and Fibre Shampoo - see label directions)
Butter & Margarine Apply Citrus Gel or Solvall Spotter and blot. Apply Stain Pro or Neutral Pro-Spotter and blot.
Rinse thoroughly with water and blot until dry. Use Fibre & Fabric Rinse to rinse if Stain Pro is used.
Candle Wax Scrape off as much as possible with a spatula or blunt knife. Apply Chewing Gum Remover, then break up and remove pieces. Apply Citrus Gel or Solvall Spotter  and blot.
Chewing Gum Apply Chewing Gum Remover then break-up and remove pieces or pierce gum with fork or Prochem Perforator Block then apply Citrus Gel or Solvall Spotter and leave for a few minutes. Remove softened gum with spatula or blunt knife. For large areas apply Bazooka Gum Remover in conjunction with Bazooka Gum Removal Machine.
Chocolate Scrape off as much as possible with blunt knife following direction of pile. Apply Stain Pro and blot. Apply Fibre & Fabric Rinse solution and blot. Rinse thoroughly with water and blot until dry.
Coffee & Tea Apply Stain Pro and blot, then apply Fibre & Fabric Rinse solution and rinse. Apply Coffee Stain Remover  and blot. Repeat above and leave for 15 to 30 minutes then rinse with water. Apply Red Rx with towel and iron method (see label directions). For difficult stains, apply a foam solution of 30ml Oxibrite, 60ml Fibrebuff  and 30ml Fibre Shampoo and leave to dry (subject to pre-testing). Some coffee and tea stains may be permanent.
Cough Syrup Apply Stain Pro and blot. Apply Fibre&Fabric Rinse solution and blot-use hot water. Apply Neutral Pro-Spotter and blot. Rinse thoroughly with water and blot until dry. Certain colourings may be more difficult to remove than others - see Food Colourings.
Crayons Scrape off as much as possible with a blunt knife. Apply Citrus Gel or Solvall Spotter, blot and leave to dry. If stain persists apply Solvex. Rinse thoroughly with water, blot until dry.
Draught Marks Pre-test in an inconspicuous area for effect on carpet.  Apply Ultrapac Renovate solution or Filter-Out by sprayer. Agitate with carpet pile brush. Allow 5 minutes dwell time, then rinse extract with Fibre & Fabric Rinse solution. Some draught marks may be permanent.
Eggs (Raw) Blot / scrape up as much as possible, as quickly as possible. Apply Stain Pro and blot. Rinse thoroughly with Fibre & Fabric Rinse and blot until dry.
Food Colouring Apply Stain Pro and blot. Apply Neutral Pro-Spotter and blot. If stain persists apply Red Rx, place damp clean white towel over spot and apply steam iron for 5 to 10 seconds only. Check towel for colour transfer and repeat as required. DO NOT allow hot iron to contact carpet. Caution: Red Rx with hot iron method  may cause carpet colour loss. Always pre-test with above procedure in an inconspicuous area.
Fruit Juice Apply Stain Pro blot then rinse with Fibre & Fabric Rinse solution, blot until dry. Repeat if necessary and leave to dry. If stain persists, use Food Colouring removal procedure. Some stains may be permanent.
Furniture Stain Apply Solvex and blot. Apply Citrus Gel and blot. Apply Red Rx as for Food Colouring procedure. Rinse area thoroughly with water and blot until dry. Furniture dye stains are often impossible to remove.
Glue (Water-based) Apply Neutral Pro-Spotter and blot or apply Stain Pro and blot. Rinse thoroughly with Fibre & Fabric Rinse and blot until dry.
Glue (Household Cement) Apply Gluespot or Solvex and blot. Apply Citrus Gel sparingly and blot. Rinse thoroughly with water.
Grass Apply Citrus Gel and rinse with hot water. Apply Stain Pro and allow to stand for 2 to 5 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with water and blot until dry.
Gravy Apply Stain Pro and blot. Apply Fibre & Fabric Rinse solution and blot. Apply Neutral Pro-Spotter and blot. Rinse thoroughly with water and blot until dry.
Grease Scrape up excess, hardened residue prior to wetting. Apply Solvex or Solvall Spotter and blot. Apply Citrus Gel and blot. Apply Stain Pro and blot. For larger areas apply Power Burst then rinse extract thoroughly with Fibre & Fabric Rinse solution and vacuum until dry.
Ice Cream Apply Stain Pro and blot. Apply Fibre & Fabric Rinse solution and blot. If stain persists apply Neutral Pro-Spotter, allow to stand for 10 to 15 minutes then blot. Rinse extract thoroughly with water, vacuum until dry.
Ink(Ball Point) Apply Solvex and blot and note if ink is readily released. If so, this indicates a solvent soluble dye. Repeat as needed. Blot, do not rub, to avoid spreading spot.  If stain persists, apply Citrus Gel (or Stain Pro for water-based inks). Rinse thoroughly with water and blot until dry. Note: All inks are not the same and different approaches may have to be evaluated.
Lily Pollen Apply Citrus Gel, work in and leave to dwell for 2 to 5minutes. Rinse thoroughly with Fibre & Fabric Rinse and blot until dry.
Jam Apply Neutral Pro-Spotter and blot. Apply Fibre & Fabric Rinse solution and blot. If stain persists apply Stain Pro and blot. Rinse thoroughly with Fibre & Fabric Rinse solution and blot until dry.
Ketchup Apply Stain Pro or Neutral Pro-Spotter and blot. If stain persists apply Red Rx, allow 2 to5 minutes dwell time and blot. Rinse thoroughly with water and blot until dry.
