[fenman]

Had a nightmare attempting to apply protector to a carpet today.
Nozzle on sprayer kept getting blocked so every few metres had to take apart and clean out - took forever.
I have now strained the protector ( craftex ) into a bucket and it was full of lumps of rubbery stuff which when squeezed together was about the size of a golf ball.
Is this normal.
Is the rubbery stuff a vital component of the protector i.e. do I have to throw whats left or can I still use it.
I guess the protector was probably a few months old.
Is there a shelf life.
Are some protectors more prone than others to have this problem.
David

[sherco]

Sounds like it may have got frost damage during the winter....

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Protector has 'solids' in it and that is why you get the balls, Sherco could be right and it could have been frost damaged in the Winter.

Shaun

[fenman]

The more I think about it I reckon frost damage was the cause.

[M.Acorn]

I would say frost,lost a full 5 ltr,and a half full of pre spray gold this year,when it defrosted it was all grainy    Had to chuck it

[John Kelly]

Extreme cold will cause the Teflon in the product to seperate from the solution. This is the rubbery stuff you has and is the resin which provides the protection. Unfortunately once that has happened it can't be re-constituted. Protectors are one of the main products to protect from frost damage.

[Fintan_Coll]

Frost most likely, however if you only took delivery of it a month or two ago the damage must have occured at the  supplier. No doubt they will replace for you.

[Doug Holloway]

Hi Guys

The rubbery stuff as you put it is the protector, polytetraflouroethylene, otherwise known as Teflon.

Once it has come out of solution which can be caused by among other things heat, frost or ageing, then it is useless.

It is quite possible suppliers have experienced problems in the cold winter and worth checking when you buy protector, it shouldn't have lumps in it.

Cheers

Doug

[Ken Wainwright]

When I attended a Scotchgard training course, many, many years ago, they told us how to recover frost damaged product. Whether this information applies to other brands or indeed any current formulation, I don't know, but it won't hurt to try it.

Simply, heat the product in a bain-marie type of saucepan, stirring all the time.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Don't use her best cookware and be H&S aware.

Safe and happy cleaning
The Ken

[Michael Smallwood]

Thanks Ken,

I have a little bit of water based protector that has has separated and I shall try your suggestion.

Cheers
Mike