Olefin Spin Finish

This report gives a good generic understanding of olefin.

THE CARPET
FIBER:    Olefin
ID METHOD:    Burn
FIBER COLOR:    Multi-Color
CONSTRUCTION:    Conventional Tuft
YARN STYLE:    Cut & Loop
BACK SYSTEM:    Conventional Tuft
PRIMARY BACKING:    Polypropylene
SECONDARY BACKING:    Attached Backing
INSTALLATION STATISTICS
TYPE LOCATION:    Commercial
TYPE OF BUSINESS:    Restaurant
METHOD:    Direct Glue Down
SUBFLOOR:    Concrete Slab
AREA INSTALLED:     Dining Room
USE & MAINTENANCE STATISTICS AT THE TIME OF THE INSPECTION
LITERATURE RECEIVED WITH PURCHASE: Not Determined
TEMPERATURE: 70°F - 21.1° C RH 20%
VACUUM TYPE:    Upright
VACUUM FREQUENCY:    Nightly
ENTRY-MATS:    No
SOIL:    Heavily Soiled
HEATING TYPE:    Forced Air Gas
COOLING TYPE:    Central - Gas
CLEANING:    Professional
METHOD:    Truchmount Steam
TYPE OF CHEMICAL:    Not Reported
DATE LAST CLEANED:    Not Reported
TREATMENTS APPLIED:    Not Reported
GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
This restaurant is located two-miles from the city of Steamboat and one mile from the Ski & Resort at the base of Wesner Road & Pine Glow at the base of Mount Werner at evaluation 6,900 feet.
SITE CONDITIONS
This is a single story, free-stand, timber frame with an above elevation foundation. It is approximately 10 to 20 years old.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION MADE TO THE INSPECTOR
The restaurant manager reports that an excessive soiling condition existed one week after the installation. One cleaning has taken place one month after this installation. Soiling conditions came back immediately.
DESCRIPTION OF PROBLEM AREA BY THIS INSPECTOR
The restaurant manager directed this inspector to all areas of the restaurant where heavy soiling was apparent.
ON-LOCATION FIELD TESTING
None have been preformed at this time.
THE ISSUE
The issue of this report is to determine what has caused the initial soiling problem and why the problem has not been resolved by professional cleaning.
GUIDELINES FOR EVALUATING THE ISSUE
ASTM stands for the AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING AND MATERIALS. The ASTM Institute for Standards Research (ISR) is a service designed to assist ASTM technical committees and private and public sector consortia in the development of technical information that supports their objectives. Some of the services provided by ISR include grant and contract administration, technical project management (i.e., for test method validation, reference material development, etc.), industry consortia management, and accelerated standards development support. ISR activities are financially supported by the activity stakeholders and may result in the development of educational workshops, publications, research data to support ASTM standards development, or other related products.
DEFINITIONS OF TERMS
According to the FLOOR COVERING DICTIONARY on it says this about spin finish:
SPIN FINISH - A detergent that serves as a lubricant, which is placed on yarns to facilitate passage through various phases of the carpet manufacturing process. If not completely removed during scouring, spin finish any contribute to rapid resoiling of the carpet overall, or oil lines. See LUBRICANT.
THE INSPECTOR'S ANALYSIS
Olefin has the lowest melting temperature of all fibers. To keep it from disintegrating from friction during manufacturing, a spin finish and/or lubricants are applied as a coolant. Occasionally, these oily substances do not get removed before shipping and the end user gets a new carpet that rapidly soils. This problem is correctable a through steam cleaning that involves specialized detergents such as the Olefin Cleaner from the Prochem Company, 325 South Price Rd., Chandler, AZ 85224 480.899.7000, Fax: 480.786.9538, Toll Free 800.776.2436.
If deemed necessary, spin finish and/or lubricants can be confirmed through laboratory testing for extractable matter. Either ASTM D2257 using Ethyl Alcohol or AATCC 20A using Chloroform will yield a percentage of soluble material. A result of more than 2 percent could indicate that the carpet is defective beyond repair. However, in most cases, the carpet is salvageable.
It is important to note some of the advantages and disadvantages of olefin. Under advantages:
1. It is naturally resistant to dye stains such as Kool-Aid. Unlike nylon's stain resistance, this characteristic cannot be diminished with cleaning and usage.
2. It is chemically resistant to mild bleaching solutions. Chlorine bleach will dissolve wool and will cause color loss in nylon.
3. It dries faster than all fibers after cleaning because it is the least absorbent of water.
Under its disadvantages:
1. It is the least resilient of all yarns. This lack of resiliency is often confused with soiling problems because it too is an aesthetics issue. Once it is crushed, aggressive cleaning will not restore its nap. Thus, olefin's attractiveness is often short lived unless the faceyarn density is high enough to resist crushing.
2. It is lipophilic, meaning that oily soil and oily stains can be difficult to remove. Only polyester is more oil loving. However, this problem can be controlled with repeated applications of fluorochemical soil protectants such as Teflon®.
3. It often turns brown after steam cleaning due to a process called wicking. Wicking is the migration of soil to the tips of the yarns during the drying process. It is easy to correct, but it can be prevented by extra thorough pre-vacuuming prior to the extraction process.
4. It is the most heat sensitive of all yarns. Solution couplers used in association with truckmount steam cleaning machines may cause permanent distortions and so will dragging heavy furniture across it.
CONCLUSION
Based upon the available background information, observations at the time of this writing, it is the inspector's professional opinion that the carpet in question is soiling from spin finish and/or lubricants residue inherent from manufacturing. It is the manufacturer's responsibility to remove the spin finish and/or lubricants.