faq / our services / stainguard 04

Do I need the Stainguard treatment?

Almost all our products can benefit from the Stainguard treatment - here is a breakdown of how each material will react…

Wool

Wool is the material the Stainguard Treatment is most commonly recommended for - despite its numerous positives, wool is vulnerable to dust mites, moths and other organisms. It also reacts badly to any alkaline-based products (like bleach) making it difficult to clean. These facts, and taking into account that wool tends to be an expensive material, make the Stainguard treatment a great help, ensuring a long life-span and a worthwhile investment for the home.

NB: If you would like more information on cleaning wool, see the Carpet Care section of the FAQ or this blog post.

Natural Fibres (Jute, Sisal, Coir, Seagrass, Sisool)

Of all the products we list, the natural fibres are those which will benefit most from the Stainguard treatment. Being plant-based they are naturally absorbent and can be damaged by moisture. For this reason we do recommend the treatment for all natural fibre carpets, especially if they are going to be in or near bathrooms, kitchens, entrance ways or anywhere else prone to spills or humidity.

NB: Find out more about the various natural fibres and their properties on this blog post

Viscose (aka Faux Silk, Bamboo Silk, Art Silk)

Viscose is a partially natural material - often made with cellulose - and can be permanently damaged by moisture, so Stainguard is recommended for Viscose carpets, especially (as with natural fibres) it is going to be in any area prone to moisture.

NB: Find out more about Viscose, its properties and how it is made on this blog post

Nylon (aka Polyamide, Antron)

Despite being an artificial material, nylon does tend to absorb more moisture than polypropylene (see below) but less than wool or natural fibres. Therefore we do offer stainguard for nylon (and nylon blend) carpets and feel there will be a genuine benefit for their longevity and appearance.

Polypropylene (aka Manmade, PP, Olefin)

Polypropylene carpets have a very low absorption rating, making them resistant to liquid stains - they can also be cleaned easily with bleach and other common cleaning products. This combination of factors renders the Stainguard treatment of little benefit to these products - for this reason, you will see that the ‘add Stainguard’ option is disabled for many of them on our website.

NB: Certain brands like Westex and Ryalux protect their own carpets using a similar process, so our Stainguard Treatment will not deliver further benefits.