[Steve Chapman]

Hi,

My guys cleaned a suite today, looked fairly standard grey suite, but later in the day while drying it has turned quite pink ?
Never had this happen before in all the years  I've been cleaning, remember reading somewhere this could be an indicator dye problem or perhaps a reaction with protector ?

Ill try an upload a picture ?

any ideas ?

regards
steve

[Mike Gwilliam]

Spray with diluted bicarbonate of soda and it should return to it's normal colour. Pretest of course to ensure that it works.

Had one of these many years ago. The suite was quite expensive but all was well after treating with bicarb.
Yes it is an indicator dye apparently......but why an indicator dye should be in upholstery is beyond me.

[Steve Chapman]

Thanks, i was thinking that was the case and it could be rectified, will give it a go tomorrow,

Cheers

Steve

[Mike Halliday]

It is an indicator dye, why it's called that I don't know it just the fabrics reaction to neutral-acid based cleaning agents...... never happens with alkaline cleaners

That's why alkaline treatments reverse it, you can test if it's a indicator dye by touching it with a high ph chemical like ammonia or something like crafters Champion it immediately disappears.

You been unlucky I've seen 2 in 20yrs

[stuart_clark]

Even Craftex Champion

[Doug Holloway]

Hi Guys

The  remedy is correct.

Indicator dye is a misleading description.

It is pH sensitive so that it could be used to indicate roughly the pH like indicator papers but in this case it is just a by product of the cleaning process.

Cheers

Doug

[garyhumphreys]

What would be the correct dilution rate for the bicarb?

[Paul Moss]

What would be the correct dilution rate for the bicarb?

1  - 7

[homenclean]

Exactly same happened to me a couple of weeks ago, majority is suite fine but just  1 arm turned ping very expensive suite so was bricing it a bit.

Spoke to Richard at chem spec and pointed me down the ammonia route using one of their spotters (does say on bottle that it reverses acid pinking) just blotted it on using a towel and gone customer was mighty impressed and emphasised the point of using a professional instead rug doctors etc.

Chem spec see great and Richards knoledge Is fantastic, certainly got me out of a sticky spot.

John

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Give it a decent wetting, it's quite amazing the colour will return to your face it's quite instant.

Shaun

[garyhumphreys]

1-7 ?
Sorry if that's being thick but what proportion of bi carb to a litre of water.?

[Mike Halliday]

The problem with using ammonia is it absolutely stinks

I would mix 15mls of bicarbonate in a 1 lt spotter bottle and start there as a test

[Carpet Dawg]

The problem with using ammonia is it absolutely stinks

get yourself some NI-712. Couple puffs of this when using smelly chems like ammonia or sod met problem gone. Great on smelly wool carpets too.

[Steve Chapman]

Have treated the whole suite with bicarbonate of soda solution and it has probably rectified 80% of it, they phoned today to say there

were still some pink patches which I expected so will go back and treat them, but they have said the arms and back parts look like a

beige colour now & not grey ?

Is this still because of the pink hue or could it be from the solution Ive used ?

I dont want to put too much more on if its causing another problem ?

Will have another look tomorrow but just want to be armed with the right things so i can reassure them rather than prolonging it any longer,

Thanks
Steve

[Pete Blackburn]

You do read some bull on this forum, save the bi-carb for baking you muppets. Where on earth do you lot get all this s**t from?

Looks like it’s down to its primary dye. I would guess that it’s been very near or touching an excessive heat source like radiators or some other form of heat. Customers try all types of things in an attempt to dry out cushions frames ect.
Another cause could be that the dye was possibly unstable and you have hit it with too much alkali and stripped it to its primary pigment of the dye, that obviously been pink.

I would clean the whole thing again with only fresh tap water (no pre spray) and finish with a light mist of acid rinse.
Chances are, the damage was done when it dried out, so contact your insurance or pay them out and move on.

Pete

[Mike Halliday]

And that's the biggest load of s**t so far........ glad you are keeping with the spirit of the topic.

Best to ignore your full post as reading your answer you know F all about this problem

[Pete Blackburn]

Mike,

Not one person has asked him how or with what he cleaned it with. So if he had cleaned it with high pH he's making the situation far worse by putting baking soda on the thing.

[Steve Chapman]

Cleaned with prochem pre spray gold, the suite is fairly new & wasn't very dirty at all.
Rinsed with fibre & fabric rinse

[Mike Halliday]

Mike,

Not one person has asked him how or with what he cleaned it with. So if he had cleaned it with high pH he's making the situation far worse by putting baking soda on the thing.

if you recognised  the problem you would know it's caused by the fabric being effected by an acid based cleaner, if he had rinsed with a high alkaline cleaner more than likely it would'nt have happened.

[Pete Blackburn]

Ok, is the sofa a Laura Ashley?