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Carpet Protectors

The most common question I hear is: Do they work?

We recently cleaned carpet in a home that houses two adults, a teenager, and two dogs. The last time we cleaned their carpets 3M Scotchgard was applied to protect the carpets. It was amazing how easily the soil released itself from their carpet fibers on the last visit.

A carpet protector such as 3M Scotchgard cannot make soil, food or drink hover six inches above the carpet, but it does provide you with the necessary time to clean up a spill before it can become a permanent stain.

Protectors guard against two things – “Soiling” and “Staining”. Does that mean that a protected carpet or sofa cannot be stained or become soiled? Of course not; protectors improve the release of spills, soils, and dust.

If coffee or a soda is spilled on a protected area and left unattended to dry, the dyes from these spills will eventually seep through the protector and may stain the fabric; however if the surface is immediately cleaned with an appropriate spotter or by a professional cleaner, the chances are very good that all of the spill will be removed. An added benefit of protecting your carpets and fabrics is that dust and soils are easier to remove when vacuuming.

Protected fibers essentially have a barrier to lessen the entanglement of abrasive soil within a carpet…thus vacuuming is far more productive. This means you reduce the wear and tear and the abrasive effects of soil within your carpet. Hence, with routine maintenance it will last longer than un-protected carpet.

Are protectors perfect? No

Do they wear off? Yes

Do they need re-application? Yes

Can they increase the life span of carpet and fabrics? Yes

Do they keep your carpets or fabrics from ever getting dirty? NO

The bottom line is that carpet protectors give you an infinitely greater chance of cleaning soil or spills than you would otherwise have without a protector. Almost all new carpets now come with a protector to help prevent staining or premature wear.

Carpet protection tips: 

You can drastically prolong the beauty of your carpeting and greatly improve the healthful quality of your home environment if you: 

1) Don’t wear dirty, grease-laden, abrasive shoes upon your carpeting.

2) Don’t consume foodstuffs over it.  Food crumbs and beverage drippings not only increase the soiling rate but also provide food for biological contaminants, such as bacteria, viruses and mold.

3) Don’t permit house pets to excrete body waste on your carpet. 

4) Keep it vacuumed well, and

5) Have it professionally cleaned by a properly trained technician on a regular basis.

Remember: Carpeting, like clothing, is a textile product that requires proper care.  Abusing it will cause permanent, visible damage.