7 Secrets on how to keep your carpet beautiful. #2 What is the best carpet for you?
The right carpet for you depends on the type of soil, amount of traffic, and who the occupants are in your home. Stain resistance means that a carpet will not stain easily, but staining is still possible. Wear ability is judged by how durable the fiber is.
- Olefin-A petroleum based plastic fiber that repels liquids and stains very well. Olefin has a stain resist property that other fibers don’t have. The fiber is solution dyed, which means it will hold it’s color and therefore is more stain resistant than any other fiber. While it still has the possibility of staining, even kool-aid, bleach, and ink can be removed more easily. However, the durability is lacking, which means that it won’t stand up as well to very heavy traffic. Furniture indentations are difficult to remove after furniture is moved around. Light colors of olefin will appear scratched when it begins to show wear. Also, due to the petroleum base, olefin attracts oil and cause lighter colors to appear dirty fast. Olefin is ideally used in indoor/outdoor carpet and is always superb in a sunroom or homes with kids that spill kool-aid and use markers on the carpet. CAUTIONS about Olefin: May not be ideal if you have pets. The oils will absorb quickly into the fiber. Olefin is not ideal for very high traffic areas and you should avoid light colors. Darker colors are recommended.
- Polyester-Often an alternative to nylon due to it’s economical price. Polyester has great stain resist qualities, almost equal to Olefin. However, it does mat down more so than nylon. Furniture indentations are difficult to remove after furniture is moved around. Polyester is ideally used in homes with kids that spill kool-aid and use markers on the carpet or homes where you anticipate replacing the carpet within a shorter amount of time. CAUTIONS about polyester: For better wear ability, get at least a 60-70 ounce weight and avoid light colors. Darker colors are recommended.
- Nylon-In many situations nylon may be the best value for your dollar. It has great stain resist properties and great wear ability. However, stay away from a thin density of nylon. A minimum of 42 ounce weight is recommended with a high twist in the fiber. The nylon fiber will hold up to traffic very well, however it is susceptible to red dyes (such as kool-aid) and bleaches. Consider purchasing solution dyed or continuous filament nylon for your top of the line nylon fiber. Nylon is ideally used in homes or businesses with a lot of traffic and homes with pets. CAUTIONS about nylon: Avoid spilling red dyes (such as Kool-aid) and bleaches.
- Wool-The most durable and most luxurious fiber. Most oriental rugs are made of wool and last for 100 years or more. Wool is easily stained and is very vulnerable to bleach. Wool is ideally used in areas rugs or homes that are kept very clean. CAUTIONS about wool: Wool stains very easily. Perform spot removal right away after a spill.