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Maintenance and repair articles.

Vinyl Upholstery



Regular Cleaning
Wash with mild detergent and water. Use a soft
bristle brush for stubborn soil. Rinse and dry. Some
household cleaners and solvents remove plasticizers from
vinyl, making them brittle. Abrasive cleaners scratch the
smooth surface.

Sometime letting detergent solution stand on surface
and "soak" a few minutes loosens soil.

Special Cleaning
Vinyl cleaners sold in furniture stores or auto
stores help clean stubborn soil on vinyl upholstery.
Vinyl upholstery will absorb stains and dye from fabrics
that crock or bleed (like crocking blue jeans on white
vinyl or bright prints that bleed). A vinyl protective
finish, sold at same stores, helps protect upholstery and
resists or retards absorption of stains.

Act at once to remove stains from vinyl. Use a white
cloth or paper towels. Keep solvents away from wood or
metal parts. When solvents other than water are used to
remove a stain, wash the area with detergent and water,
rinse and dry.

1. Nail polish and polish remover will cause permanent
damage if left on the surface. Wipe off quickly. Blot; do
not spread the liquid. Sponge lightly with synthetic
turpentine or mineral spirits. While nail polish remover
or amyl acetate will remove polish, both may affect the
vinyl. Use them only if necessary at you own risk.

2. Ballpoint pen marks may respond to alcohol. If not,
cover area with a white cloth soaked in a 3% solution of
hydrogen peroxide and leave from 30 minutes to overnight.

3. Felt tip markers may respond to treatment with
mineral spirits.

4. Remove substances such as oil paint, shoe heel marks,
ink, tar, crayon, grease, shoe polish, ointment and
cosmetics with synthetic turpentine or mineral spirits.
Use hydrogen peroxide bleach treatment if necessary (see
#2 above).

5. Chewing gum should be hardened with ice and chipped
off. Remove residue with synthetic turpentine or mineral
spirits.

When using solvents suggested in No. 1, 3 and 4
(turpentine or mineral spirits) use only in a well-
ventilated room and avoid breathing fumes or getting on
your skin. Be sure there is no flame, spark, pilot light,
or cigarette in area, as they are flammable. Air out
cloths used, to evaporate solvent before disposing.

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