Solar Shield Protection® Weatherproofing and UV Protectant - FAQ's

[back to main Solar Shield page]       [see prices]

Does this stuff really work?
YES! This product has been designed and tested to provide stain protection, and to weatherproof and sunscreen fabric. It does exactly what the manufacturer says it does. They had chemical engineers working on this product for over 6 years. Solar Shield Protection® is so unique that it has a United States Patent. [top]

Will it waterproof my cushions?
It is a weatherproofing product. Total waterproofing is simply not possible as many outdoor fabrics have quite an open weave. It will however, significantly increase the fabric's natural water repellant qualities, so liquids tend to "sit up" on the fabric. For fabric waterproofing, use our Ray & Rain® product. [top]

How long will it last?
For maximum protection, Solar Shield Protection® should be re-applied once a year. We feel confident that if you apply it properly, it will significantly extend the life of your car upholstery, boat interior or patio furniture fabrics while maintaining their original color. [top]

What do you mean by "significantly"?
There are many types of fabrics for indoor / outdoor use. There is no way anyone could test them all. So, what the manufacturer did was take the worst ones they could find, the ones that fade like crazy, stain like crazy and don't last, and treated them with Solar Shield Protection®. Then they did extensive testing on these samples. The treated fabrics now had stain protection and a weatherproof barrier. The treatment acts to sunscreen fabric providing complete protection. It made a not so great fabric into something worth having.

Extensive testing by Atlas Testing Labs was performed on various textiles using an AATCC 16 Xenon Arc ASC accelerated light fading protocol. Results show a significant improvement in color retention on fabrics treated with Solar Shield Protection®. [top]

OK, so what does "apply it properly" mean.
It means that you spread the fabric out as flat as possible, put Solar Shield Protection® in an ALL PLASTIC SPRAYER (preferably a pump-up garden type), adjust the nozzle to a really fine spray, and spray the fabric as lightly, evenly and as quickly as possible. Then let it air dry for 4 to 24 hours and do the same thing over again. Two light coats work better than one heavy coat. One medium coat will also work but two light coats are better. See coverage rates on the product price page.  [top]

So how much is 1500 square feet?
One gallon of Solar Shield Protection® is enough for:

• 4 car upholstery interiors including the trunk and floor mats.
• Or it will cover 2 sofas, 4 chairs, 2 ottomans and several pillows on a standard patio furniture set. 
• Or it will cover all of or most of 1 house boat interior including the carpet.

It will provide superior stain protection, create a weatherproof barrier and act to sunscreen fabric when completely dry. [top]

What else should I know?

• Always test Solar Shield Protection® on in inconspicuous place on the item you are planning to treat before you spray the whole thing. You can do this by wetting the corner of a white towel with the product and gently wiping it on the fabric. Remember, there are a lot of not so great fabrics out there and you want to make sure the fabric is color fast before you treat it. If no color comes off or if just a little color comes off on the towel, it should be fine to treat. If a whole lot of color comes off, then you probably should not spray it or you should spray it really lightly. 
  
• Be Smart. This is a chemical. Don't drink it! Don't play with it! Don't spray it near an open flame or fire! Wear rubber gloves when you handle it. Only apply it in a well ventilated area! If you get it on your hands or in your eyes, wash it off with a mild soap and warm water before it dries! 
  
• Don't spray Solar Shield Protection® on anything other than fabric.  If you get some "over spray" on other things, WIPE IT OFF BEFORE IT DRIES. If you find a spot that you missed wiping off later after it dries, here is what you do. Buy a small bottle of odorless mineral spirits, put some on a white towel and gently wipe the area with it. This will remove the excess. If you let it dry on glass, do the same thing and follow it up with some Windex or other type of glass cleaner.  [top]

 Any helpful hints?

• Only apply Solar Shield Protection® when the fabric is reasonably dry and the temperature is above 60 degrees and is going to stay that way for 4 hours.
   
• Empty the un-used portion back into the original container. Don't leave it in the sprayer. Wash the sprayer out with warm, soapy water when you are finished. Make sure that the sprayer is totally dry before you put the product back in it to spray something else. 
  
• While it only takes about 4 hours to dry to the touch, it may take up to 48 hours for the product to fully cure and bond to the fabric. This means that the maximum stain protection, weatherproof characteristics and sunscreen fabric protection may take 2 days to develop.  [top]

What can go wrong?

• You "over spray" it and don't wipe it off before it dries. Now you have to wipe the areas with mineral sprits. No permanent damage will result.
  
• You "over spray" it on your grass. Solar Shield Protection® is designed to seal porous materials but it won't seal in the green! Chances are, depending on how heavy you sprayed it, your grass will die. Sorry, but there will be no permanent damage to the ground. You will need to re-seed.
  
• You "over spray" it on your shrubs or trees. Just hose them off. They may loose a few leave but they should be OK.
  
• You accidentally spray your dog, cat or kid. Give them a bath before it dries. They should be fine.
  
• Someone drinks it. GET IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION!  [top]

I have a question that is not on this list, what should I do?
Go to the "contact us" part of this web site and e-mail or call us. We will get the answer for you as fast as possible. If it's a really good question, we'll add it to this page for everyone else.  [top]

Can I spray it on my boat cover, tent, tarp or golf bag? 
You can but it is not made for that. Solar Shield Protection® is too gentle for those types of fabrics. For a waterproofing product with sun fade protection for these types of fabrics and applications, contact us. [top]

[back to main Solar Shield page]       [see prices]