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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, or by the customer in their own attempts to clean the fabric. STOP RIGHT NOW and read this first!...keep reading

During forty plus years of being a part of this industry, I have watched cleaners succeed, and have watched them fail. It is my sincere observation that the work you do is more influenced by the following three key parts of your life than it is by the equipment and products that you use, or the soil level of the surfaces you clean!...keep reading

I remember years ago a student telling me the reason he was taking the Carpet Repair and Reinstallation Technician (RRT) class was because he was tired of walking over money. I had never looked at it that way before. How much money do YOU "walk over"?...keep reading

Microfiber fabrics are very popular today, and with that popularity, too many cleaners have become blinded to the fact that there are other textured fabrics in their customers' homes that are not nearly so durable, or fool proof to clean!
Note this picture of an upholstery fabric that was not properly groomed because it was thought to be a microfiber:...keep reading

Before you can be sure that your Professional Cleaning Service has really started to grow, you need a realistic picture of its current status. Here are several relatively easy methods for evaluating that can give you a reliable picture....keep reading

In article #2, I defined the carpet construction methods of woven and tufted. I then gave you a brief explanation of how to determine a tufted carpet's length or width just by looking at the secondary backing, and how to determine the lay of the nap. Now that you can determine all those things, here are the step-by-step procedures on how to do a small bonded insert where you could repair a burn mark from a cigarette or spark from a fireplace....keep reading

All your hard work is finally paying off! It's like a dream come true when you see your business start to grow! But this dream could quickly turn into a nightmare if you're not growing the right way!...keep reading

Jacquard weaves can be among the most difficult and risky specialty fabrics to clean. However, if you follow the recommendations outlined here, you should have few problems when you clean them.
NOTE: You run your greatest risks when you attempt to clean old, heavily stained fabrics!...keep reading

The majority of the most expensive claims that I have been asked to be involved with have not been caused by new or inexperienced cleaners, but instead by seasoned veterans who fell into bad habits! While it surely would seem to be simpler to use your carpet cleaning products on upholstery, here are three very good reasons that will help you to understand why that is not a good practice:...keep reading

- The single worst thing that can be put onto a ceramic/porcelain tile and grout floor as a well meaning maintenance technique is floor finish ("wax") designed for VCT tile! (And it happens more often than you think, in both commercial and residential situations!)...keep reading

After decades of decline, area rugs are once again becoming an important part of your customers interior home design. You will find many more opportunities (and challenges!) in dealing with these rugs which are far different from the wall to wall synthetic carpets you've been used to cleaning....keep reading

Cleaners tend to avoid upholstery cleaning out of fear and frustration resulting from poor results in past experiences, and/or a lack of profitability or both! If you are avoiding upholstery cleaning for these reasons, you need to consider some training which will develop your confidence while providing positive & profitable experiences!...keep reading

Changes in consumer behaviors, technology, the economy, the environment, and even politics can have a significant impact on your business and its bottom line. Not always down, but active changes!  Some steps you consider:   Gather feedback ,   Study the market and stay up-to-date, and more ...keep reading

Some grout cleaning problems can be solved with the use of an acidic grout restoration product that, when applied, seems to clean the grout "like new".
While such products can rapidly restore a like new appearance, they can also cause expensive damage to surfaces that are nearby.
To prevent needless and expensive damage claims, avoid these following mistakes:...keep reading

Whether your customers are enjoying a visit from friends or family, or working from home, it's not uncommon for them to drink (and possibly spill) hot beverages such as tea or coffee on their upholstered furniture. Such spills can create four distinct challenges that fine fabric cleaning specialist could overlook......keep reading

One of the more difficult "spills" that may be encountered on upholstery, as well as in auto interiors are those from milk and other dairy drinks, such as protein shakes, and baby formula. The protein components in these drinks tend to create a stubborn hard to remove residue and, equally difficult to remove odors....keep reading

Our customers understandably have the habit of trying their own spotter (or, often several spotters…) before they call us. Its human nature to attempt to try a quick fix- before a professional is ultimately called in to solve a problem. All of us do that from time to time. They say something like this: I tried a few things to get this spot out. Do you think you can make it a little better?-...keep reading

Most microfiber upholstery fabrics (though not all) are made from polyester fiber. Polyester's oil loving characteristics causes microfiber furniture to rapidly absorb hair and body oil from people and pets, with the resulting "shiny/oily" soiling that coats the arms, upper inside back, and often the cushions.
Actually, microfiber upholstery fabric acts very much like microfiber cleaning cloths: It attracts soil and spills! (and holds them!)...keep reading

Rayon & Viscose Are Difficult To Clean!
Even if shrinkage and physical damage were not a factor, these fibers stubbornly holds onto soil and stains. The safest products for rayon, viscose and other natural fibers are usually neutral or mildly acidic, but these cleaners are rarely able to remove heavy soils and stains.
Here are four serious problems that exist for the cleaning professional:...keep reading

I received a series of emails and calls this week from two different fine fabric specialists about gross contamination of cushions on upholstery. Specifically vomit and urine. In each case, a guest in the home was the source of the "contamination". The major difference in each was not the contaminant, but the type of fiber in the fabric, the value of the furnishing to the customer, and the risk the cleaners were taking....keep reading