Spot Cleaning Instructions for our Boucle Fabrics
About our Fabric's Stain Resistant Properties
Modern Classics Furniture is proud to use a North American made boucle fabric, whose commercial grade material made even better because our fabric are protected by GreenShield® finish.
GreenShield® is a patented all-in-one multifunctional nano-particle based technology that reduces the impact upon the environment and human health from oil-based-stain resistant finishes by dramatically lowering the amount of fluorochemicals. The GreenShield® technology architecture leverages the enormous surface area of each nanoparticle enabling the particles to efficiently deliver the appropriate chemistry to the fabric, while their size is optimized for minimizing contact with liquid droplets. This enables GreenShield® coated fabrics to have as little as one tenth the fluorochemical load as its competitors while providing superior water and oil repellency coupled with industry leading stain resistance.
GreenShield® is based on amorphous silica nanoparticles that are also used for such applications as toothpaste and cosmetic creams. Amorphous silica (sand) is a GRAS listed material (Generally Recognized as Safe). GreenShield® non-emitters, releasing no VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), have no PFOS or PFOA containing fluorochemicals, and are permanently adhered to the fabric as a mesh network, eliminating any concerns about nanoparticles becoming air-borne.
The particle-based technology of GreenShield® is changing how textile products are protected in a growing number of industries: commercial & residential interiors, automotive & mass transportation, outerwear & outdoor products, and the marine industry. Commercial & residential interiors need GreenShield® is for high traffic environments where cleaning oil-based stains will be needed, such as in the hospitality industry. GreenShield® are permanently adhered to the fabric, lasting the life of the fabric while easily cleaned by all cleaning agents including detergents, solvents, or (where fabric appropriate) diluted bleach. They do not affect the recyclability of the product. An interior environment can be a tough place, and upholstery fabrics need to perform under many demanding circumstances. Food stains, liquid spills, and a number of other dirt producing situations can result in unappealing looking furniture and expensive cleaning bills. With GreenShield® you can protect your upholstery fabrics from oil-based stains like mustard, ketchup, and pizza grease while helping to protect the environment.
The GreenShield® Company, makers of GreenShield® Finish, is committed to reducing the use of chemicals required for product performance with factual and transparent information that is third party certified.
General Cleaning Instructions
The best time to deal with any spill is immediately after it happens. Because of GreenShield®'s water and oil repellent properties, most spills on a GreenShield®® treated fabric will be sitting on top of the fabric for a short period of time after a spill. Immediate gentle blotting of a simple liquid spill such as coffee or wine with a clean dry absorbent cloth or paper towel will often completely remove the spill. If the spill is viscous or contains solids (mustard, tomato sauce, etc.), it is best to carefully remove the bulk of the material and its solids with something like a spoon before blotting the spill. Do not rub at the spill as that may push it into the fabric or make it bigger. If the spill is large, remember to blot toward the center so that it does not spread. If the spill is not completely removed by blotting the application of a fluid cleaner may be necessary. Before selecting a cleaning system be sure to check the manufacturer’s instructions for the fabric. Soapy water is usually the safest and most effective cleaning liquid for recent spills on a GreenShield® treated fabric.
Lightly wetting the surface of the fabric with water and repeated blotting will pick up the remnants of many spills. Blotting the surface of a spill with a dilute solution of liquid detergent in cool water followed by blotting with a dry absorbent cloth will pick up slightly more stubborn stains. Hot water may set the stain and is not recommended. Rubbing gently with a cloth or a soft brush can be useful but hard brushing may alter the texture of some fabrics and therefore is not recommended.
Removing more difficult stains and stains that have dried will require more effort. First, brush or vacuum off any dried component of the spill (mustard, betadine, etc.). Then, lay a damp cloth flat on the stain and blot with gentle pressure. If part of the stain is removed, repeat until removal is complete. If complete removal is not achieved, the same procedure can be used with a dilute, mild detergent.
The GreenShield®® protective finishes are generally not removed by treatment with spot stain removers. The GreenShield® finishes may be used with either water or solvent based cleaners. However, it is the fabric itself that determines which types of treatments are useful. The makers of GreenShield® strongly recommend cleaning solutions with minimal environmental impact.
Mustard. On GreenShield® treated fabrics, mustard spills will dry into beads or strands which will separate from the fabric and are removed simply by brushing the fabric or picking them up. Residue is removed by blotting with a damp cloth followed by drying with an absorbent towel.
Coffee. For fabrics treated with GreenShield®, coffee spills should dry into concentrated brown specs that are picked up with repeated blotting with a damp cloth. The area should be dried with an absorbent towel.
Betadine. Betadine is an iodine based antimicrobial that can stain fabrics. Spills on a GreenShield® treated fabric will dry into small concentrated reddish brown spots that sit on top of the fabric and can be removed by picking at their edge and lifting them off. Alternating blotting with wet and dry towels may remove the small residue remaining, though treatment with a dilute solution of a low residue detergent may be needed.
Italian Dressing. Spills on a GreenShield® treated fabric will dry into a soft pasty residue that can be rolled off of the fabric and picked up leaving a small residue on the top of the fabric. The surface may be gently blotted with a dry piece of paper towel followed by blotting with a dilute solution of detergent. The spotted area can be blotted with a damp cloth and then dried by pressing on a towel.
If these simple methods fail, it will be necessary to select a cleaning solution that is appropriate for the fabric and the composition of the stain. Many different types of spot cleaning solutions are available and can be purchased or formulated at home. A particular cleaner may be vastly superior for a particular stain or a sequence of treatments may be best, but mixing components is not recommended. (Chlorine bleaches should NOT be used with either ammonia or vinegar.) Apply the selected cleaning solution directly to the stain as recommended by its manufacturer. Do not over-wet. Allow the wetted fabric to sit for a time and then blot with a clean white cloth or paper towel. Repeat as needed. Depending on the cleaner's instructions, a final water rinse may be recommended. Finally, dry the treated area by placing a weighted white towel on top of it. It is impossible to evaluate all available cleaners but a number have been tested for both spot removal and their impact on the GreenShield® treatments. Water-based spot cleaners that have been found to be compatible with fabrics using GreenShield® fabric finish include:
- Woolite® uphoslstry cleaner
- Woolite® Oxy Deep®
- Resolve® Multi-Fabric
- Shout® Advanced
- Folex®
- Once’n Done®
A few solvent based spot cleaners have been evaluated with GreenShield®. Solvent cleaners based on hydrotreated aliphatic hydrocarbons (such as Solv-a-clene™, Super-Solve™ and Goo Gone®) were compatible with GreenShield® as was isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol).