FAQs

Before applying protectME, vacuum any surfaces thoroughly & remove any existing stains. If you are applying to clothes or shoes, clean in cold water only to remove any traces of detergents or softeners. Be sure to remove any cleaning products prior to application.

How to apply protectME:

1. Check your fabric: Shake well and apply to a small test area for colour fastness. Not all textiles are colourfast.
2. Spray away: Spray an even layer from 10cm in a back & forth motion so that textile becomes moist.
3. Wait for it: Allow a minimum of 12 hours for the coating to cure. In temperatures below 18°C allow up to 24 hours.
4. Test for coverage: By spraying a little water on the textile. Small beads should form on the surface. If not, additional application may be required.

For more information, please read our How to use page.

For most standard upholstery and fabric surfaces we recommend using 100ml of fabric protector per M² of surface per coat. It doesn’t need to be exact, just make sure the fabric is saturated with product. Please note saturating does not apply for leather, suede and velvet. We recommend a light spray and then gently “buffing” the product into the fibres with a soft, clean cloth. If you are spraying large areas, we recommend using our battery sprayer to ensure even application and avoid wrist fatigue.

Some fabrics will require a second coat of product to be applied with an additional 100ml of fabric protector per M² within 30 minutes of the first application. These include but are not limited to:

• Heavy or thick fabrics, as they tend to be more absorbent, such as heavyweight linen;
• Textured fabrics or materials, like woven fabrics where the weave is particularly visible; rugs and carpets, especially shaggy type ones with long strands;
• Outdoor fabrics, especially if not kept undercover or exposed to the elements;
• Highly absorbent fabrics and materials, such as linen and jute ;
• Napped or pile fabrics — please read ‘Does protectME work on napped fabrics such as velvet, suede or microfiber?’

If you are unsure about the type of fabric you have or have any questions, send our friendly customer service team a message and include a photo of your fabric and we’ll do our best to help you

protectME is a water based, non toxic fabric protector that is safe to use on most fabric or textile surfaces: cotton, suede, leather, synthetics, wool and silk to name a few. Different fabrics will require different amounts of product to be protected, please read ‘How do I know how much product to apply?’ to find out more.

Some precautions:

• As some colour dyes are not colour fast, particularly rugs that are using vegetable dyes for example (usually vintage or handmade rugs), we recommend testing the surface in a small inconspicuous area for colour fastness prior to applying all over.
• Please check to make sure the material you are wanting to treat is not “dry clean only”. Using a water based protector on dry clean only material can cause colour loss or fading, especially when there are natural dyes involved. It’s always best to check with the manufacturer if you are unsure of the care instructions.
• If you have applied another fabric protector prior to using protectME, please read ’Can I apply protectME after applying another fabric protector?’.

If you have applied another fabric protector prior to using protectME, we recommend waiting until the other protector has worn off, especially if using a mainstream stain guard such as Scotchgard or Guardsman. This is usually about 12 months after application. This is because these fabric protectors sit on top of the fabric and will prevent protectME from bonding properly. Unlike these protectors, protectME is formulated with nanotechnology and will get into the fabric, forming a much stronger and durable protective barrier that lasts up to 3 years.

protectME has a pH resistance level of between 2-13 which most bodily fluids including urine, blood, sweat and vomit mostly are comprised in. Please note though, sometimes vomit can be slightly more acidic than 2 (meaning they will go below 2) and therefore not in the range that protectME can protect against. In this instance, we recommend removing the vomit as soon as you can and clean with any off the shelf spot cleaner. Once dry, we would recommend reapplying protectME to that area only.

protectME is primarily intended to repel liquid stains. It will certainly help cleaning oily stains (chocolate, tomato sauce, sunscreen etc) and dirt marks but we can’t guarantee that there will be no marks left. This is especially true when force is applied onto the fabric, i.e. fingers smudging chocolate all over your new couch. Please always use a light dabbing motion when trying to remove liquids from protected fabrics, trying to absorb the liquid or stains into a cloth, rather than scrubbing with force.

With protectME, you are able to wash up to 30 washes and treat with a standard spot treatment as long as the pH levels of the cleaner are within 2-13. You can also steam clean the material as protectME can withstand temperatures of up to 250 degrees celsius.

protectME can be used on velvet, suede or microfibre and most fabrics with a nap such as melton, flannel, serge, camel’s hair, sweatshirt fleece, brushed denim, mohair, lamb’s wool, velveteen, corduroy, fleece, terry cloth, or fake fur. We recommend using a soft brush to help raise the nap of the fabric and ensure even product distribution, once protectME has been sprayed on.

You can read our blog post about velvet here

protectME can be used on rugs and carpets. Most of them will require two coats of fabric protector, because they are made of thick and absorbent materials. This is all the more true if the rug or carpet has got a high pile — shaggy rugs are the perfect example. We recommend brushing the rug or carpet with the back of a broom in a back and forth motion after you have sprayed protectME on the surface area, to ensure even coating. Applied properly, protectME will be able to coat each individual strand of material, making the fabric water repellent and stain proof. However, liquids can still get in between the strands, so always be very careful and meticulous when dabbing off liquids.

It is best to clean up liquid spills as quickly as possible and with the least amount of force possible. Please always use a light dabbing motion when trying to remove liquids from protected fabrics, trying to absorb the liquid or stains into a cloth, rather than scrubbing with force. This is all the more true for oily stains, please see ‘Does protectME protect against oily stains and dirt marks?’.

No, protectME does not smell, it’s completely free of fragrances or masking scents, unlike traditional fabric protectors. For more information about ingredients, please read the dedicated page.

Most traditional fabric protectors have a very strong chemical smell and require the area to be evacuated during and after treatment has taken place (never a good sign, is it?). protectME is completely odourless and does not release any fumes during or after application. If you can, we always recommend to spray your items outside, to avoid accidentally spraying other areas or items you may not want to.

Please read our How to apply page for more information.

Being a water-based fabric protector, the surface will normally be dry after 3-4 hours. Please note that it will take 12-24 hours to fully cure, depending on the temperature.

Our eco-friendly fabric protector will typically last for up to 3 years before a reapplication is required, which is about 3 times longer than most traditional fabric protectors. Be mindful of semi-regularly checking areas that are exposed to more abrasion — for example, that one spot where you sit on the couch every day.

Our non toxic fabric protector is UV stable and will not break down when exposed to UV rays (even Australian ones), unlike other fabric protectors. However, this does not mean that fabric colours won’t fade in the sun — this is because to achieve this, we would need to include an agent that makes fabrics look waxy in our formulation.

Despite our water-resistant coating being UV stable (does not break down when exposed to UV rays), it does not prevent fading of the fabric colours in the sun. This is because to achieve this, we would need to include an agent that makes fabrics look waxy in our formulation. Applying our eco-friendly fabric protector (or any other fabric protector for that matter) does not increase the SPF rating of a fabric or textile.

We don’t recommend applying protectME to “dry clean only” fabrics as our fabric protector is water based and using our product on materials like this may cause slight colour loss or fading.

Our eco-friendly fabric protector is resistant to abrasion and machine washable (up to 30 washes). It’s also resistant to steam cleaning (up to 180°C)and commercial cleaning.

With protectME, you are able to wash up to 30 washes and treat with a standard spot treatment as long as the pH levels of the cleaner are within 2-13. You can also steam clean the material as protectME can withstand temperatures of up to 250°C.