Carpet floors make the home living cosier and warmer, but it also requires a cleaning routine to prolong the life of their fibres. In this article Brendan, our professional Carpet Cleaner, puts some lights on what is fibre protection and clarifying if it is worth to avail of this service.
What is fibre protection for carpet and upholstery?
Fibre protection also known as Scotchgard is a 3M product and the original fibre protection. It basically acts like a waterproofing for your carpet or upholstery. A good quality fibre protector should have an acid dye blocker and fluorochemical. As most of the household spills and stains are acid based, the acid dye blocker is like a clear dye that fills the fibre dye sites in wools, nylons cottons, polyester and silk. In doing so, it prevents the spills from penetrating the fibre and making it easier to clean up and less chance of permanent staining.
Fluorochemical helps protect the acid dye blocker from the foreign bodies, but its main job is helping resist dry soils from clinging to the fibre. When most people think of fibre protection, its to do with cleaning up spills etc. But reducing the soil from sticking to the fibre is one of the main benefits of fibre protecting. Tiny grains of sand, dirt and grime sticking to a fibre are like little razor blades. Under heavy footfall, these little razor blades are making aggressive cuts, like sand paper on a fibre. Significantly reducing the look and lifespan of your carpet or upholstery. When there is soil loose, your vacuum cleaner pulls more soils from the carpet.
How long will fibre protection last once applied?
Fibre protection wears away over time. High traffic areas will lose its effectiveness as quickly as 6 months depending on footfall, as specially in a commercial setting. Here at Chem2Clean we recommend applying fibre protection after every clean. In a residential environment and after an initial full room protection, talk to your carpet cleaner on his next visit, sometimes and to be cost effective he might recommend fibre protecting just the high traffic areas.
Is it worth fibre protecting my carpet?
In my opinion, very much so. One stain can completely destroy the look of an expensive cream wool carpet, for example. It is not a complete stain blocker, boiling hot decaffeinated black coffee on a wool carpet or consistent pet urine stains on natural fibres will eventually penetrate to the fibre. But I can tell when cleaning a carpet if its been treated just by how easily it cleans up. It also forms a protection against UV sun fading. In simple words, it prolongs the life of a carpet, rug or upholstery and keeps it cleaner for longer.
When to apply fibre protection?
We only apply fibre protection to a brand new or freshly cleaned carpet or upholstery. Applying protection to an area that is even a little contaminated can trap dirt etc. that is counter productive. Upholstery, when been protected from new, we use a solvent based carrying agent protector. This reduces the risk of water marks etc. on the likes of cottons linens when drying.
Positives for carpet protecting
- Helps protect your carpets, rugs and upholstery from spills and stains.
- Keeps your carpets, rugs and upholstery cleaner for longer.
- Protects from UV sun fading.
- Helps prolong the life of everything protected.
- Will not alter the texture of your carpet or upholstery.
Wish you to discuss or requiring more information on how Chem2Clean can protect and prolong the life of your carpet, please contact Brendan at 086 352 4539 / 01 235 48 66. You can also use our contact form or click on the green button if you are on mobile.