When people think of cleaning their carpets and furniture, they often consider whether they should have Scotch Guard applied as well. Stain protection for your furniture and carpets is a wise decision, however most people have a misconception about stain protection products. Let me explain the mechanics of the product for all of those people wondering, "How does Scotch Guard work"?

The most common fallacy about Scotchgard, is the idea that despite relentlessly abusing carpets and furniture, adding fabric protection will keep them brand new looking. This is simply not the case, even with scotchgard, persistent maltreatment of furniture and carpets will show wear and tear. Fabric protection products will protect your furniture and carpets and prolong the showing of deterioration, but it's not bulletproof. So how does Scotch Guard work?

This technology is intended to prevent stains, dirt, and grime from penetrating the fibres of your carpet or furniture. The chemical is safe and extremely effective when applied correctly with the accurate measurements and techniques. What does that mean? If you buy a can of Scotchgard obviously, the strength of that product is not the same as what they provide to professionals. The reason the concentration is so much lower is simple, the company does not want to pay to replace furniture and carpet for every disgruntled customer who decides to apply more than is recommended because they think their carpets need more protection.

If the product is applied properly, it will create a protective shield that repels liquid, dirt and grime, thus giving you the time you need to clean the spills and prevent stains. If you spill red wine for instance, and the carpet does not have Scotch Guard, you will see the carpet turn a pink color as the wine absorbs into the fibre. If you spill that same glass of wine and your carpet is Scotch Guard protected, you will see the wine bead up and remain on top of the carpet. By repelling the liquid, you can run and grab some paper towel, apply it to the spill and let the liquid absorb into that, rather than your carpet. Let's say you spill the wine and you have Scotchgard, but you decide to leave the wine and not clean it up because you have stain protection, it could eventually set in. The purpose of Scotchgard is to give you the time you need to prevent a stain. The problem is some people think because they have carpet protection they never have to clean their carpets again. These are usually the people who are disappointed with the results.

The other fantastic benefit of Scotch Guard is the prevention of wear patterns in the carpet. If you have ever looked closely at peoples carpets you can usually see where they walk most often. The carpets in high traffic areas often discolour from wear and tear. The protective shield of the Scotch Guard prolongs the beauty of those areas and prevents the carpet from discolouring as quickly. However, as I have mentioned earlier the product is not bulletproof, even though it prevents the carpet from discolouring the constant rubbing and pressure on the carpet does flatten the fibres in high traffic areas. The high traffic areas with Scotch Guard stay new looking much longer than without, but again don't expect miracles, although Scotch Guard is a great product it isn't magic.

The purpose of this article is not to dissuade you from using Scotch Guard, on the contrary, the intention is to educate you about what to expect from Scotch Guard. So many people over exaggerate the benefits of Scotch Guard and the customers are ill prepared for spills. If you want to prolong the splendour of your carpets and furniture, Scotch Guard can accomplish that goal for you. Nevertheless, it's important for you to understand the limitations of the product so that you will use proper care and love your results, after all you know what they say "well prepared is half there".