Actichem Encap Fine Fabric 20 ltr

Product Overview

Actichem Encap Fine Fabric is a unique upholstery cleaning detergent based on advanced technology that provides a total solution for the cleaning of upholstery, delicate fabrics and rugs.

This listing is the 20 litre bulk pack, for high-volume upholstery and rug work or for refilling across a team.

This innovative multi-task product can be used in three ways:

• Encapsulation cleaning — for upholstery fabrics and delicate area rugs, a 1:16 solution is spray-applied, agitated and allowed to dry.
• Low moisture (dry) cleaning — for delicate cottons, a 1:4 solution is whipped into a rich foam, which is then used to dry-clean the cotton fabric.
• Wet cleaning delicate fabrics — for wet-cleanable fine fabrics, a 1:16 solution is spray-applied, agitated and rinsed or extracted with Clean Rinse.

This is a great replacement product for PowerClean Fabric Clean.

Benefits

• Encapsulating — an advanced blend of high-performance embrittling and encapsulation agents encapsulates the emulsified soil, embrittling it for easy vacuum removal.
• Releases upholstery soiling — contains ingredients which specifically target body oils and fats, beverage and food stains and organic soils.
• Leaves fabrics chemical free — residues dry down to a light, brittle crystal that quickly breaks away from the fibre.
• User friendly — low odour formula. Low odour is not the same as low hazard — see the Safety section below, which has been corrected.
• Dye and fabric stability — the mildly acidic character helps prevent cellulosic browning and stabilises fibre dyes.
• No resoiling — unique embrittling and anti-resoiling polymer keeps fabrics and fibres cleaner for longer.
• Fibre safe — safe for use on all water-cleanable fibres, including silk, cotton, linen, wool, stain-resistant nylon and all synthetic fibres.

Application Areas and Surface Suitability

• Delicate area rugs — wet-cleanable rugs can be cleaned using encapsulation or the wet cleaning method.
• Delicate cotton fabrics — best cleaned using the low moisture (dry) cleaning method.
• Delicate fabrics — water-cleanable upholstery is best cleaned using the wet cleaning method or the encapsulation method.

What Is the Difference Between Encap Fine Fabric and a Carpet Encapsulating Cleaner?

Encap Fine Fabric shares some similarities with a carpet encapsulating cleaner, but with a few critical differences:

• Mildly acidic pH, which stabilises dyes and helps prevent browning.
• The cleaning ingredients specifically target the oily, greasy soiling typical of upholstery.
• Specialty stain-removal agents help remove beverage and tannin stains.

This is the reason to choose it over the carpet encaps, and it is a chemistry difference rather than a marketing one. Encap Pro and Encap Plus are both pH 8 — alkaline. Encap Fine Fabric sits on the acid side deliberately. On wool, silk and cellulosic fibres, that is what prevents browning.

How to Use

Always pre-test in an inconspicuous location for substrate sensitivity to chemicals. Observe all safety directions and read the safety data sheet before use.

Note: if the fabric or rug is to be protected using a fluorochemical protector, the treated area must be extracted or rinsed.

Dilutions

• Encapsulation cleaning — 250 ml with 4 litres of clean water.
• Low moisture (dry) cleaning — 250 ml with 1 litre of clean water.
• Wet cleaning (delicate fabrics) — 250 ml with 4 litres of clean water.

Encapsulation cleaning

1. Vacuum the fabric to remove all loose soil.
2. Mix 250 ml with 4 litres of clean water.
3. Spray onto the fabric until wetted out. One litre of ready-to-use solution should cover approximately a four-seater lounge suite.
4. Agitate using a bonnet mitt or an upholstery cleaning brush.
5. Remove excess moisture with a clean, white, dry terry towel.
6. Allow to dry, assisting with ventilation. Leave at least 24 hours before dry vacuuming to remove dry, embrittled soil.

