safe upholstery cleaners?

[Matthew]

Does anyone know of a safe upholstery cleaner? We went away on vacation and the person watching our place spilled what looks like coffee all over our new couch. Any ideas on how to get out or at least lighten the stain?

 

Thanks!

[Dave007]

If you have a new couch, you'd be wise to contact the place you bought it or find the manufacturer of the couch and simply ask them what cleaners are used for coffee. You may get suggestions here about what to use but do you really wanna experiment with your new couch?

Most of thje stains that are dealt with here are bird dropping stains.

[Char]

What kind of fabric is your couch. My husband is a drycleaner. He knows all about stains.

[Matthew]

The material is 65% rayon and that's all I know about it right now. I'm mostly concerned about what's safe for birds. I'm worried the chemicals used in professional cleaning could be harmful.

[Matthew]

I got a quote from a company called Chem-dry. They claim everything they use is non-toxic, but I'd feel better if I knew someone else had used them and had no problems. I live in a small apartment, so I really can't move the birds to another room.

[Dave007]

Well, you ould clean the couch with a standard but guaranteed cleaner and afterward, don't let the bird on the couch. OR you can put a towel on the couch if you decide to let him sit on it. Either way, any cleaner you use won't bother the bird because all the cleaners evaporate. That's why cleaned furniture doesn't smell after it eventually evaporates.

[judygram]

Thats wonderful to hear Dave as we all probably have some couches that need to be cleaned, I know Sunny, my sun conure loves to get on the back of my couch and let go of them and I am not in the habit of covering the back of the couch but maybe I should.

 

Thanks Dave for your priceless information when we need it, you are invaluable to us.

[Matthew]

So, you don't feel that the cleaners evaporating into the air the bird is breathing is a concern at all?? Really?? I've read horror stories about things as seemingly harmless as Febreze killing birds. I've decided to just spot clean it for now and wait for spring to move the couch to the back porch to have it cleaned, leaving it there until it's completely dry. I don't want Tucker or myself breathing in those fumes.

[danmcq]

fabric/carpet Cleaners such as resolve etc. in a manual pump spray bottle are fine around your birds. It's the aerosol type air freshers and cleans that if sprayed in large quantities up into the air could harm your birds.

 

Here's some correct and valid information regarding this topic:

 

Comments: Febreze, a Procter & Gamble product not widely available in the U.S. until last year, is described by its manufacturer as a "one-step odor cleaning system [that] eliminates common odors such as pet, smoke, cooking, and musty smells."

 

The email warnings about its alleged toxic threat to pets began circulating in January. Note that this one refers to "multiple instances" of dogs and birds dying or becoming ill from exposure to the product, but cites no names, dates, or locations to permit verification of these incidents.

 

According to the pet safety FAQ page posted by Procter & Gamble in response to these rumors, research confirms that the product, used according to directions, poses no serious health threat to pets.

 

The ASPCA's National Animal Poison Control Center agrees. A staff veterinarian I spoke with said the Center has not been able to confirm any cases of Febreze causing the death or serious injury of pets. The Center issued the following statement:

 

Veterinary toxicologists at the ASPCA National Animal Poison Center are conducting an on-going investigation into claims that use of Febreze in the home caused the death of several pets. All information reviewed to date suggests that there is no evidence that Febreze represents any risk to pets when used according to label instructions. Presently, the center considers the product safe to use in households with pets. As with any cleaning product, the center recommends that birds be removed from the room until the product application has dried and the area has been ventilated.

— ASPCA/NAPCC Letter Regarding Febreze

The Animal Poison Control Center also told me that while zinc chloride (one of the ingredients in Febreze) can be toxic in large amounts, it comprises less than 1% of the formulation of the product and is not considered to be a hazard, contrary to allegations in the email warnings. Procter & Gamble says it began producing an improved Febreze formula in December 1998 which does not contain the chemical.

 

A statement by the American Veterinary Medical Association quotes Dr. Carl Hornfeldt, clinical director for the Hennepin Regional Poison Center in Minneapolis: "There's no truth in the concerns of this product being harmful." In addition, Dr. Steve Hansen of the NAPCC notes in the statement that the contents of Febreze are "much safer than some other household products, such as certain pesticides, disinfectants, antifreeze, and drain cleaners."

 

The Humane Society of the United States has posted a similar statement on its Website.