Its Not Your Problem!

Once you've become recognized as an upholstery cleaning specialist, you'll be asked to correct problems that were caused by other less experienced or less responsible cleaners.

When you first get the call, you might be tempted to use all your specialty cleaning agents and skills to save the "damsel in distress" and get those great feelings that all heroes must have.

Graveyards are full of heroes! Before you let your emotions lead you down some very dangerous paths, think about what you are about to do. Most of the problems listed require strong chemicals, aggressive mechanical action, and somewhat risky procedures that could cause even more damage than the original problem.

Let's look again at the list of upholstery problems, along with the potential solutions, as well as the risks that are involved with each:

PROBLEM CORRECTIVE PROCESS RISK

Browning Oxidizing or reducing agents Fiber damage & overwhitening

Rust Stains Use of rust removal products Color damage & fiber damage

Distorted Chenille and Velvets Rinsing, grooming, steaming Fiber & texture damage

Shrinkage Steaming and stretching Fabric damage, tearing, seam splitting

Bleeding Oxidizing or reducing agents, re-cleaning & rapid drying Color loss, more bleeding

If you are ever asked to correct these types of problems, you should suggest that your customer contact the cleaners who originally caused the problem and request that they correct it. It's not your problem (yet), it's the customer's and the other cleaner's problem.

If you decide to attempt any risky correction process, the problem, and any liability, will likely become yours! Even if your customer attempts to take the original cleaner to court later, the fact that you applied products and attempted restoration processes on the fabric will very likely release the original cleaner from any responsibility to replace the fabric!

If your customer does not want to pursue the issue with the cleaner who caused the damage, be sure to get a letter of understanding written up that CLEARLY explains the risks involved in your restoration processes, and the fact that your customer assumes ALL RISKS, and agrees to pay you, whether or not you are successful.

The problem with this recommendation is that most cleaners find it emotionally painful spell this out with their customer. The emotions that come into play, along with the logical responses that you need to have are often as follows:

If I can fix this, I've got a customer for life who will tell the whole world that I'm the best cleaner who ever lived! If I can't fix it, I won't get paid and may have to pay an expensive claim. I wonder how this would look in my house?

LOGIC
I want this person to know that I'm a better educated, more ethical cleaner than the other guy is. Even if I can fix this, will this person be willing to pay me the value that all of the additional time and risk is worth?

EMOTION
It's really fun using all these special chemicals and bleaches; I feel like a "mad scientist"! I might hurt this nice persons feelings if I ask for a waiver of liability to be signed.

LOGIC
Is it fair to my customer for me to use potentially damaging chemistry that could weaken the fabric, when she ought to have the first cleaner replace or recover it? How nice will this person be if my efforts cause me to further damage to the fabric?

Discipline your thinking to avoid these internal arguments, as emotion will almost always win!

You have the responsibility to protect your business from needless claims and to only do work that is profitable and builds your business. Save your expertise for those (hopefully) rare occasions when you have caused a problem, and you need "heroic procedures" to save your own "skin".