Rug Protector Treatment – 3 Reasons Why It’s Necessary

One of our most popular services is rug protector treatment for fine wool and silk rugs. Below I explain why it’s a necessary element of the rug care and maintenance cycle.

Protector treatment being brushed through the fringe of a silk Tibetan rug

What Is A ‘Rug Protector Treatment’ Service?

After we’ve cleaned your rug you have the option to ask us to apply a rug protector treatment to the face fibres and fringe. This involves spraying a solvent onto the rug which contains an organic hydrocarbon compound. It’s sometimes incorrectly referred to as a ‘Scotchgard’ although that’s actually a brand name of a similar product used on wall to wall carpets.

How does it work?

In simple terms, the hydrocarbon works by creating a strong molecular bond around the fibres of the rug. Any spills, whether they are water based or oil based, will not immediately penetrate the rug fibres. This gives you enough time to remove the spill by dabbing with paper kitchen towels.

Will my rug look or feel different afterwards?

No. Not at all. There is absolutely no way to tell that a rug has been protected by looking at it or touching it.

Will it make my rug stain resistant?

A common misconception about fabric protector treatments is that they make the target fibres completely stain resistant. This isn’t the case. Don’t expect to spill a glass of wine on your rug, ignore it, and find the rug in pristine condition when it has dried.

That being said, the benefits of having the service are significant..

Why Should I Have My Rug Treated?

1. You Can Deal With Spillages Easily – Our clients often ask us what they can do themselves at home to keep their rugs in pristine condition. One of the points we mention in our consumer guide How To Maintain Persian Rugs is that dealing with spills and stains is far easier when a protector has been applied. Beverages such as fruit juices and wine will often cause stains which require professional cleaning to remove.
2. Your Rug Will Last Longer –  Rugs don’t just wear and age on their own. It takes soil and abrasion over time. So the less soil that penetrates the pile of your rug, the longer it will last. And it will look cleaner for longer.
3. You Will Save Money – The cost to have your rug protected is minimal compared to the value you receive by not having to pay for emergency professional cleaning every time you spill something. Your rug will cost you less in the long run.

Our Experience Protecting Persian & Oriental Rugs

• We’ve successfully treated thousands of natural hand knotted rugs over the years. We’ve treated rugs in Embassies, Private Residences and Hotels with happy clients all over London. We’re happy to give references if you are procuring a rug protector treatment service on behalf of a commercial establishment.
• Our service is not limited to wool. We can protect silks, art silks (including bamboo and other types of viscose/rayon) and tapestries too.
• We find that when one of our clients has this service he/she will ask for it again the next time their rug is cleaned. To us, this speaks volumes about the benefits of the treatment.

How is our service different?

There are 3 factors which affect the performance of a rug protector treatment service:

• The product’s suitability – We use a product which is completely safe on fine rugs when applied properly
• Application method – In the interests of being thorough, we’re very methodical in our approach to applying the treatment. We carefully brush the product into the rug so that it penetrates both the face fibres and the fringe. After a short while it’s applied again. That’s correct.. We apply it twice.
• Testing – Once the treatment has cured properly we always test a few areas on the rug to ensure efficacy.

If you have any further questions regarding the care and maintenance of natural hand knotted rugs, please feel free to contact us. We’re always happy to advise.