Is ScotchGuarding really worth it?

[dparm]

I know that years ago, Scotch-Guard was a huge selling point for dealers and even DIYers at home. My car's carpets are black but the floormats still get fairly dirty from normal use, along with the rest of the footwells.

Is it worth it to buy a bottle of Scotch-Guard (or similar carpet stain protectors) and cover the carpets? Does that stuff really work? Any downsides?

 

[Muskieteer]

I remember the 3m brand had some chemical that absorbs into the body that never leaves once absorbed. Not been a huge fan since. Upon further investigation the chemical in question was removed and replaced with a safer on starting in 2000. The only other info on the scotch gard is watch the Chinese brands as they may still be using the nasty stuff.

 

[Rolla07]

Personally i didnt notice much difference with it..the cleaning products are so good that its likely not necessary. Clean up dirt with a vacuum and use any spray cleaner to keep it clean.

 

[NHGUY]

Rustoleum has a new waterproofer in a spray can,might shed stains too.I hear Home Depot sells it.

 

[BTLew81]

I dont know that it is worth it, to be honest. If you want something like that, try 303 Fabric guard. It is for use on car mats as well as outdoor items. I used it on some car mats and liked the result. What shocked me was the durability. It was applied to my patio furniture cushions as well as my fabric umbrella. Shed water in a 24/7 outdoor environment for about a year. Really prevented fading compared to an untreated cushion. Most of all, it is a pump spray. More control with less mess.

 

[The Critic]

My understanding is that 3M Scotchguard is a silicone-based product that requires frequent reapplication. The 303 product is some kind of proprietary, non-silicone formula that promises a significantly longer service life.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Scotchgard is very misunderstood.

The spray can formula is a complete unknown to me, that's a DIY product we don't use. It almost has to contain solvents but is extremely unlikely to contain silicone.

Real Scotchgard was a solvent based formula from the 50's, very toxic. It was quietly phased out and reformulated around 2000 with much safer ingredients.

We use polymer based products that come in both solvent based and water based formulas for differing products. None of them are selected for their outdoor characteristics, only for stain resistance to common household products that get spilled in a home.

 

[CharBaby]

Originally Posted By: dparm
I know that years ago, Scotch-Guard was a huge selling point for dealers and even DIYers at home. My car's carpets are black but the floormats still get fairly dirty from normal use, along with the rest of the footwells.

Is it worth it to buy a bottle of Scotch-Guard (or similar carpet stain protectors) and cover the carpets? Does that stuff really work? Any downsides?

I'm jumping in a bit late here!

I worked for 3M for 21 years ending in '97. Although I did not work in this group, I can not comment from an engineering/chemical standpoint for "3M ScotchGuard Fabric Treatment".

3M's products are very good for consumer use and I still use many of 3M products today.

I think that ScotchGuard is fine for untreated fabric and carpets that don't already have a treatment on them. Most automotive seat fabric and carpet already have some form of dirt/stain resistant treatment on them from the factory.

Using another fabric treatment(any brand)may be a waste of money or it may help. It remains to be seen! The only way to know is if you already have stains that can't be removed...apply 3M-SG and see if future dirt/stains can be removed more easily.

These treatments resist/repel staining and allow the culprit to be cleaned with just water and mild soap for easy cleanup. I don't know if the treatments deteriorate over time. I have kept vehicles into their teens and can still remove most dirt/stains on fabric/carpet even years later. But, the treatments have their limits as well...Heavy Grease/Oil and Dyes.

The treatments are to protect against normal everyday spills and such.

I have used 3M ScotchGuard even on treated fabric/carpet and it does still seem to be absorbed into the fabric/carpet(not repelled). So, this could still add extra protection.

The only downside is...it may add no more extra protection than what is already there.

You decide!