How To Clean

Spot Cleaning Instructions for GreenShield® Treated Fabrics

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The best time to deal with any spill is immediately after it happens. Because of GreenShield’s water and oil repellent properties, and GreenShield ZERO’s exceptional water repellency, 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 GreenSheild 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 or GreenShield ZERO, 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 and GreenShield ZERO fabric finish include:

• Woolite® uphoslstry cleaner
• Woolite® Oxy Deep®
• Resolve® Multi-Fabric
• Shout® Advanced
• Folex®
• Once’n Done®

Few solvent based spot cleaners have been evaluated with GreenShield or GreenShield ZERO. Solvent cleaners based on hydrotreated aliphatic hydrocarbons (such as Solv-a-clene™ and Goo Gone®) were compatible with GreenShield as was isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol).