Theater time again

One of my main contracts includes 2 full-size thieaters. I cleaned them last year for the first time in over 6 years and it nearly broke me in every way. I had cleaned a few local theaters in the past and was normally able to blow through them at about 1-2 minutes per seat, but these crippled me at a about a 5 minute pace....and many still didn't look so great.

I have them on the schedule this month and I am dreading it. My sub which helps me on this contract refused to work it unless his pay was doubled (be nice, but not an option), so I am going in short handed this time as well.

Each theater has close to 400 seats and I am hoping that they clean up faster and better this time, but they do get over a million people through this place each year. I was told they had over 7,000 people this month already, so who knows how they will look this time?

I have a good system down, but I still haven't discovered the best chemistry for the job. It is a red or blue polyester-olefin blend depending on which row. Each seat has dark stains from spilled sodas, body oils, and a few baby mishaps that never really come out. In fact, the fabric brightens so well when cleaned that those dark stains are even more noticeable and make things look worse on some chairs. (I'll post some pics when I get home tonight).

I have tried almost everything on these chairs, but the stains remain. I would love to find the right chemistry to make a real difference and allow me to speed up the pace to a more acceptable rate. I am just out of ideas at this point.

So, before I return this month and tackle this pia job, I am open to suggestions. Anyone have experience with this problem and found a sure-fire approach? I concluded the last time that they were permanent stains, but maybe I missed something.

Not a fan of d'limonene but 8oz Enzall and 2 oz d'limonene in a hydroforce will clean almost any nasty commercial upholstery job

I would use 6 oz of S/O and 2oz of Energy and a hand bonnet to work it all in like I show in my video.

I don't know what you are using to agitate the fibers, but maybe that is your missing link in the cleaning pie?

I might suggest a variable speed buffer (the kind that spins, not oscillates) and a brush attachment for it.

If you already agitate, I would say your chemistry does indeed need to change somehow.

I appreciate the advice, I guess I really should explain what I tried already.

S/O + Peroxide (don't recall the concentration)
Pro's Choice TLC boosted with ammonia at 3%
Pro's Choice Dirt Chaser Pre
Encap Red by Vacaway
Citrus Solvent
OMS
Aggitated with cyclo (blue brushes) and nylon brush
Used auto polisher and terry bonnets to encap the backs
Extracted with Sapphire upholstery and a stair tool

About the only things on the truck that I didn't try at the time was a bleach solution or a mold enzyme cleaner....wish I had tried it looking back.

The good news is that I think I can get a damaged chair to take back to the shop and test options before going live this time. Still not sure what to try next...heard good things about Prochem Liquid Pro and have used Enzall in the past with good results, so they might be next up.

It was mentioned a while back that Kurd cutter is a good uph cleaner on heavily soil uph. Get it at lowes.

Rob, since I'd guess those permanent stains are oil based, like popcorn butter..........My question is have to tried KleenRite Dissolve yet?? I'm not real familiar with "Citrus Solvent", maybe it's basically the same thing?

For many years I've had great results with Dissolve when it comes to greasy or oily substances in carpets and upholstery.......I will boost my prespray with it or if just one spot I'll pre-spot with it before extraction.   

Looks like you have thrown the chem warehouse at it.   

Maybe it is too long between cleanings or they are putting some home depot type spot chems on it trying to clean it?

Other than trying the Krud Cutter like Ryan suggests, I don't know what else to try. Maybe there is no fixing to it at this point.

Purple power grease lightning they are high in sodium hydroxide which u haven't tried and I think the purple stuff even has some butyl. .. or go old school and grab some tsp or sttp < which will leave less residue than tsp > if u go with tsp make sure and buy it from Amazon and get the 100% cuz the stuff at home depot is about 5 or 10 percent tsp and 90 percent sodium carbonate.

I stopped using kleenrite dissolve... I dont like that stuff and its like paint thinner nasty

For ultra grease on upholstery Ive said it before but ill say it again, natural orange by hydramaster.

use it and youll see, I consider it the 2790 of upholstery cleaning.

Great help gang.  I went through the old invoice and couldn't find a good picture of how bad the stains looked.  All I could find was this before and after split, but if you look close you will see those dark areas.  This was actually a decent chair compared to the others.

Holy Cow.....I don't think I will try this method.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qF83SjRXP0

you cant with this battle the seat absorb so much spray some encap rub and call it good

this is why I have not been to a movie in years.
seeing a theater with the lights on.

the one theater here said they would pay up to a dollar a seat to have cleaned. GFYS!

Anyone who would even touch one of those seats for a buck is a fool...let alone try and clean them.

Hopefully, if I can get a damaged seat into the shop I will be able to find the right combo to get it done efficiently. Encap was effective on most of the backings, just think they will be too far gone for the seat bottoms.

I still can't get over the power washing method above...what were they thinking?

the power washing was the most effective way
you can laugh at them but they most likely tried all of the other ways and could not get it done either

I would be careful with too much h202 if not dry could light some ones butt on fire.

You may as well try that Deep Green Rob you have s jars coming this week. So far its worked at everything I have used it on except a red dye stain

It is on the list, believe me. Once I get that busted chair's bottom cushion home, the lab will be active and nothing is off the list.

I really need to isolate the best chemistry this time around as my sub has bailed out on the job already, so it will be just me and a couple of helpers to prespray and agitate...I get to wand 400 chairs.   

My back hurts just reading that 

Just picked up the deep green shipment...thanks Mo.

I am also picking up a damaged seat cushion now, so that will prove helpful and maybe even useful for the next guy.

As for the back...it hurts thinking about it to me as weel

Test Subjects:



Current weapons:

S/O boosted
Deep Green in liquid form along with detergent
OneStep Citrus TLC
RedLine
Krud / Purple Power
Pro-Zyme
Probably try an encap as well along with extraction

I wish you had some KR Dissolve in that group, as I'd be interested to see how it compares to the results of the others you have to test with.

Maybe Pro-Zyme will do that trick on oily popcorn butter.........I've have some fairly good results with it on oily and greasy carpet many times.

I think a scrub and move on with s/0 encap with some h202 is going to work the best the least amount of moisture

I have some Kleenrite Dissolve (mint version) and have used it instead of Energy a few times. I will add it to the mix Davey.

Terry, you are probably right (often are) on this one. My sub called me back and said he would stay on the job if we decided to encap it all. He recently bought a Sprayborg and is turning all vlm when he can. I created a monster when I introduced him to it about 6 months ago.

I just don't feel right about encapping the bottoms at this point...will consider it.

Joe mentioned ammonia use in upholstery to boost the ph or something like that ? You might want to try that too Rob ?
Please let us know what works best for you after it's all done :-)

All options on the table!