Carpet Protectors 101: What Are They And What Do They Have To Offer?
Owning a carpet is all fun and fluffy games until you have to clean it whether it is a regular vacuuming session or a professional deep cleaning. One option marketed as a way to save you the hustle is the use of carpet protectors. But what exactly are these things? How do they work? What do they have to offer? And most importantly, does this mean that you never have to wash your carpet every again?
Stick around for all these answers.
What are carpet protectors?
A carpet protector is anything that you place on a carpet or in the carpet fibres to help minimize staining and accumulation of dirt. These come in a variety of forms from sprays to actual top layers. The whole point, as the name suggests, is to protect the carpet from dirt accumulation, staining and in some instances water damage.
What are your options?
There are 4 main types of carpet protectors that you can use to help keep your carpet clean. Here is more about them, how they work and what they have to offer you.
- Plastic-based protectors
These include materials like Vinyl which come in the form of thin layers that you apply on top of your carpet to protect it. The complete layer prevents contact between the carpet fibres and things like soil, dust and liquids. They are popular in places like offices where there is a lot of foot traffic.
- Acid dye blockers
These are chemicals that are applied onto the fabric of your carpet and their main job is to prevent staining from dyes found in food products. To put it in the simplest possible terms, the compound binds onto pores on the fabric and essentially blocks them. That way when there is a spill the dye has nowhere to seep into and you successfully avert a real crisis.
- Teflon
This is a special material built right into the fabric of your carpet. It is designed to resist stains and water damage. Unlike the other methods, this one either comes with the carpet or it does not. There is no way of actually applying it as a protective layer.
- Scotchguard
This is by far one of the most popular fabric protectors and it is available in special formulations for carpets and rugs. It works by creating a protective liquid-proof film around the fibres which prevents staining and water seepage.
Pros of carpet protectors
- Increased carpet durability
Things like liquid stains, dust and dirt that make a carpet dirty also cause damage. By applying protectors to the carpets, you offer protection to the fibres from damage therefore increasing the overall durability of the carpet. This is the case particularly with plastic films and things like Teflon fabric.
- Stain prevention
Stains can be super annoying to look at and have a way of drawing all the attention in the room. Whether you are clumsy, unfortunate or a pet owner, this is something that you might have to suffer. With these protectors however, you do not have to worry about spills or pet accidents ruining the aesthetic in your space.
- Easy cleaning
Stains and accumulated dirt make cleaning a carpet very difficult. With carpet cleaners however, this is not something that you have to worry about. It could also save you money from investing in additional stain removal services that way all you have to think about is getting a crew to do some routine deep cleaning.
- Prevent grease accumulation
In addition to being stain and water-resistant, these carpet protectors offer protection from accumulation of grease. Grease can be a nightmare as it not only causes staining but also promotes accumulation of other things like dust and hair fibres. However, with your carpet fabric protected you do not have to worry about nasty grease spots on your precious carpet.
- Improve aesthetics
A clean carpet is a good looking carpet. That is pretty simple and straightforward. It allows you to appreciate all the colours and patterns that made you choose the carpet in the first place. No more getting distracted by weird spots here or awkward general dirt discolouration.
- Prevent odours
A lot of the substances that cause carpet staining also cause odours. Some do so directly like pet poop and pee while others like liquid spills do so by encouraging growth of micro-organisms. Whatever the case, by preventing these messes your carpet also benefits from being odour-free.
- Prevent air pollution
Use of carpet protectors could also help improve the indoor air quality in your home. A lot of indoor pollution comes from fabrics like carpet and furniture upholstery that accumulate dust and other particles. By getting protects like the plastic film this accumulation is prevented which in turn improves the air quality. It also does this my minimizing on the odor formation.
Cons of carpet protectors
- The protection is temporary
However awesome these effects are, they are not permanent. The films tend to wear out leaving the fibres on your carpet exposed to the stains and dirt they were once so effectively protected from.
- May change look and feel of the fabric
This is the case particularly with protectors like plastic films. They may alter the feeling of the carpet fibres under bare feet. This is one of the main reasons why they are preferred in office settings over residential ones.
- They do not work on all fabric types
The protectors may not offer the same level of effectiveness over materials like sisal and other natural fibre carpets. This is because of their general characteristics which makes the investment not even remotely worth it.
Not a substitute for deep cleaning
Clearly, carpet protectors have a lot to offer. However, it is important to remember that their effects are not permanent. So while they may help to keep your carpet clean until your next cleaning session, they do not offer you a complete alternative for deep cleaning. So keep that carpet cleaning crew on retainer as once the protection wears out you will need their services.
It is also important to remember that most of these do not offer protection from all sources of dirt so while one may prevent staining you still have things like dirt and fur to deal with. So as you enjoy the benefits on offer from the protectors do not neglect to still get your carpet regularly professionally cleaned.
Carpet Protectors 101: What Are They And What Do They Have To Offer?
