Fabric protectors should become part of our lifestyles. We all know how busy life can get with kids, pets, and entertaining. Many people may be fearful of choosing a beautiful fabric to upholster their furniture in fear that it may get ruined. What many people don’t know is that there are several easy and affordable ways to care for your upholstery. One such way is to apply a fabric protector to your upholstery. Cared-for upholstery means that you can still enjoy your furniture without cringing when an accident happens. Choosing upholstery can be an investment that should see you through the years, and it only can if cared for properly. Keep reading to find out important information about fabric protectors.
What is a fabric protector?
A fabric protector, such as Masterguard or Scotchguard (there are many other brands), is a spray-based application. It is applied to fabric once a piece of furniture has been upholstered.
Once applied, fabric protectors helps to 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 to ensure beautiful, long lasting wear.
Is a fabric protector permanent?
Unfortunately, most consumers are under the impression that once they spray a fabric protectant on their upholstery, they don’t need to do it again. This is not the case. A fabric protectant is only a semi-permanent measure. It needs to be reapplied, depending on how much use your furniture gets. The best way to monitor this is to splash a few water droplets on the upholstered seat. If the water pills and does not get absorbed by the sofa, then the application is still effective. If the upholstery absorbs the liquid, then you know its time for another spray application.
Once your couch has been treated with a fabric protector, you’ll need to begin regular maintenance to remove dust, crumbs, and pet hair. It is recommended to vacuum your couch on a weekly to monthly basis depending on the level of use.
Is it expensive to apply a fabric protector?
There are generally two ways to protect your fabric – either by a professional, or by yourself. Going through a specialist professional will, of course, be more expensive; however, they will likely be more thorough and have commercial equipment to spray your fabric so that your furniture get maximum protection.
Doing it yourself will naturally be cheaper, but it may take some time to apply. It is worth noting that there are many great products on offer in the market that provide stain and UV resistance (especially great for sunny areas in your home). Either way, it’s important to use a fabric protectant before you start using your furniture to ensure that your upholstery keeps looking fresh for as long as possible.
Can I apply a fabric protector to an old piece of furniture?
If the said piece of furniture is in good condition, and you haven’t thought about reupholstering the item, then yes. It is important to wash the fabric first to remove any stains. Check the washing instructions to see how to care for your fabrics. Even if you can wash the fabric in a washing machine, it would be a good idea to contact a professional upholstery/dry cleaner. Often, they have the appropriate chemicals to remove stains. Once your fabric has dried, then a protectant may be applied for future use.
The Fabric Fox has recently launched HAIKU, a beautiful fabric upholstery range that has been pretreated with FABRIC GUARD. It also has a latex backing. This means that you do not need to apply an extra layer of fabric protectant on your upholstered furniture. And even if there are spills that make it through the fibres, the latex backing adds as an additional barrier against stains on the foam.
FABRIC GUARD is more effective than a protectant spray because the individual fibres of the fabric are treated. Still, the Fabric Guard’s efficacy needs to be tested once very few months just to make sure that your upholstery will continue to serve you well through years to come.
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