Please don't get a fabric treatment if you get microfiber. Talk to some really reputable manufacturers about it first. I have been told that chemically treating microfiber actually DECREASES its natural stain restistance. My microfiber sofa has none and even ball point ink washed off with soap and water. Grease stains and long stading stains (like dirt that has built up over many years) are harder to get out. If you go with a non-microfiber fabric, go ahead with the treatment if you want. I have been assured it is not necessary, but at least it isn't likely to make it MORE prone to stains, like it can with microfiber. My local Stickley retailer was the latest, but not the first, to tell me that modern fabrics are manufactured with stain resistant finishes and they do not recommend applying anything else, nor will they offer to do it for you, or do it even if you request it. They were considering offering a purchasable stain "insurance" that comes with a cleaning kit for people who are really paranoid about stains, but they would still not treat the fabric with anything. They would just clean or recover the sofa if necessary. Thus they would offer it as "insurance" rather than a "treatment". Not only that, if you read the fine print, EVERY manufacturer I looked into would void the "wear" warantee on the fabric, if there was one, if the fabric was treated with any chemical. That is because chemicals can weaken the fibers and they refuse to be responsible after that. It is really hard to give up that "stain treatment" that was such a great option when it became available years ago. I also came to rely on it. But it isn't really necessary anymore with most modern fabrics and can create more problems than it solves. Go with untreated microfiber, a dark synthetic, or leather, IMHO. Its going to be hard to get salesmen to stop selling something that brings in more money, especially when people are so conditioned to think they need it that they actually insist on paying for it, even after they are told they don't need it, and especially when they become suspicious when honest places stop offering an unneeded and potentially detremental treatment. By the way, I was told this by Stickley, by the sofa manufacturer Temple, by my local furntiure dealer who sells numerous brands but is quite reputable, and by the local dept store where I bought my microfiber sofa and where they have already switched to offering an "insurance" rather than a treatment. If they are willing to insure it against stains with no treatment, they must be pretty sure that is really the best option. I might still go for it or, better yet, the insurance, if I ordered a white or very light cotton, becuase I have been conditioned to think the same way you have. But I am really starting to believe them now. Personally, I would rather have the insurance than the treatment, since it would not void any warantees but they would absorb the cost if it did get stained.

Sue

The only time I ever hear about Scotchgaurding and warranties is when someone is cussing about how the store is weaseling out of the deal.

You can buy a whole lot of Oxyclean for the price of that treatment.

read thes for some history of the old scotguard, your health and our environment...
http://www.chemicalindustryarchives.org/dirtysecrets/scotchgard/1.asp

http://www.protectingourhealth.org/press/2003/2003-0622-SJMN-scotchgard.htm

http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/projects/2005/02/toxictraces/timeline.php

and to be balanced, a Q&A from 3M' own public relations about the current products. If you do a google search, you won't find much on the effects of the new scotchguard formulation as it's still pretty new. If it was me, I'd skip the product line entirely, and encourage eating and drinking at the dining table.

What you should know about 3MÂs "next generation" ScotchgardTM Protector products.

Click here
to learn more
about 3MÂs
"next generation"
Scotchgard Protector products.
Q: I thought 3M phased out of Scotchgard Protector?
A: In May 2000, 3M made a voluntary decision to phase out its production of products having perfluorooctanyl chemistry which included Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA), Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS), and PFOS-related products, which included many Scotchgard Protector products and applications.
However, 3M subsequently developed unique new technologies that allowed us to reformulate our Scotchgard Protector products. These reformulated products provide equal or sometimes better protection performance characteristics than the former products while being much more favorable from an environmental, health and safety aspect.

Q: Are Scotchgard Protector products safe to use?
A: Yes. 3M products sold under the Scotchgard Brand have been thoroughly tested and are safe for their intended uses.

Q: Is this also applicable to Scotchgard Carpet and Upholstery Protector used by professional cleaners in either residential or commercial applications?
A: Yes

Q: How do the new Scotchgard Protector formulations differ from the prior formulations?
A: New products carrying the Scotchgard Brand name are based on new unique fluorochemical technologies. They are not based on PFOA or PFOS chemistry.

Q: 5. Why use fluorochemicals at all?
A: Fluorochemical technologies are critical to the development of high-quality, high performance protective materials. To date, no other class of materials has been found that repels soils and stains as effectively as fluorochemicals. Through the use of these protectors, a wide variety of products typically have an extended useful life. For example, carpets last longer and look better for an extended period of time. Stain protection for clothing and leather goods helps provide a longer and more useful life before replacement. Fluorochemical additives used in household paint, tile grout, wood flooring, resilient flooring, and other hard surface applications, allow for easy cleaning of surfaces because of the protective coating. There are a wide variety of benefits when everyday products have extended periods of useful life. ...

i have 8 yards of upholstery fabric and the store wants to send it to the east coast to have it scotch guarded. is this necessary or is it just as good to buy the cans and do it yourself.

Yes & No, when applied at the mill every square inch is covered. If you do it yourself you may or may not be able to spray into every corner or crevice. Also depends on the fabric as some heavier cottons the mill can apply more throughly into the fibers. But DIY can apply heavier coats on areas that are more likely to get stained, top of arms etc. Any machine washing or dry cleaning will remove a good portion of any fabric protection that you had before.