DuPont® spent 50 million dollars to introduce Stainmaster® in 1986, but apparently couldn't afford maintenance literature or even answer my inquiries about cleaning the new product. As cleaning professionals, we needed to know; so, in 1987, I started a testing program to see for myself how to clean it and how it would perform.
L. S. Ayres & Co., installed a champagne colored cut pile, made by WestPoint Pepperell in our family room which is adjacent to a blacktop drive and garage. Foot traffic is funneled through the center of the room, so it was a poor choice of color and pile texture. The salesman at Ayres never questioned my selection and when I asked about cleaning he said, "Don't worry about it, it hardly ever needs cleaning." No cleaning or warranty information was delivered by the installers.
During the first five years the Stainmaster was cleaned monthly and a variety of topical treatments (some not recommended by DuPont) were applied to monitor the effects. In May of 1991, DuPont sent Cy Gantt to look at the carpet. Part of the entry he made in our guest book reads, "The carpet is beautiful. It is difficult to put into words what it means to have Bane-Clene® as a friend." Cy brought an artificial tree for our pool as a gift, which we cherish.
In June of 1991, DuPont dispatched Caren Mc Cabe to our home. Her entry in our guest book says, "Thanks for a wonderful two days. It was a pleasure meeting all the folks at Bane-Clene and seeing the results of your testing program. It really looks great." Caren wasn't very kind to me beyond her approval of the carpet tests. She beat me in golf at my club and again the next year when I was her guest at DuPont Country Club.
DuPont has sold the Stainmaster brand name, but twenty-three years later, that old carpet is still here. It has survived rigorous testing, pizza, pets and grandchildren. The traffic lane is not apparent, the tip definition is excellent and the fibers demonstrate remarkable resilience. It saddens me that DuPont never publicly acknowledged this project.
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