Fibre Guard - Fabric Protector for Carpet and Upholstery

How to dilute Fibre Guard
Fibre Guard can be applied to damp or dry, carpet and upholstery. Add water to Fibre Guard, do not add Fibre Guard to water.
• Damp Clean Fibres: Dilute at 1:2 (33% Fibre Guard / 67% Water). Apply 340ml (shorter pile) to 510ml (longer pile) per 5m².
• Dry Clean Fibres: Dilute at 1:4 (20% Fibre Guard / 80% Water). Apply 575ml (shorter pile) to 850ml (longer pile) per 5m².

How to use Fibre Guard
1. Mix the amount of Fibre Guard you require at the recommended dilution rate.
2. Spray Fibre Guard from 25cm-50cm away with smooth overlapping passes. Apply across (left/right) and then down (up/down). Overlap strokes to ensure no area is missed.
3. Wet the surface thoroughly with Fibre Guard, but do not overwet to the point of dripping.
4. Use a carpet rake/groom (for carpet) or soft brush (for upholstery) to work Fibre Guard into the surface and distribute it evenly.
5. Allow to dry before opening the area to traffic.
6. Good ventilation, air movers and air conditioners will assist in drying.
7. Clean your spraying equipment immediately after use with clean water.

Handy hints
• For the ultimate protection in high-traffic areas. Apply one coat of Fibre Guard first to these areas before application to the entire area. This will give you added protection.
• For best results use freshly diluted solutions only. Discard diluted/mixed solutions that are more than 24 hours old.
• Spraying Equipment: The ideal application pressure is 30-50psi. A low-pressure pump-up sprayer or electric sprayer with an 80-04 (80º spray angle / 04 solution flow) or similar is ideal for the application of Fibre Guard.
• Brand new carpet and upholstery may not need to be pre-cleaned before application.
• Attend to spots and spills as soon as possible. Fresh spots are significantly easier to remove. Stains that are left too long can become permanent on fibres that have been applied with Fibre Guard. Using the wrong product can also set the stain or permanently damage the fibre.
• Fibre protectors do not guarantee against all staining. Good maintenance procedures must be followed and all spills and stains removed immediately for the best result. Fibre protectors are designed to make cleaning easier and offer an improved level of water and oil based stain repellency.
• Always test first in an inconspicuous area before using any cleaning solution. Play it safe, especially when you use a product for the first time. Better to be safe than sorry. Some surfaces can be sensitive to moisture and particular chemical types.
• Do not mix a fabric protector with any other chemicals.

Free Training Guide: How to protect fabric

How long does Fibre Guard last and how often should you reapply?
For ultimate results and performance, it is recommended that Fibre Guard be applied after every second clean. If you were to clean the surface once a year, the life expectancy for Fibre Guard would be 2 years. If the surface is cleaned every 6 months, the life expectancy of Fibre Guard would be 1 year. In high-traffic areas, in particular, on carpeted areas, regular vacuuming will extend the life of the protector as it is dirt and traffic that breaks down and reduce the life of protectors.

Is Fibre Guard Pet Friendly?
Yes, it is. Keep pets away from the area when applying the treatment and until it has completely dried.

What type of spraying equipment should you use to apply Fibre Guard?
The ideal application pressure is 30-50psi. A low-pressure pump-up sprayer or electric sprayer with an 80-04 (80º spray angle / 04 solution flow) or similar is ideal for the application of Fibre Guard.

How does a fabric protector work?
When applied correctly, a fabric protector does two basic things...
• Increases Surface Tension: That means that any liquid spilt on a fibre will have difficulty penetrating the surface of the fibre. When spills can not penetrate the fibre, clean-up becomes easier and staining is avoided.
• Provides a Coating Mechanism: A fabric protector's fluorochemical polymer stain shield penetrates and coats the fibre. The strength of bonding and length of protection may vary from product to product depending on the quality of the ingredients and concentrations used. You generally get what you pay for! Correct application is important to ensure the entire fibre, from the top to the bottom, has been treated in order to deliver the maximum benefits.

