Ink Stains
A while back, I wrote a technical tip about pens and ink stains on leather. An incident like that cost me more than $800 to replace a leather seat, and that's after I'd done everything possible (including sending the car to a detail shop) to try and remove the stain.
So wouldn't you know that shortly afterward, I learned of a product that can remove ink stains. A company called Telechem out of Atlanta, Georgia makes a product they call APC (All Purpose Cleaner).
I tried a bottle of the stuff on the seat cover I'd "bought". Guess what? It worked. I tested it some more by marking the seat with a variety of ink pens.
The product comes in a set with very fine steel wool. The steel wool is used to aid the APC in removing tough stains. We marked the seat with 12-inch stains, and within two minutes we were able to get all the stains out.
We tested the product on seats, floors, sun visors, etc., and all the spots came out.
All I can say is get a few cans of this stuff. It really works.
For more information on APC, contact Telechem at 1-800-637-0495.
Dear Mr. Washington:
Attached are pictures of your product in action.
As soon as we purchased our 2000 Town and Country mini van, scratches started to appear in the plastic molding behind the door handles. We tried to get them out and several times when I had the car in the full service car wash, I asked them to try to clean the scratches out too. When nothing worked, we just lived with the ugly door scratches.
Your APC did an amazing job upon first application, As you can see in the photos, the plastic moldings were cleaned and look almost new after over five years in use.
Thank you. Please feel free to use the pictures and anything I have said in this e-mail any way you choose or have people contact me if they want a testimonial.
Stephen Eigel
Atlanta, GA.
Date: Sun, 8 May 2005 09:59:19 -0500
From: Jiffy Lube Store 00080
Subject: RE: APC testimony
To: martindale@telechem.com
APC is one of the best cleaners I have used in my past 20yrs of working in the auto industry. I had a customer come in recently with a brand new car with tan carpeting. One of my tech's got into the vehicle and didn't realize he had grease on his boots. When he got out there was a big grease smudge in this customers car.
My general manager was going to send this customer to a detail shop to have her carpets cleaned until I suggested that we try using the APC. I sprayed a heavy coating of APC on the smudge and let sit, next I scrubbed it in with a brush, and then dabbed with a clean rag which caused the grease to be pulled right out of the carpet. After using this product and seeing the capability of this product I would stake my reputation on the capabilities of APC.
We now use APC for ever type of cleaning in my shop and love the results. Thank you for the chance to use your product.
Sincerely John Ginn
Store 696
Lawrence
90 BOSTON POST RD
Waterford, CT 06385-2421
Testimony:
Lawrence is GM for Jiffy Lube Corporate Store #696 and the following is his testimony for APC as a result of a customer service call from Telechem the manufacturer of APC.
I personally use APC as the go to product for small quick clean up jobs such as scuff marks, stains on the wall, cleaning the restrooms, and removing marks from customers vehicles. I have used APC on my own personal car from the tires to the headliner and found that it not only works fast but does a superior job.
I have used APC to remove a ballpoint pen stain from a customer's tan cloth seat, thus saving the store from a potential liability claim. Several customers have come to the store with complaints about not being able to remove this stain or that mark or brake dust from the wheels and I spray a little APC on the area and with proper agitation helped them to eliminate their problem. I wish it were a resale item for our store.
Comments from Les Washington, President Telechem, after talking with Lawrence:
All-in-all APC can save you time and provide you with the ability to solve potential costly liability claims. The use of APC for improving store appearance and giving the customer that extra signature service provides your customer more reasons to return to your store and continuing you on a course of higher car count.
From JL #1883
I'm am not at all surprised this product has worked so well for others, I have been using this to maintain cleanliness in my Jiffy Lube stores since i have been with the company. Also I have stunned many employees with the use of this product a few weeks ago i had an incident in one of my stores, I just happened to stop by the store after a meeting. The assistant manager came running over to my car as i pulled onto the lot screaming ooh no we have a problem, we accidentally squirted the oil gun and it sprayed oil inside the customers car. I get out of my car and casually walk over to see how bad the situation was, not a problem i said. The assistant manager was asking me how come I was so calm, I replied I have APC!!! sprayed the floors, seats, and the dash let it sit for about 2 minutes, then scrubbed it off.. The customer was happy, I was happy because it didn't cost us like $2,000.00 dollars for a new interior...
Thanks
Jason McNulty JL #1883
Graffiti Removal: APC and 0000 Steel Wool
Enamel Spray Paint Graffiti Removal
A white vehicle was vandalized with red enamel spray paint. The paint covered the entire drivers side door, rear quarter panel, rear quarter window and molding. The various materials involved were, painted metal, rubber, glass and plastic surfaces. Paint was applied sometime during the night and stayed on the surface into the next day. The surface was dry and clean and the paint was fully dry.
APC was applied with a heavy foam to loosen the bond by the paint on the car surface. Agitation with paper towels to remove the over spray and lighter applied paint. Repeated application of APC and wiping removed the majority of the paint.
For areas with the heaviest amount of enamel paint, Telechem's Graffiti Remover Wipes were applied to the surface followed by a heavy foam application of APC. The foaming action of the APC kept the solvent from the wipes from evaporating, and enhanced the ability to remove the heavy, stubborn paint. For areas where heavy or dried paint exist, APC and light use of 0000 Steel Wool will safely and quickly remove the toughest spots.
