Protectors

[The Great Oz]

How important is the sale of carpet and fabric protector, as well as stone, concrete, and grout sealer, to your business?
Share your views about products, procedures, experiences with effectiveness, and what they mean to your bottom line.

No stone work, but I'd think some kind of sealer would be sold on all but porcelain tile with epoxy grout.

Protectant on 25% or more of the wall-to-wall carpet cleaning jobs, although we usually sell it on the high traffic and high spill areas, not everywhere. 60% or more on area rugs. Pretty important to the bottom line.

From my days as a commercial cleaner, I've seen the incredible difference in how easily the nastiest carpet cleans up if I applied protectant after the previous cleaning, so I would apply it even if the customer wasn't going to pay for it. I attribute the longevity of my own carpet to the protectant I've applied at home.

We used Scotchgard until the PFOS hoohaw, then switched to Teflon, and now back to Scotchgard to avoid DuPont's troubles with the Teamsters. (That whole crap science thing the Teamsters paid for to try and blackmail DuPont into letting them into their plants.) Today Teflon has the negative perception and Scotchgard does not, and today's Scotchgard appears to be close to the effectiveness of Teflon.

We still use a solvent carried Teflon (Zepel) fluorochemical product (mixed locally) on water-sensitive and outdoor fabric.

One thing we will not use on a textile is a silicone based product. As well as they waterproof, oil or alchohol defeats them, and then you have to use solvent to strip them off before you can clean what's gone through them. They can create a sticky mess if used on stain-resist carpet.

A local designer tested the efficacy of a locally made silicone on a dining chair. They had half of the seat treated with the silicone, and once dry they poured red wine on it. The person that applied the silicone could not get the wine out of the fabric. We easily got the wine out of the unprotected side, but could not remove the silicone well enough to get the wine stain out of the treated side.

 

[Dolly Llama]

we keep Maxim on the van
Don't push it, because like most here....no confidence in it.


.L.T.A.

 

[Al_Paulsen]

Master bedroom. If you want to believe then test in your home or get a few white carpet samples and use them as walk off matts. Make sure you do a long term test with a few cleanings and re applications .

 

[hogjowl]

But, instant gratification is why I'm a freakin carpet cleaner!

 

[dealtimeman]

We now use both scotch gaurd brand for those customers that request the brand but we sell cobbs seal the most and have really strong confidence in the product.

Ultra seal works well when applied correctly.

 

[GeneMiller]

Wow I'm shocked how little is sold. Protector works well on everything when applied correctly. Most under apply because of the moisture. It's a huge profit maker considering the time needed. Last I checked olefin loves oil and protectors work for that also. Buy a quality product and apply it correctly and you'll be sold.

Gene

 

[Mikey P]

Tell us about your testing Gene

 

[Dolly Llama]

Master bedroom. If you want to believe then test in your home or get a few white carpet samples and use them as walk off matts. Make sure you do a long term test with a few cleanings and re applications .

I have in my own home
also done it homes that didn't ask for it , but we do regular enough (couple times a year) to monitor.
In those places (both with large dogs) I've applied to it to every other step...and yea, i know how to measure and apply proper RTU amount pr label instructions
Done that in a couple differ homes..one w/berber and one with top quality cream color cut pile nylon
just like in my own home...just can't much, if any difference


It's a tremendous cash cow, that's biggest reason CC'ers want to believe it makes much difference.


..L.T.A.

 

[Mikey P]

I've applied to it to every other step

good idea, who did you steal that from?

 

[hogjowl]

good idea, who did you steal that from?

Please don't make this about The Narcissist.

 

[Mikey P]

only someone truly infatuated would think I was talking about myself.


Both Larrys claim to be good RnD'rs, hopefully meAthed actually is.

 

[Vivers]

Good subject, but you should mention what brand of protector you are using. I have been using Green Guard on all my jobs. Been back to those jobs and it works.

We have been using tri-plex green guard with great results.

 

[Dolly Llama]

Both Larrys claim to be good RnD'rs, hopefully meAthed actually is.

Been doing it and side by sides since before my second year in biz...
(that's when i discovered 89.37% of professional CC'ers and 97.38% of suppliers don't know squat)
and i had to rely on myself if i wanted to know, know


..L.T.A.