Important: Regardless of warranties or marketing claims, no fibre protector is 100% bulletproof. If spills are not cleaned up immediately or at least within a reasonable time frame, stubborn stains may occur.

What will a fabric protector do for carpets and upholstery?
• Fibres Will Last Longer: Fabric protectors help in releasing abrasive soils which damage fibres enabling them to be effectively vacuumed from your carpet. This means carpets and upholstery will not have to be replaced before they should. Replacing carpets is very expensive, that's why fabric protection will save you money in the long run.
• Fibres Stay Cleaner For Longer & Look Newer: When soils can't penetrate or bond to the fibre, your carpets and upholstery will naturally look cleaner and newer for longer.
• Cleaning Becomes Easier:  On carpets and upholstery where a fabric protector has been applied correctly, regular vacuuming can become 50%-70% more effective. This also means carpet wear is reduced significantly.
• Protects Against Spills, Stains & Resoiling: Fibre protectors will give you time to clean up spills and stains before they become a problem.

How will a fibre protector benefit my facility, family or clients?
• Creates a healthy indoor environment: The microfilm formed by the fibre protector repels dust mites and allergens, releasing them for effective removal by regular vacuuming with a HEPA vacuum cleaner. Most of the popular fibre protectors will not change the feel or appearance of your carpet and upholstery, nor will they emit chemicals into the air. Many fibre protectors even claim they can help prevent dust mite infestations.
• Hypoallergenic film: The microfilm formed on the fibre that has been protected is inert and is not a known cause of any skin or respiratory irritation to adults, children or pets.
• Safe and easy to apply: It is best to choose a fabric protector like Fibre Guard that is odourless and formulated using ultra vapour technology. This will ensure no toxic vapours are emitted during the application process.
• Pet, People and environment-friendly: Most of the popular fabric protectors used today like Fibre Guard are environmentally friendly, water based and will not harm people or pets.

When can a fabric protector be used?
Fabric protection is suitable for domestic and commercial carpets, upholstery, rugs, drapes and other water cleanable fibres. This includes nylon, polypropylene and wool fibres. Some popular areas where fabric protection is most used include homes, offices, hotel rooms, nursing homes, restaurants, clubs, cinemas, conference centres, car seats and more.

In terms of fabric suitability, the basic rule is that if the fabric is “Water Cleanable” then it is safe to protect with a water based fabric protector. Where fabrics are “Dry Clean Only” then it is usually best to use a solvent based protector. This applies to various cottons, delicate fibres, etc. If you are unsure, either do a thorough test in an inconspicuous area or don't do the job at all.

Some suppliers may not supply solvent based fabric protectors due to their hazardous nature and potential dangers for applicators and clients.

Why should cleaning and maintenance professionals offer fabric protection services?
• People want it: Over many years, 3M and DuPont have invested millions of dollars into marketing fibre protection. Everyone knows about it and wishes they had it but rarely are they motivated to go out and get it. In many ways, fabric protection is a huge sleeping market and requires a good carpet cleaning technician to ask the right questions and explain the benefits and cost savings that the application provides.
• Part of a complete carpet cleaning and maintenance service: Fibre protection is considered internationally as being an important part of a complete carpet cleaning and maintenance service. It is also an integral part of the business model highly successful carpet cleaning technicians use worldwide.
• Makes happier customers: When carpets stay cleaner for longer, look better and don't stain as easily, your clients appreciate you more. That's good for business, word of mouth and client referrals.
• Attractive profit margins: Fibre protection could easily become the most profitable service you offer. Not only that, fibre protection is not hard work and does not take much time to do properly.
• Easy to demonstrate: Seeing is believing. You can do a fibre protection demo on-site. You could also have a pre-treated demo so you can show what fabric protection can do.

