Protector (Scotchgard)
Protector is the most profitable add-on in the trade and the easiest to apply badly. It is a fluorochemical or polymer barrier that gives the customer time to blot a spill before it becomes a stain — it is not stain-proofing, and selling it as such creates the complaint it was meant to prevent.
It also has to go onto a genuinely clean, genuinely dry fibre. Applied over residue it seals the residue in and the carpet resoils faster than if you had left it alone.
The range covers Actichem Fibre Shield in 1 and 5 litre, Fabric Shield RTU in 1 and 5 litre and Fabric Shield SV in 1 and 5 litre; Bridgepoint Maxim S.O.S. carpet and rug protector with the Maxim Advanced demo kit; Bridgepoint EncapuGuard Green 3.8 litre; and VacAway Rhino Shield Gold 3.78 litre.
How to choose
Ready to use or solvent-based is a fibre decision. RTU products dilute into the normal process and suit most synthetic carpet. Solvent-based formulations suit fabrics that will watermark, and they need ventilation and a considered re-entry time.
Rinse properly first or do not apply at all. Alkaline residue under protector is the single most common cause of rapid resoiling. If the rinse was rushed, the protector will be blamed.
Apply at the correct rate, then groom. Under-application gives patchy coverage the customer will find. Grooming distributes it into the pile rather than leaving it on the tips.
Set the expectation in writing. Protector buys time to blot. Tell the customer that, tell them to blot rather than rub, and the product will do what you promised.
Demo kits sell the service. The Maxim Advanced demo kit exists so a customer can watch water bead on a treated square. That is a far easier sale than a description.
Rinses that must come first are in Carpet Acid Rinses, presprays in Carpet Presprays, fabric chemistry in Upholstery Cleaning Chemicals, and spotters in Spotting Chemicals.
