Home Fabric Protectors
Fabrics are cleanable, whether high-performance Spot Wash (WS) or not, with the proper at-home fabric protectors. This blog will show you how to protect washable, nonpretreated fabrics. In this case, you can leave the upholstered piece as is, spot clean as described in our cleaning blog, or use a sprayable fabric protector.
After many at-home tests on our sofa, we found that Vectra and Scotchgards new and improved formula worked best. These products create a shield to make your fabric water-repellent; however, they do not clean or remove stains.
Scotchgard Fabric Water Shield
There are many concerns as to the aerosol and chemicals in Scotchgard. However, under new regulated guidelines, the product has been improved and completely changed and is now called Scotchgard Water Shield. It is now a fabric water repellent but will not protect from non-water-based or oil stains.
Vectra
Vectra allows you to maintain that luxurious ‘ New’ look of all your fabrics and floor coverings. While it is recommended for use on all your new furnishings, Vectra works well on older items that are freshly cleaned, with slightly less dramatic results. It prevents dirt from penetrating the fiber on a molecular level, reducing friction and the accelerated wear of your fabrics, increasing their life and durability. Spray Vectra onto your household items and experience years of quality protection—no more hassles over scheduling fabric protection and wondering who can do the job.
- One of the critical differences between Scotchgard and Vectra is that Scotchgard coats the fabric’s surface. At the same time, Vectra penetrates the fabric and protects the molecules from staining, according to the Vectra FAQ.
- The second key difference is that Vectra products are made with gentler ingredients, according to the Clean My Space YouTube channel. It is free from all potent toxins and is silicon- and fluorocarbon-free.
- Vectra uses no toxic or harsh chemicals, while Scotchgard was temporarily discontinued due to harmful ingredients.
Directions
- Vacuum and dust the sofa diligently
- If you have owned the upholstered piece for a few years, ensure the fabric sofa is clean by following our instructions in the cleaning blog and letting it dry overnight.
- We recommend the spraying of Scotchgard. Once dry, spray with the Scotchgard and let sit for 12 hours. Spray again and let it sit for another 12 hours.
- For the final coat, use the Vectra. Depending on usage, this lighter and less concentrated formula can be resprayed every 3 – 6 months.
We are constantly updating our fabric library and can offer tailored online samples to start your custom furniture process in our fabric library. Here is a small preview of our fantastic velvet fabrics with many more colors available. Most of these are standard (W) washable, while some are high-performance, but all can be spot cleaned and treated with a fabric protector to ensure your investment’s longevity.