A: All protectants applied to carpet and upholstery by manufacturers are wear products, meaning they wear off over time through normal use and cleanings. A good analogy is the non-stick surface of a frying pan. When the pan is scratched, food will release. As soon as the pan is scratched, food will begin to stick to those areas. The same thing happens to protectants.

Most carpets are replaced not because they are worn out overall, but because less than 10% of the carpet has “uglied out”. When traffic patterns become visible and are no longer able to be cleaned out, there is nothing that can be done to restore the appearance of those areas. So, an entire room, level, or house is re-carpeted because of damage to a relatively small area. Carpet warranties often exclude stairs and hallways because of high usage, so protectant is an easy and effective way to ensure the longest use out of these areas.