 

[hogjowl]

only someone truly infatuated would think I was talking about myself.


Both Larrys claim to be good RnD'rs, hopefully meAthed actually is.

What made you think I was talking about you?

 

[Mikey P]

We have been using tri-plex green guard with great results

in your wallet or clean-ability on the next visit?

 

[Mikey P]

What made you think I was talking about you,

when are you not?

 

[hogjowl]

when are you not?

Whenever anyone brings up the subject of humility.

 

[Mikey P]

You need another hobby in your life, it may help with your clarity issues.

 

[Al_Paulsen]

I will also add that we mix double strength and apply 1/2 the volume for a faster dry. We also apply room by room while the carpet is damp and rake in right away.

 

[Able 1]

I don't sell much of it myself, just because I don't think it works..

 

[GeneMiller]

Tell us about your testing Gene

Who bothers any more but back when I started I would test carpet samples along with fabric. It clearly makes the fabrics more stain resistant. I remember a job I treated months before and their kid spilled a cherry slurpee
On it. It all came out. I also see how much easier stains and general dirt come out of a carpet after they are treated versus before. To each his own. Why would it work on grout and not fabrics ? Protectors either work or they don't. Yes it's easy to flood a grout line but still the same chemistry. Do or don't , doesn't affect me. Personally I do.

Gene

 

[Mikey P]

Is a plastic fiber as absorbant as concrete?

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Thank you all for the feedback.

Some of the thoughts you shared were things that haven't changed in years: Cleaners who have confidence in the protector sell a lot of it, those that don't...don't.

What is new to me is the sales of grout and stone sealer seems to exceed that of carpet protector, and its something I'll be paying more attention to in the future.

This kind of feedback is why I supported Mikeysboard from the beginning in 2006; this information makes me a better distributor and a better trainer.

Thanks Mike!!!

 

[Blue Monarch]

Ditto on Russ' first post on this.

I need to sell myself on it (carpet protector) before I'm comfortable pushing it. I haven't gotten around to it yet, but I intend to set clean up an old piece of nylon carpet and protect half of it.....then place it in a friends auto repair shop. If I see a difference when I reclean it.....that will sell me.

 

[Larry Cobb]

I need to sell myself on it (carpet protector) before I'm comfortable pushing it. I haven't gotten around to it yet, but I intend to set clean up an old piece of nylon carpet and protect half of it.....then place it in a friends auto repair shop. If I see a difference when I reclean it.....that will sell me.

Use the DC Ultraseal solvent protector and you will see the difference easily.

Anybody that wants to try and report back . . .

can ask for a free sample qt. on your next order.

Larry

 

[The Great Oz]

Yeah, type 6 nylon is as absorbant as concrete, and is the type of carpet you'll see in many restaurants and hotel ballrooms. Just remember when testing that all nylon is treated at the factory, so you're testing treated yarn against more recently treated yarn.


As the lowest man on the totem pole, I had to clean a furniture showroom that had white wool in the entry. They cleaned only when it looked like pavement. The job was set up as a pre-shampoo/extract as even rotary extraction left the carpet gray. I treated half. The next cleaning the carpet looked evenly gray, but the treated side cleaned up with just the wand.

As the lowest man, I got the jobs no one else wanted, but after the first clean and treat, those jobs were no trouble. While I was cleaning I never told the other techs what I was doing, as they thought I was a great guy for taking the junk without complaint.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I don't think it had anything to do with the totem pole. They just didn't like YOU!

 

[Blue Monarch]

Nothing wrong with testing treated yarn with more recently treated yarn, cuz that's the real world. I think the key is to test yarn that hasn't been treated in quite a while.

 

[Wing It]

I'm with Russ on treating carpet. However, on upholstery, applying protector is part of my price especially if it's natural. Having a white linen couch and two kids under 5, I believe in upholstery protector. A few permanent spots in the carpet can be patched or expected, but not on upholstery.

 

[Vivers]

in your wallet or clean-ability on the next visit?

Grab a gallon and check it out. Works great.
http://www.tri-plexstore.com/greenguard.aspx