Lipstick Scrape off excess with spatula or blunt knife. Apply Solvall Spotter (or Citrus Gel for surface-only stains) and blot. Apply Solvex for deep stains.
Mildew May permanently damage fibres. Apply Neutral Pro-Spotter DO NOT blot. Apply Stain Pro or Multi Pro, allow 10 to 15 minutes dwell time. Apply Fibre & Fabric Rinse solution and blot until dry. Apply a solution of 30ml Oxibrite per litre of water (subject to colour test) and leave to dry. Spray with Clensan® after cleaning.
Milk Apply Stain Pro and blot. Apply Fibre & Fabric Rinse solution and blot until dry. If stain persists apply Solvex or Citrus Gel and blot. Apply Neutral Pro-Spotter and blot. Rinse thoroughly with water and blot until dry.
Mud Brush or scrape off as much as possible. Apply Neutral Pro-Spotter and blot. Rinse thoroughly with water and blot until dry. If stain remains apply Citrus Gel and blot. Rinse thoroughly with water and blot until dry. Note: Some clay and mud stains may be difficult to remove completely.
Mustard Apply Stain Pro and blot. Apply Fibre & Fabric Rinse solution and blot until dry. Apply Neutral Pro-Spotter DO NOT blot. If stain persists apply Red Rx as Food Colouring procedure. Rinse thoroughly with water and blot until dry.
Nail Polish Apply Gluespot and leave for 30 seconds then blot. Repeat until the stain is removed completely. Apply Solvex or Citrus Gel then blot and rinse area with water.
Oils Test with clean tissue - oil will transfer to tissue. Apply Solvall Spotter and blot or apply Citrus Gel and blot or apply Solvex and blot until dry. Where a solvent cannot be used apply Power Burst solution, brush and rinse with Fibre & Fabric Rinse solution.
Paint(Oil-based) Apply Solvall Spotter and blot or apply Citrus Gel and blot or apply Solvex and blot. Re-apply Solvex until as much paint as possible is removed then weight down the stain with towels for several hours to loosen. Apply Neutral Pro-Spotter, work into stain then blot. Rinse thoroughly with water and blot until dry. 
Paint (Water-based) Usually permanent. Break up any dried residue into small sections and remove. Apply Neutral Pro-Spotter and blot. Apply Solvall Spotter and blot. Rinse thoroughly with water and blot until dry. Apply Citrus Gel and blot. For hardened paint, apply Solvex and blot. Apply Neutral Pro-Spotter and blot. Rinse thoroughly with water and blot until dry.
Rust Apply Rust Remover and agitate with spotting brush. Allow to stand 5 to15 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with water and blot until dry. Repeat process if required.
Salt (Ice Melter) Discuss with customer before taking action. Pre-test an inconspicuous area to determine if salt has permanently discoloured carpet and effectiveness of residue removal. Rinse extract area with Fibre & Fabric Rinse solution. Ensure adequate ventilation to aid drying.
Shoe Polish Apply Solvex or Solvall Spotter and blot. Apply Citrus Gel and blot. Rinse thoroughly with water and blot until dry.
Soot Vacuum loose dry soot. Use air suction only. Do not rub. For small spots apply Citrus Gel then blot. Rinse thoroughly with water and blot or extract until dry. For larger areas, apply Ultrapac Renovate or Filter-Out then extract with Fibre & Fabric Rinse solution.
Tar & Asphalt Scrape off as much as possible with blunt knife. Apply Solvall Spotter or Solvex and blot. Apply Citrus Gel and blot. Apply Neutral Pro-Spotter and blot then rinse thoroughly with water and blot until dry.
Toothpaste Apply Neutral Pro-Spotter and blot. Apply Fibre & Fabric Rinse solution and blot. Rinse thoroughly with water and blot until dry.
Urine Blot up as much as possible if still wet. Apply Urine Neutraliser and blot. For old stains apply Fibre & Fabric Rinse HOT solution, and extract. Repeat 2 to 3 times. Apply Urine Neutraliser and leave to dry.Urine stains may cause permanent dye removal and may damage wool or nylon.
Vomit Blot up as much as possible. Apply Stain Pro and extract. Apply Neutral Pro-Spotter and blot. Apply Fibre & Fabric Rinse solution and extract. Rinse thoroughly with water and blot until dry. If stain persists try Food Colouring procedure.
Wine Blot up as much as possible if wet. Apply Stain Pro or Neutral Pro-Spotter and blot. Apply Fibre& Fabric Rinse solution and extract. If stain persists try Food Colouring procedure.
Yellowing Yellow discoloration of carpet may be due to many factors such as soiling, fume fading, atmospheric pollutants, stain resist deterioration, butylated hydroxy-toluene, oxidation, colour loss, oil tracking, urine or asphalt track-off. Discuss with customer before taking action and pre-test in an inconspicuous area. Apply Browning Prescription solution, agitate and leave 5 to15 minutes. Rinse-extract area with Fibre & Fabric Rinse solution.
COPYRIGHT Prochem Europe Ltd. Oakcroft Road, Chessington, Surrey, KT9 1RH, UK
Tel: 020 8974 1515 Fax: 020 8974 1511 Email: sales@prochem.co.uk
All information in this publication is copyright of Prochem Europe Ltd. and may not be reproduced without the prior written permission of Prochem Europe Ltd. E & OE.

 


 

[ Home ]

Copyright © 1998 Prochem Europe Ltd
Last modified: April 24, 2008 14:38:57