What is Carpet Protector?

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You've probably seen the words carpet protector in ads for carpet cleaning before. You may have wondered what the heck it was, do you need it, and maybe even how does it work. Lets start with what it is. Whether you've just heard the generic term carpet protector, Scotchgard, Teflon or going way back, Silicon protector. They are all just brand names. I don't know about you, but i don't ask someone for a tissue if I need to blow my nose I just ask for a Kleenex. Well the terms Scotchgard and Teflon are just that, brand names for what they really are -"fluorochemical". You have most likely never heard that term before. What fluorochemicals do is make your carpet or furniture repel spots and spills making them much easier to clean up, another added benefit most people never hear about is that it also makes vacuuming more effective because the fibers are coated in this none stick coating making the soil come loose much much easier.

How Do Fluorochemicals Work?

This article from bonnetpro.com explains:

"Fluorochemical protectors improve stain and soil resistance by lowering the surface energy of the fabric, i.e., they create a barrier. The fabrics are more difficult to wet, hence liquid stains will not spread or wick over large areas. Dry oils will not adhere as strongly. Keep in mind that fluorochemicals, or any other nonfilmforming material, cannot make a typically porous fabric completely impervious to oily stains, i.e., stain-proof under the most severe conditions. As long as capillary (wicking) action is the only driving force, the barrier resulting from the fluorochemical prevents both penetration into the fabric and wicking over a large area. Stains up on the surface of a fabric are readily removed by blotting. the spill or stain is being forced into the fabric and is water-based, it will usually be held out from significant penetration. If, however, the stain consists of certain oils, it may penetrate between yarns. This is because their surface tension is too low, and the stain will overcome the fluorochemical barrier. However, even when oily stains are forced into fabrics, the fluorochemical will prevent wicking. In addition, the fluorochemical enhances stain release during spot cleaning and soil removal. This is done by a) diffusion of water and detergent into the soil-water interface, b) decreasing the adhesion of soils to the fibers, and c) reducing soil redeposition during cleaning." Read the full article here.

One thing to remember is that the products consumers can purchase in stores is not the same a the products used by professionals:

"Professionally applied finishes are different from do-it-yourself spray-can coatings, like 3M's consumer-strength Scotchgard. Commercially applied finishes penetrate fabric, bond to fibers and can last for years; spray-can finishes merely coat the fabric and can wear away within months. Fabrics treated in the mill with fluorochemical commercial finishes retain their stain-repellant properties best, making a store's application unnecessary. But short of calling the fabric maker, there is no way to know for certain whether a particular fabric has been treated; upholstery-content labeling on furniture is not required by law." Taken from the article Keeping Fabric (Oops!) Stain-Free

The next question you may be wondering is, do you need it? Lets start with when you don't need it. If you have berber carpet then no you do not. Berber carpet is almost always made out of olefin which is naturally very stain resistant on its own (it just wears terrible). Also if your carpet is less then two years old then no you don't then either. Now when do you need it. The number one time I really try to get people to have it applied is when they are trying to get another year or two of life out of their old carpet. The small investment of 12-15 cents a square foot can buy you a lot more time with your old carpet. The second big reason is when you just plain have messy kids.   If you would like a video description check out my video on this subject