Does Drapery and Upholstery Fiber Protector Really Work?

Upholstery and draperies suffer all kinds of indignities and abuse.

They are bleached by the sun. Airborne pollutants such as pollen, dander, and dust mites attack them. Clumsy kids and party guests spill on them. And some of the things that dogs and cats do to couches and draperies can’t be mentioned in polite company.

So how do you protect fabrics from the elements, whether ultraviolet rays or spills?

Defensive maneuvers can be taken to help protect your upholstery, Oriental rugs, and draperies from spills and ultraviolet rays while extending their life.

Sunlight Is NOT Your Upholstery Or Draperies Friend

Consider sunlight, which does to fabric what it does to skin: ages it prematurely. The sun is insidious, bleaching and fading colors on drapes, couches, rugs, and almost anything else its ray’s touch. We’ve even seen clients’ hairless cats get sunburned by sitting on furniture in front of a window.

You can notice color loss within a year.  Blue colors are the first to fade because they’re made from the least stable of dyes. The amount of sun damage or permanent staining from spills depends on the type of material used on the furniture or draperies if the fabric is protected with a quality fiber protector, and how fast you react to a spill.

Silks rot in the sun, so silk draperies, area rugs, and upholstery made of silk should be protected and kept away from sliding glass doors and windows that face the morning or afternoon sun.

Sun isn’t the only agent that stealthily attacks home fabrics. Some enemies of upholstery and drapery go undetected until it’s too late. They’re the tiny particles of dust and pollutants in the air that settle onto the fabric. Over time, they embed into the fibers, leaving the material permanently dingy and aged. Even oxidation in the air wears on fabrics and discolors them.

Upholstery, Oriental rugs, and draperies should be vacuumed at least once a month to prevent death by deterioration. Frequent vacuuming can help eliminate dust mites, crumbs, pollen, and other contaminants from building up on your textiles and prematurely aging or staining them.

Of course, the larger, more visible objects–kids, dogs, party guests– children with bowls of popcorn and adults with glasses of wine can also inflict lasting damage on furniture. Professionally applied fiber protectors can be your furniture’s guardian angel.

To prevent most spills from becoming permanent, fabrics should be pre-treated with Teflon, Scotchgard, or some other type of protectant to prevent a stain from setting.  Tru-Clean Surface Care applies professional-grade fabric and carpet protectors thousands of times a year for our clients, interior designers, and furniture retailers.

If you have a spill on [treated fabric], the protector will suspend the liquid on the surface of the textile so it can be cleaned off.

An “inexpensive insurance” against accidents, spills, and soiling, commercial-grade fabric protectors should be applied by professionals using professional-grade, not watered-down versions found in a can at your local grocery or hardware store.  Seriously, would you treat a $2K couch with a $6.99 can of  “protector” and expect the same protection results as a commercially applied protectant?

Protect the things you love with Advanced Fiber Protection.

Whether it’s a brand-new couch, a favorite easy chair, or that rocking chair you’ve fallen asleep in more times than you’d like to admit, DuPont and Scotchgard Advanced Fabric Protector helps repel liquids and block stains without changing the look and feel of the fabric.

That means you can wipe the surface clean before the mess sinks in for beautiful, long-lasting wear. So, host a family get-together, let your kids and the neighbor’s kids hang out with their shoes on, rest assured your fabrics have the protection necessary to defend from life’s little oops.

Advanced Fabric Protectors will:

  • Protect against life’s little “oops” such as liquid and organic spills
  • Help protect your upholstery from dry soils and other particulates
  • Makes routine vacuuming easier and guarantees more soil removal
  • Extends the life and look of your upholstery

Tru-Clean Surface Care is honored to be the “cleaner of choice” to thousands of clients annually throughout SW Florida for their upholstery, carpet cleaning, natural stone, and other textile cleaning needs.  Annually, we professionally apply DuPont and Scotchgard brand commercial grade protectors to protect clients’ furniture, carpeting, and draperies from accidental spills and UV rays.

Tru-Clean Surface Care is a Certified Partner with the prestigious Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) and the International Carpet & Rug Institute (CRI).  We are a WoolSafe Approved Service Provider, a StonePro Certified Professional, and a surpHaces PRO Partner.  We are A+ Rated by the Better Business Bureau and an eight-year-in-a-row-winner of the coveted Angie’s List Super Service Award to complement our industry certifications.

For more information on our upholstery cleaning and fabric protector services, please visit us online at www.TruCleanSurfaceCare.com or “call us on the carpet” any time at 239-541-4888 – Cape Coral and Lee County, 239-206-1935 – Bonita Springs, Naples, and Marco Island or 941-621-2198 – Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte, FL.