March 2006 Problem
March 27th 2006 Spring as with every season brings its own problems, two particular to the Easter season are chocolates and flowers. Chocolate especially when it has been sat upon and melted well into the fabrics of carpets and upholstery can be a problem to remove fully. This is due to the complex nature of the make up of the chocolate as it contains oils, grease, cocoa, butter, colouring, sugar and milk. Therefore most chocolate stains can require a series of chemical formulas to remove all the ingredients. The first step is usually to scrape off the solids with a dull knife or preferably a Chemspec spotting spatula. Then apply a cool detergent solution (Professional Spot Lifter works well) and blot out. Apply an ammonia solution ( Ammonia 5%) next then acetic acid ( Acetic Acid) blotting out after each application. Follow with an enzyme detergent ( RX for Milk Egg and Protein or on solution dyed fibres Enzall is a very effective enzyme spotter) before blotting thoroughly with water and blot until dry. This may sound complicated but if you have a Professional Spotting Kit all these ingredients are easily to hand in small easy to use applicator bottles. If you tackle chocolate with your hot extraction detergent first you may melt it further and set in the stain so it is well worth the effort for the best results. Flowers can cause many problems not least being the flower water which if spilled can be one of the major cause of infection from carpets particularly in the healthcare sector, so spills of flower water must be extracted properly and as quickly as possible. Lily pollen is one of the most common stains that can cause permanent staining to all fabrics even clothing – the secret is don’t wet or rub the stain. Adhesive tape wrapped around the hand and gently blotted on, removes the pollen well. Freeze sprays such as Aerosol Freeze Gum Remover work well too by stopping the pollen from having chance to contaminate the fibres. Gentle vacuuming without touching the fibres is another option. If wet the dye from Lily pollen is often permanent. If you are a cat lover lily pollen can also kill your cat if it gets pollen on the fur and licks it, so the best thing to do is cut them out and avoid the problem. Happy Easter Problems. Don’t forget to keep sending in your cleaning problems!! More articles from Chemspec Europe Ltd: | 
