How To Clean Scotch Guarded Carpet

Many people choose to use Scotchgard on their carpets and upholstery. And, often furniture and carpets arrive with Scotchgard when they get shipped from the factory!

If you’ve got Scotchgard on your carpets, cleaning becomes a little bit different. However, that’s not to say it’s impossible!

To clean scotch guarded carpet you just need to identify the right fabric cleaner. You can check the manufacturer’s label to see which types of cleaners will work on your carpet. 

What Is Scotchgard?

Before we chat about how to clean scotch guarded carpet let’s talk about what Scotchgard is. Scotchgard is a treatment that repels water from furniture and carpets.

Scotchgard also makes it tough for upholstery and carpets to absorb liquid. The result is that products with Scotchgard are much harder to stain. 

What’s great about Scotchgard is that it means you don’t need to spend as much time cleaning your furniture and carpets. If your carpet is scotch guarded, for the most part, you’ll only need to clean your carpets to keep dirt, dust, crumbs, and pet hair off them. 

How to Clean Scotchgarded Carpet

With Scotchgard, you’ll usually be able to blot up spills with a paper towel as long as you get to them quickly. You can simply blot the stain until there is no more wetness on your carpet.

On occasion, you won’t get to spills in time. If a spill sits too long on Scotchgarded carpet, it can still sink into the fabric since Scotchgard only slows the absorption rate of liquids.

If you’re late to clean up a spill, you can wind up with a tough stain. If that’s the case, you can take a few steps to clean your carpet. 

Step One: Check the Label

The first step to cleaning the carpet is to check the label on your carpet. If you can’t find the label, you can read the manufacturer’s guide. This is important for making sure that you don’t damage the carpet. 

Step Two: Choose the Right Cleaning Product

On the label, you’ll find a code detailing what cleaning products you can use. Here’s a guide to the code so that you choose the right cleaning agent: 

• S: solvent-based cleaners. Rubbing alcohol is a good choice
• W: water-based cleaners. Water and dish soap work well here.
• W-S: solvent-based or water-based cleaners are fine. 
• X: you cannot use any kids of cleaners and can only vacuum the carpet

Step Three: Vacuum

Before you dive into the cleaning process, vacuum the floor. This helps get any loose dirt and grime up so that you can start cleaning up the spots on your floor. 

Step Four: Spot Clean

Once you’ve determined which type of cleaner you can use on your carpet, it’s time to get to work. Grab your chosen solvent and soak a rag in it. 

Then, blot the stain on your carpet. Don’t scrub the stain as this can cause it to spread and can lead you to wind up with a bigger problem than when you started. 

Continue blotting until the stain is completely gone.

Step Five: Steam Clean

If your carpet can handle water, you’ll want to steam clean it. This removes the solvent from your floor and gets the worst of the mess out of your carpet’s fibers. 

To steam clean, move the steam cleaner from one corner of the room to the other. Be careful not to walk on the areas that you’ve already cleaned. 

Finally, allow the carpet to dry. It will take about eight hours for your carpet to fully dry, and you won’t be able to walk on it until it’s completely dry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Clean Scotch Guarded Carpet?

You can certainly clean scotch guarded carpet. You’ll just need to approach the cleaning process a little bit differently than you would a carpet that doesn’t have Scotchguard. 

How Long Does Scotchguard Last on Carpet?

Depending on how well you care for the carpet and the type of upholstery your carpet is made of, Scotchguard can last for six months to a year and a half. The treatment tends to last longer in households that don’t use shoes on the carpet, don’t have pets, and don’t have kids.