[kinder clean]

Have just bought some scotchgard and will be using tomorrow for the first time.

The carpets are brand new and will just require a thorough vacuum first.

Have read on this forum before applying the product to fine mist the carpets with some water and fibre and fabric rinse, however the instructions for use state it can be applied to wet or dry carpets and that if applied to a dry carpet I only need to dilute 1 part solution to 8 parts water, but for wet the ratio is 1 - 4, so economically its a good saving but are there any disadvantages?

How do you apply, wet or dry??

Also when applying tomorrow, I have a hall, lounge and dining room to treat, it says drys within 6 - 12 hours, so should there be no foot traffic on the treated carpets before that, not very practical as the husband is housebound.

Paul

[Gerry Styles]

Paul

Have just poster reply on your other topic

[markpowell]

Paul,
I would give the carpets a misting of fabric finbre rinse diluted 50 ml per litre of water, prior to the application of the scotchguard.
Mark

[Jim_77]

The advice to mist with F/F rinse is due to pH.  Protectors don't like alkalinity, hence the suggestion to pre-spray with acidic rinse.  Unless scotchgard's instructions explicitly state that the carpet should be in an acid pH, I think you're wasting your time with this on a brand new carpet.

The  F/F rinse has most likely been suggested when the carpets have been cleaned.  Do a pH test on a couple of different areas first to set your mind at rest, but you won't have any problems I wouldn't have thought.

There is no difference in the economy between the ratios for wet or dry carpet, you should use the same amount of product either way.  You can mix it stronger when applying to a wet carpet because you don't want to introduce much more moisture.  On a dry carpet you need to wet it out to allow the solvent to assist the active ingredient in being absorbed fully into the carpet fibres.  That's why you need to make a weaker mix but should apply more per mē than on wet carpet.

Don't dry the carpets with airmovers or have all the windows/doors open blowing a gale through the house.  You need to leave them to dry naturally, as it takes time for the active ingredients to become fully absorbed.  If you prematurely dry away the carrier solvent, this doesn't happen.  The same applies to all protectors in all situations (as far as I'm aware).

6-12 hours is a bit far out I'd have thought!  If it's 100% or high in wool it'll be touch dry in 2-3 and "properly dry"  after about 5.

[kinder clean]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

Thanks for that Jim very informative.

Paul

[Jim_77]

No problemo

Oh and consider an alternative to Scotchgard, there are many out there including ones with antibacterial properties.

"Scotchgard" is used in much the same way as "Hoover", i.e. as a generic term for products of a certain type.

You don't necessarily have to offer that particular product, as long as you can say to the customer that the product you use is just as good (maybe considering the info in the other thread you can say it's even better).  Hit 'em with the benefits and it'll sell.