Going Undercover with Over-Carpet Protection - by Joe Domin

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Going Undercover with
Over-Carpet Protection

By Joe Domin

You've heard it all before. Just spray a product on top of a clean carpet and voilá, spills and stains are repelled. It's as if the stains will magically jump out of the carpet onto a rubout cloth.

However, this is not the way carpet protectors work. Unfortunately, there are a number of consumers in the market that think otherwise. The question you should be asking is, what are the basic conditions under which a protector will or will not deliver proper performance?

There are two basic types of protector systems, solvent and water. Solvent systems are targeted for the upholstery market due to their ability to coat and penetrate the tight knit of the fabric (Note: do not apply a solvent protector on a carpet.). Solvent protectors have greater penetrating power because of the nature of the surface tension. This does not mean that aqueous systems cannot do the job; there are fabrics, such as silk, that should not be exposed to water.

Basically, the protector has to provide resistance to soils and stains in order to keep the carpet cleaner, and help it maintain a brighter, fresher appearance for a longer period of time. However, unusual soil conditions can enter into the picture, such as grease and oil stains adhering to the fiber and creating a sense that the carpet is not protected. This can be very upsetting to the consumer who may feel that the manufacturer has made contradictory claims as to its stain resistance. It is obvious that the consumer must understand the differences between stains, surface dirt, and soil build-up.

There are carpet-cleaner misgivings that also come into play. One of them is that the carpet cleaner did not provide adequate protection due to improper application of the material. I have witnessed some carpet cleaners run around with a pump-up sprayer (the type used in pest control) and spray randomly over the carpet. In addition to the sprayer not being properly pressurized, the technician applies the protector in record time – three rooms in four minutes – as if he was on an Olympic relay. This in itself will result in the carpet being unevenly sprayed. In order to achieve the correct application of the protector, an even spray must be achieved for maximum performance. In addition, raking the carpet will help by spreading the material better from fiber to fiber.

Success can be obtained by applying the material slowly in a checkerboard manner. By spraying in a north-to-south direction and then east to west, the product is applied in a manner to produce the most efficient coating. Even using this method, some fibers will be missed. Those missed fibers can well be the trap door through which future stains can enter the carpet base and create customer complaints.

Another potential problem is the method of dilution of a protector solution concentrate. If not controlled, such as when an employee inadvertently over-dilutes the concentrate, the result can be disastrous. It would be comparable to applying plain water, a condition that you do not want to have. It is imperative that the dilution of the protector concentrate be under total control.

Carpet-protector manufacturers must have heard the call for correct product dilution, and they have come up with an in-line spray system that utilizes consistent pressure. The results are a continuous spray from beginning to the end, thus removing two of the obstacles of incorrect application, a definite advantage over a pump-up spray system.

Now, I know that a lot of carpet cleaners have knowledge of this system, but have you actually incorporated this process into your operation? It will help prevent the callbacks that you maybe getting due to the older method.

As mentioned before, protectors are not the answer to every situation. Grease and oil are two pronounced soils that will cancel out the appearance of a coated carpet in a relatively short time. Oily soils will adhere to the carpet fiber no matter whether there is a protector or not, though their removal is far easier if a protector has been applied.

Dry-particle soils, on the other hand, are entirely different. In the number of dry-soil tests that I have completed, the test results showed protected carpets as having definite improvements on dirt resistance. The trick to the whole thing is to get the consumer to vacuum on a regularly timed basis.

When applying a protector, you must keep small children away from the process, as well as remove all pets, especially birds. Birds have a high sensitivity to their environment. Also, do not over-apply your protector. Where you may feel that you are doing an outstanding job for your customer, you are basically wasting money as well as losing out on the performance of the product. Always follow directions and always put down the exact amount in the manner described earlier.

It is my assumption that many carpet cleaners feel that the water in the protector will make the drying process too long for the customer. This can be a valid complaint; however, the benefits of the protector far outweigh the time lost in the drying process. And as far as time goes, keep in mind that the profit made from up-selling carpet protector is more often than not greater than scurrying about trying to fulfill your six-job day. Many of your customers do not know that much about protectors. Surprisingly, all you have to do is ask and briefly explain the benefits, and you will be amazed at how positive the replies will be.