Do carpet protectors work?

Scotchgard, Stainguard, Teflon, Guardsman – there are many brands of ‘protector’ in the professional market place, but when I’m out cleaning carpets in people’s homes I’m often asked if carpet ‘protectors’ really work? My answer is always yes!

When carpet it made by the manufacture they spray a protective coating over the fibers. One reason for this is the fibers have what you call ‘dye sites’. What ‘dye sites’ are is punctured holes in the fiber that allows the color dye to enter. You may ask why coat the fiber? Because anything like juice can enter the dye sites and create a permanent stain.

When the carpet mills place this protective coating it’s a light spay with a soft feel and flexibility. This allows the fiber to fell soft and natural and not stiff. The downside to this is its not permanent. It can be worn off by traveling, vacuuming and professional cleaning. That’s why you need to reapply protector after every clean.

Another reason for the protector is to help with traffic ware. Dirt has many edges, like broken glass and can dull the fiber just by walking on it. The protector helps shields the fiber from being damaged.

Another great thing about protectors is how they help with professional cleaning. Dirt, oil, food stains and many other unwanted substances that can create permanent effects have a low chance of damaging the carpet. This is because they remain outside of the fiber verses entering inside.