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.
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 soils 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.
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Revised: 05/11/06
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