Rug Protectors: 4 Tips You Need

Rug Protector Discs: Are They Effective?

John: Sam. Today we are talking about rug protectors. What are rug protectors?

Sam [laughs] I thought you were going to ask this question because I was wondering what a rug protector is. It’s the little rubber or vinyl discs that you place underneath your furniture and chairs.

John: Right. This would be the only way.

Sam, Yes, they are carpeted bottoms that have a metal top and other such things. They are not a rug protector. I think they are just — I’m not certain what they do other than being ugly. [laughs] That is a problem. They are not something I would recommend, but I do know that many people use them. It’s true that I grew up in a house. In my grandmother’s house there was not one piece of furniture without it.

Rug protector discs: Fact and Fiction

Protectors are needed when polishing furniture. Most people don’t polish anymore. However, if you do polish furniture, the stain doesn’t get into the flooring, the rug, or the carpet. It does help with that, I think. It may help with protecting the rug, but it doesn’t do much physically.

John, It’s supposed to spread out the weight a bit. It spreads the weight of a chair or couch with very narrow legs or very thin legs across the carpet so that there are no indentations. It doesn’t seem to do much …?.

Sam You’ll still get the dents. It might not be as severe if you don’t have it. It will spread it, that’s certain. Although it will spread the fiber out, you still might get a dent. The fiber will be flattened where furniture is present, particularly heavy furniture or people who are seated in those places. There will be dents. However, most of these dents can be cleaned or steam washed away. As long as it doesn’t damage the rug, it’s not a major problem. It’s important that there is something moving. There is a grinding sensation that people feel when they are sitting, rocking, or doing something similar. Perhaps then, I might be able to see a reason.

John: Sometimes it might be a good idea just to move your couch or chairs a few inches to the right or left, or something similar, so you aren’t always in the same place.

Removal of Furniture Dents from Rugs & Carpets

Sam: Exactly. Here’s a quick trick to get rid of those dents, no matter where they are located. You will need a clean, white cloth. It should look like a tshirt material. Then you dip the cloth in water. It is then strained until it is almost dry. It’s time to lay it on that dot. The steam is pushed into the yarn using a hot iron. The yarn is blown up by the iron and will look like new again.

John: This is a great tip.

Sam This is a great way to get rid of that chair or couch and not have it be too obvious.

Rug protectors that resist staining

John: Great. Scotchgard is another type of rug protector that you would apply to your carpet or rug in order protect it from stains. Let’s talk about this.

Sam I believe in this. We actually sell the same treatment in our store. It protects, and it is also good for UV, which can cause fading. It’s not like covering a rug with glass. Nothing will penetrate it. It is not resistant, but it isn’t “proof”. It is possible.

A lot of times, a spot or stain on textiles will actually wick through the yarn’s side and then wick up from below. This is because you are only treating the top portion of the fiber. It doesn’t penetrate every fiber and coat it. It’s more of a topically applied treatment. It can absorb some into the skin’s top and outside, but not 100%. If you leave something sitting for too long and don’t get it up quickly enough, it can sink into the cracks and crevices and then wick back into it.

Scotchgard’s best practices: Don’t apply too much

Scotchgarding is essential. Scotchgarding is a different thing from what you get in a can. Many people apply it too often. You’ll get stickiness and clumping through the fibers if you do this. Although it may look clumped together it can be removed with hot extraction. Be careful. It is enough to mist it in. The water will absorb it by itself. It’s easy for people to get carried away.

It could be dangerous, certainly, and it could look and feel awful. If it’s properly applied, it will not cause any discomfort or visual impairment. It won’t be obvious that it is there. You can tell if the device is working by what you do to it. Take a glass of water and pour it on it. It will stay on the surface. This concept is great, especially for people with children and pets. Accidents happen every day. Be prepared and just do your best to blot it all up as quickly as possible.

John: The most important thing to be aware of, if Scotchgard is something you want to do yourself, is to not apply it too much?

Sam: Yes. This is the most important thing. Once you have it on, you can add water to it if it seems dry. It will tell you if it is working. You can see it clearly if you look closely at it. Companies that do this, such as us, are highly recommended by me. They have a better product and offer guarantees about their work. If there is a spot that can’t be removed, they’ll come and clean it up for you. Many of them will even refund your money if there is a spot. This is a great service that many companies offer and it’s their sole business.

How to Clean a Stain-resistant Rug

John: How would you approach cleaning up a spillage on a carpet or rug that has been treated differently than if it were untreated?

Sam: No. You can’t break down protectants so some things won’t clean up. To break the window or remove the treatment, you need to heat the water to 160 degrees. To extract anything from it, you will need to heat the water and steam extract it. It can stain. But, as I said, it’s only the top. It can get down between the cracks and wick up from below. You will say “It stained.” They claimed it wouldn’t stain.” But, remember, it’s still “resistant”.