It’s time we had that talk. The talk about protection.
You probably don’t think about it, but what if an accident were to happen? What would you do? Especially if you already have kids or pets, you need to think about… protecting the fabric of your furniture.
Heh, what were you thinking?
We have a house full of new furniture and the last thing I want are stains. I’d be found in a fetal position, sobbing on the floor, if our new (light colored) kitchen or dining room chairs got food on them. Funny, because there’s a good chance of that happening. But before I stock up on Kleenex, there’s something I can do to avoid disaster.
Enter, Scotchgard. Ladies and Gentlemen, if you are not familiar with the magic of this can of stain resisting, spill repelling, complete melt-down protection, then let me show you the way.
You can Scotchgard almost any fabric. Upholstered furniture, decorative pillows, rugs, outdoor cushions, fabric or suede shoes or handbags, even car upholstery. Scotchgard is not recommended for silk, leather, pleather or fur. The Scotchgarding process is very easy:
First, you’ll need to determine if your fabric is compatible with Scotchgard.
It’s always a good idea to to a small patch test in an inconspicuous area. Wait until it dries to see if there are any negative effects on the fabric such as discoloration, stiffness, etc. if there are, drop the can, and step away.
If you passed the patch test, bring the items your looking to Scotchgard to a well ventilated area. This is not recommended to do indoors. An empty (open) garage or outside is best. Make sure the fabric is free of dust, dirt, crumbs or crust and is dry. Cover any parts of the item that will not be Scotchgarded. Also cover the area you’re spraying on. I recently gave a pair of new shoes a quick spray on my deck, placing them only on a small square of paper towel. Everything was fine, until it rained the other day, revealing this…
Pretty hilarious, huh? You can only see my Scotchgard outline it when the deck is wet. Proof it works, I suppose!
So now that you’re prepped, shake the can, and spray back and forth in a sweeping motion, about 10″-12″ away until you feel that you have covered the whole fabric area. Don’t over do it, two lighter coats are better than one heavy coat. Let it dry for an hour and go for coat two. Wait until it’s dry to the touch before you bring it back inside, about 30 minutes to 1 hour. It takes a full 24 hours for the Scotchgard to cure and become stain-resistant, so keep messes at bay until then.
I’ve protected my kitchen chairs, dining room chairs, an accent chair in the living room, all the light colored decorative pillows on the couch and all of my fabric and suede shoes. With Scotchgard, drizzle while wearing suede shoes isn’t cause for panic, a glass of red wine in the living room is much less scary and letting children eat in the dining room is, well, it’s easier to clean up after.
Now that we’ve had this talk, I want you to know that you can always come to me with questions on protection… for your fabrics. I hope you’ll take the steps above to protect it, before you wreck it.
And on the topic of protection, a Happy Veteran’s Day to the men and women who serve or have served our great country. Today we’re reminded and we reflect on all the work you do and sacrifices you make to protect us. Thank you for your service.
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Toni says
I use scotchgard cleaner as well as scotchgard protection I have dogs that love to lick my fabric coaches. It’s wonderful it keeps it looking brand new and the set is atleast 10 years old!