Yellowed Herculon has got me stumped!

aged-herculon-sofa-cleaning

Hey guys,

I have a question on cleaning “Herculon” furniture. This elderly couple I work for has had the same living room suite for quite some time and the fabric has yellowed over the years. They want to restore to new if possible. Ideas? What do I do … what do I avoid?

Stumped in St. Augustine

Herculon should be easier as it is the most durable of synthetic fabrics. Olefin and polyesters have a tendency to attract body oils and yellow with age. I recommend you use Matrix Outset as your prespray and add a scoop of Matrix Oxidizer mixed in very hot water. Outset will break down the body oils and the Oxidizer should remove the yellowing depending on how long the piece has been soiled. Be very careful if any of the fabric has been exposed to direct sunlight. Olefin is extremely susceptible to “sun-rotting” and you won’t know this till the fabric literally crumbles during cleaning. (Don’t ask me how I learned this!)

Bill

Steve’s note:  Let me second Bill’s “sun-rotting” caution.  In fact, I learned the hard way that sun-rotted Olefin is EXTREMELY SENSITIVE to the radiant heat from an inspection lamp.  As in the entire back panel of a couch disappearing before my very eyes!  (I still have nightmares from that so-very-unfortunate episode!)

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