APC removed all the over spray from all surfaces, quickly and easily.
A difficult problem for APC.
Aid to help APC work, when cleaning a difficult spot or stain
A Dry-Erase boad which had been written on with a permanent black marker and had not been cleaned off in 3 to 5 years and was not being used 100% at the location. They had tried many other cleaners with no results. APC and a mild bristle brush cleaned the surface but you could still see the faded black writting deep in the surface of the board. Board was still not 100%, so it only had limited use.
The solution was the spray a heavy foam of APC, let set 30 seconds then lightly scrub with some 0000 Steel Wool. This provided the APC with the aid it needed to get to the stain, it quickly removed the faded black marks without harming the surface of the Dry-Erase board. This brought the board back to 100% service and kept the board from being replaced. Just another reason why APC should be everyones "GOTO PRODUCT", replacing 7-9 different cleaning products.
TO: SERVICE@TELECHEM.COM
SUBJECT: PLEASED CUSTOMER
DATE: SUN, 16 APR 2000
I AM WRITING THIS LETTER TO LET YOU KNOW, AS YOU ALREADY DO, WHAT A WONDERFUL PRODUCT YOU HAVE. I HAVE A THREE YEAR OLD BOY THAT LIKES TO DRAW ON THINGS. ON AFTERNOON I NOTICED MY SON HAVE USE A PERMANENT SHARPIE MARKER TO DRAW A PICTURE ON MY HUSBANDS ANTIQUE DRESSER. I WAS VERY UPSET AND THOUGHT IT WOULD NEVER COME OFF WITHOUT RUINING THE FINISH ON THE PIECE. WELL, TO MY SURPRISE APC WORKED. I SPRAYED THE MARKER SPOT AND RUBBED WITH A CLOTH. I DID THIS TWICE AND IT ALL CAME OFF. THE FINISH ON THE DRESSER WAS NOT EVEN TOUCHED. YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW THAT THE MARKER DRAWING WAS THERE. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR PRODUCING SUCH A WONDERFUL PRODUCT.
January 3, 2000
Telechem:
I wanted to let you know how your APC-All Purpose Cleaner worked for me. The other day my dog must of scratched his paw on something in the yard, because when he came back in the house he left eight to ten blood spots across our white carpet. I just followed the instructions on the can, sprayed the APC on, let it set 30 seconds, gave it a light scrub, and then cleaned it off with clean rag. The instructions said, "You may have to repeat the process until the stain is gone." but the spots were removed on the first application.
Thank you
To: Service@Telechem.com
Subject: APC
Just a quick note to tell you about a new use for your APC. I was washing my wife's car after a recent trip and found it was very difficult to remove the dried on bugs off the front grill, windshield and backs of the mirrors. I sprayed some APC on these areas and just let it sit for a few moments. The APC loosened up the bugs so that I could just wash them right off.
Mr. Les Washington
The Telechem Corporation
6477 Peachtree Industrial
Atlanta, Ga 30360 March 3, 2000
Dear Mr. Washington,
Your APC product worked a MIRACLE on several (three year old) red wine stains on my pale pink carpeting. These stains were so old, I held little hope of having any success in getting my carpet clean again. I tried many products. I even hired a professional carpet cleaning service. All to no avail, the stains remained. But, to my pleasant & great surprise, APC got out about 90% of each stain.
This is how I used your product:
1) I sprayed on APC, waited 5 minutes and scrubbed the stains with a clean terry cloth towel.
2) I repeated step (1) four more times and let carpet completely dry for 48 hours.
3) I sprayed APC on the stains and scrubbed with a clean towel, then immediately sprayed again and left it for 30 minutes, and scrubbed again with a clean towel. The stains are barely visible.
You have a great product! It has a pleasant odor and does a fabulous job. It should be advertised and carried at all Home Depots. Actually, with its multitude of uses, it should be available in every grocery store! I will give this testimonial to all who will listen. Thanks for such a great product.
Yours Truly from a happy customer,
Pat Coker
APC OUT CLEANS THE COMPETITION AGAIN!
This past week Floyd Robinson (Q-Lube/Jiffy Lube Southeast Regional Manager) visited a local car wash. After the wash was complete he noticed bird droppings were still present on the hood of his car. The attendant reached for one of the products his company used, but after several attempts he was still unable to remove them. Floyd went into his trunk and pulled out a can of TELECHEM'S "APC". He applied the cleaner with the attendant present and the droppings came right off. The employee looked on in amazement as Mr. Robinson drove away!
Case History of APC Cleaning A Leather Seat
That Normally Would Require Redying.
I wanted to take a moment to share with you something that I learned this past week. My wife and I took an eight-hour trip in her new car. When we arrived at our destination I discovered that a pen had stuck out of my pocket and had been drawing on the seat for part of the trip. Nice blue zig-zag lines down part of the light tan leather seat in her new Lexus 300. I sprayed Telechem’s APC on the stain, let it set, and then wiped it off. I did this about three times and it removed around 80% of the stain. The only part that remained was where the pen had really dug down into the grain of the leather. For this I applied a little nail polish remover (acetone) and while it was still wet sprayed APC on top. After that set, I wiped it off. I repeated this a couple times and the stain was completely gone. Now I know there are things out there that takes stains off of leather, but they usually take the color off the leather also. In this application none of the color was removed from the leather car seat.
