Rug protection – How to protect your rug
Once you have purchased your designer rug, make sure it stays as stunning as the first day you purchased it by ensuring it is protected by a rug or carpet protector.
Just like a stair carpet protector we advise using protection for your area rug.
Scotchgard Carpet Protector
The go-to product for protecting your rug has until recently been Scotchgard. However in the past there were concerns about Scotchgard’s ingredients, in particular the fluorocarbon PFOS which recently has been identified as toxic. This led to Scotchgard being reformulated and switching to an alternative ingredient – perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) – in a bid to ensure it is safe. PFBS is claimed to be non-toxic, however it still persists in the environment, which is not ideal.
A new and exciting alternative to Scotchgard is MicroSeal, which was developed for the aviation industry over 10 years ago.
What is MicroSeal and how does it work?
The Formula was originally developed many years ago in London, to imitate the natural protection of sheep’s wool. Sheep’s wool naturally repels liquids and stains. The actual formula of MicroSeal is a “Trade Secret” – it is fabric protection that is highly effective but not dangerous to the environment. The MicroSeal Secret Formula is manufactured in the USA – the ingredients are biodegradable, non-toxic and non-allergenic. It is free of Fluorochemicals, Fluoropolymers, Fluorocarbons, PFOS, PFOA and PTFE Resins (non-stick). It has been independently tested and proven to be a superior stain and sun fade resistant product (by nearly 100%) and it dramatically increases the life of all natural AND synthetic fibres in rugs and upholstery and generally provides fabric protection.
How it Works
When wool fibre is sheared from the sheep, the natural protection from the animal is no longer produced, so it deteriorates more quickly. MicroSeal was designed to permanently replenish the natural protective suspense that a sheep produces for its own coat, enhancing its life and protecting it from stains and sun fading. MicroSeal also protects silk blend rugs from sun degradation.
Every day dirt is naturally absorbed into the centre of wool fibres, hiding the dirt from the naked eye. In fact, we often don’t realise our rug is dirty, because we can’t see the dirt! While most fabric protectors “coat” rug, MicroSeal penetrates the wool fibre to its inner cortex and protects it from the inside out from permanent stains, wear and tear and sun damage. Recently it has been noticed that Microseal can protect fibres from moths damage – as we write this research is being undertaken to prove this in the controlled environment of a laboratory. MicroSeal continues to protect your contemporary rug after many professional cleanings but other fabric protectors need to be reapplied after professional cleaning. It is estimated that MicroSeal extends the fabric life of a handmade rug, giving it up to 60% more resistance to wear and abrasion and helps to protect against sun damage. A bonus of microseal is the fact its formula doesn’t change the colour or texture of the rug.
Please find your nearest Microseal agent here.
If you wish to have your rug micro sealed in the UK please mention Sonya Winner Rug Studio to receive a discount.
Download brochure here.
Comparing Scotchguard vs. Microseal Fabric Protection
Scotchguard Rug & Carpet Protector lasts for 6 – 18 months, depending on wear and tear. It is recommended that you reapply it every time you clean your carpet.
In general, Scotchgard can be used on polyester, polyolefin, polypropylene, acrylic, nylon, and coloured wool carpets and rugs. It is not recommended for Oriental rugs or white wool. In high traffic areas, you may need to reapply it more often.
| Microseal | Other Fabric Protectors |
|---|---|
| 1. Penetrates complete fibre and will survive many professional cleanings and normal wear. | 1. Does not penetrate fibre, but coats only where spray hits. Cleaning or normal wear easily fractures the fabric protection and you must pay for re-application |
| 2. Reduces sun fading by nearly 100% on most fabrics. Independent laboratory verification | 2. No protection against sun fading. If claimed, no independent laboratory verification |
| 3. MicroSeal has been thoroughly tested by independent laboratories from around the world. | 3. No independent laboratory tests |
| 4. Reduces smoke density | 4. No protection. In fact, most fabric protectors are highly toxic when they burn. |
| 5. Reduces flame spread. | 5. No claims of reducing flame spread. |
| 6. If flame retardant is applied to fabrics, retardant is sealed in so normal everyday cleaning won’t remove. | 6. No protection for flame retardant |
| 7. Colourfast-has no effect on colour or texture of treated fabrics. | 7. Have been known to “yellow” light coloured fabrics over time or when sprayed. |
| 8. Mildew and static electricity resistance | 8. No protection. |
| 9. MicroSeal only attaches to fibres and will not seal in anything non-fibrous, so fabric/carpet does not have to be clean before application. | 9. Many products will seal both fibrous and non-fibrous particles. Therefore, dirty fabrics treated with these chemicals will have dirt, stains, etc., sealed in at time of treatment. |
| 10. Does not damage woodwork, metal paint or glass. Safe and easy to use. | 10. Will spot woodwork, metal and glass. Can cause problems if not removed quickly. |
| 11. Can be used on any material with a fibrous nature including suede’s and smooth finished leathers | 11. Cannot be used on some types of fabrics, such as suede or smooth finished leathers |
| 12. MicroSeal is non-toxic and non-allergenic. | 12. EPA test reports have cited health and environmental concerns with fabric protectors that use Fluorochemicals and PTFE Resin. |
