The Scotchgard name has been a well-known carpet and fabric protection since its invention in 1953. But in recent years, 3M discovered that Scotchgard was breaking down into a substance known as perfluorooctanyl sulfonate, or PFOS, which lingers in the environment.

3M decided in May 2000 to end worldwide production of PFOS.

3M's new Scotchgard products are based on proprietary fluorochemicals that have been shown, through testing, to not accumulate in living organisms, the company said.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has reviewed all of the ingredients used in the new formulas and none were found to raise any concerns, according to the EPA.

Five revamped products are already being commercialized. Four are for carpet.

The fifth, for leather upholstery and apparel, was introduced last month in Europe and will be launched globally in September.

Late in the year, 3M plans to expand Scotchgard into new territory, such as a flat latex paint that will be easy to clean and keep its finish even after scrubbing, according to the company.