How to apply it
Read this before your first job. It is the part most people get wrong, and getting it right is the difference between a customer who calls you back next year and one who does not.
Less is more. Do not over-apply. Over-applying makes the fabric repel worse, not better. The product carries wetting agents that help it spread evenly across each fibre. Applied lightly they do their job and disappear. Applied heavily they stay behind on the fibre — and they attract water, which is the opposite of what you are paying for. A heavy coat also bridges across the weave instead of coating each fibre, so liquid tracks straight through the gaps. If you are going to get it wrong, get it wrong on the light side.
Clean and dry first
Vacuum thoroughly. If the piece has been washed or extracted, let it dry completely. Treating damp fabric wastes product and gives a patchy result.
Test a hidden area
Under a cushion or behind a skirt. Apply a little, wait two minutes, blot with a clean cloth — if colour transfers, do not treat. Test finished or pigmented leather especially.
Check it is not already treated
Put a drop of water on the fabric. If it beads and sits on top, it has been treated already and should not be sprayed again. Re-treating over an existing coat is how people over-apply without realising.
Set a fine, even mist
Open the nozzle until it delivers a fine mist rather than a jet. A pressure sprayer does this properly; a cheap trigger bottle does not.
Spray light and even
Hold 20–30 cm away and keep moving, overlapping slightly. You want an even damp sheen — damp to the touch, never soaking. If it is running or pooling, you have gone too far.
Two or three light coats
Allow each coat to flash off before the next. This is the same total product as one heavy coat, just spread far better.
Dry and cure
Air dry 3–6 hours before use, and allow a full 24 hours to cure completely. Avoid direct heat sources. Do not stack, cover or re-hang treated items until they are dry.
Working out a job
Measure the upholstered area, then divide by the coverage rate. Not by the number of coats.
| Item | Approx. m² each |
|---|---|
| Tub chair | 3.5 |
| Couch — 2 seater | 7.0 |
| Couch — 3 seater | 9.5 |
| Armchair / 1 seater | 4.0 |
| Dining chair — seat only | 0.6 |
| Dining chair — full back | 1.2 |
| Ottoman / footstool | 1.5 |
| Headboard — queen | 3.0 |
| Curtain — per drop | 4.5 |
Coverage: 8–10 m² per litre in total. Heavy fabrics such as chenille, velvet and bouclé drink more — allow 5–7 m² per litre.
Worked example. 100 tub chairs and 100 two-seaters is (100 × 3.5) + (100 × 7.0) = 1,050 m². At 9 m² per litre that is about 117 litres — six 20 L drums, and order a seventh as a spare. Running out mid-job costs more than the extra drum.
Safety
Brief your team properly. This matters most for anyone spraying volume.
Wear
- A P2 respirator when spraying, especially indoors
- Safety glasses — always
- Nitrile gloves, 0.4 mm or thicker. Not latex.
Never
- Never rinse equipment into a storm drain
- Do not mix with alkaline cleaners
- Do not use in an unventilated room
- Keep out of reach of children
A Safety Data Sheet is available on request and should be on file at your premises before your team uses the product. Request it here.