Low moisture (dry) cleaning

1. Vacuum fabric to remove all loose soil.
2. Mix 250 ml with 1 litre of clean water.
3. Whip up the solution to create a rich foam.
4. Apply the foam using a sea sponge, bonnet mitt or upholstery cleaning brush. Agitate to remove as much soiling as possible.
5. Remove excess foam and moisture with a clean, white, dry terry towel.
6. Allow to dry, assisting with ventilation. Leave at least 24 hours before dry vacuuming.

Wet cleaning delicate fabrics

1. Vacuum the fabric or rug to remove all loose soil.
2. Mix 250 ml with 4 litres of clean water.
3. Spray onto the fabric until wetted out. One litre of ready-to-use solution should cover approximately a four-seater lounge suite, or 4 m².
4. Agitate using a bonnet mitt or an upholstery cleaning brush.
5. Rinse extract using Rinse Pro.
6. Allow to dry, assisting with ventilation.

Decant into a labelled container for site use. An unlabelled bottle in a work vehicle is a WHS problem regardless of what is in it.

Safety

Please read this section. This listing previously described Encap Fine Fabric as “Non-hazardous”. That was wrong. It has been corrected.

Actichem’s safety data sheet for AP464, version 2.5 issued 4 September 2025, classifies it as a HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL under the Model WHS Regulations. It is not classified as dangerous goods for transport.

• Signal word: DANGER
• H318 — causes serious eye damage
• pH as supplied: 5.5 – 6.0 per the current SDS (our earlier records stated 6 – 6.5)
• Poisons Schedule: not applicable

⚠ H318 — this is the one that matters

H318 means causes serious eye damage — irreversible, not irritation. That may read oddly on a product described as gentle on fabrics, and both things are true: mild on fibres is not the same as mild on eyes. The mildly acidic pH that protects silk and wool says nothing about what the concentrate does to an eye.

Eye protection when decanting, mixing and spraying. Upholstery work is done close to the fabric, often at head height on lounge backs, and spray rebounds. Safety glasses with open sides are not adequate for a product classified H318 — use chemical goggles.

Concentrate versus working solution

This is a concentrate, and the classification above describes the product in the container — not the tank mix at 1:4 or 1:16.

The diluted working solution is considerably milder. But the concentrate is what you decant, and decanting is when people are hurt. Note that the low-moisture method uses the strongest dilution of the three at 1:4 — handle that one with more care, not less, and take particular care when whipping it into foam.

Do not mix

Actichem’s safety data sheet for this product lists incompatible materials as “none known”. We do not think that is complete, and we have raised it with them.

Keep it away from the chlorine range and from concentrated oxidisers such as Stain Fix. Because this product is mildly acidic, also keep it separate from the strongly alkaline prespray range rather than mixing part-used solutions.

Personal protective equipment

Chemical goggles, and overalls where the product is sprayed for extended periods. An eyewash unit should be available wherever this product is decanted.

First aid

Eyes. Wash out immediately with fresh running water for at least 15 minutes, holding the eyelids open to ensure complete irrigation. Immediately call a Poisons Information Centre or doctor — H318 damage is not something to assess yourself.

Skin. Remove contaminated clothing and wash the area with soap and water.

Swallowed. Rinse the mouth with water. Do not induce vomiting. Call a Poisons Information Centre or doctor.

Specifications

Related Products

• Actichem Encap Fine Fabric 5 Ltr — the smaller size.
• Actichem Rinse Pro — the rinse used in the wet cleaning method, and required before applying a fluorochemical protector.
• Actichem Encap Plus — the WoolSafe-certified carpet encap. Alkaline at pH 8; use Fine Fabric where browning or dye bleed is the risk.

Safety Data Sheet

Actichem Encap Fine Fabric Safety Data Sheet — version 2.5, issued 4 September 2025

If your risk assessment for this product was written on the basis that it was non-hazardous, it needs to be redone.

SKU: AP464.20

Working on silk, viscose or an unidentified rug fibre? Contact Carpet Cleaners Warehouse before you order — fibre identification matters more than product choice on delicate work.