What about warranties?
Warranties make clients more comfortable purchasing from you. By taking the risk away you will find more people will say yes to fabric protection. Of course, when you read most warranties they are not worth the paper they are written on, however, you can offer your client a warranty of value and not lose out.

Manufacturers can't offer warranties unless they control the application and the way fabric protection is sold because fabric protectors are not 100% bulletproof. Being such a highly profitable service, carpet cleaning companies can quite comfortably absorb the need that might arise to revisit a job or re-apply if the application was insufficient. Warranty calls are great for PR too and often times other work will come from being willing to support your clients and back up your warranty. Average callback rates are usually below 5%. Do the maths, warranties work in your favour and your clients will love it.

You can also link your warranty to a condition that requires the client to only use a stain remover that you sell for $25 or $35. It's an add-on sale and you then know the client isn't using anything crazy on the fibres that will adversely affect the protection work you have done. Or your warranty might specify, that to keep your warranty valid, a regular 6-monthly clean or a yearly fabric protection top-up might be required.

Most warranties that technicians offer for fabric protection are for 12 months. Some do offer longer warranties of 2 years, 5 years and sometimes more but that's when more small print and conditions are included that tend to make a warranty worthless. A common example of this is that cleans must be carried out by the operator 6 monthly and a re-application or top-up of the fabric protector must be carried out every two cleans depending on traffic.

How do you sell the service of fabric protection?
a. Believe in it... are you confident fibre protection really works? To successfully offer fabric protection services to your clients you must believe that it works and that the benefits are real. If you don't you will not be motivated to talk to your clients about it. Before you convince your clients, you must be completely convinced yourself.

b. Perhaps you have experienced a poor fabric protection product, ineffective application techniques or unrealistic customer expectations. These can all cause a loss of confidence. So before you start, do your own carpets and build your belief so that you are confident when you stand in front of a client. Or perhaps only do half your carpets and then you will see the difference.

c. Ask questions like...
• "When was the last time you had your carpet/upholstery protected?" (This is a great question if a customer is saying their carpets are getting dirty very quickly after professional cleaning)
• "Would you allow me to demonstrate how fabric protection can make your life easier?"
• "Hey Mr Smith, Have you ever seen how fabric protection works?"

d. Do a demo every time. Fabric protection is commonly classed as preventative maintenance. This type of maintenance is best sold by demonstration. Showing your customer how to avoid future pain and cost is the key. As they say... "seeing is believing".
• Fabric protection demos can be done on cushions, a piece of paper, facial tissue, fabric, cardboard cards, cotton cloth strips or on many other surfaces.
• Only demonstrate the fibre protector on half the surface. That way you can show a treated and untreated result.
• You can use water, but a popular liquid to demonstrate with is red cordial.
• Practice your demo before you do it with a customer.
• Demonstrate in a cup, on a tray or somewhere you can easily clean up spills if they happen.
• Leaving the demo piece with your customer if they want to think about your service can be a good idea and a great excuse to visit again if the job is worthwhile.

e. Offer fabric protection to every customer. Don't be shy. You are doing your clients a favour by offering them fabric protection. It will save them money, their carpets will look cleaner for longer and they'll last longer too.

f. Make an offer. Give your clients a reason to buy... speak to them or use a silent salesman on the kitchen bench...
• 50% off fabric protection today. See a free demo now.
• 2 for 1: Get 2 seats protected for the price of one. See a demo today.
• Carpets stay cleaner for longer with fabric protection. Like a demo?
• Give your carpets a break. Protect them and save $$$. See a 2-minute demo.
• No obligation fabric protection demo. Protect your carpet investment.
• Free carpet spotter. Value $25 with any fabric protection service over $50.
• 12-Month Fabric Protection Warranty

g. Bundle your services. Package your add-ons and give your clients extra savings they will love you for. Think about mattress sanitisation, upholstery cleaning, sanitisation, specialty odour control and leather cleaning services you could package together with your fabric protection services.

Safety Data Sheet (SDS): Fibre Guard

Free Training Guide: How to protect fabric