Like nylon, olefin fibre will burn blue at the base and orange at the tip with no smoke, so the flame’s appearance and the odour it produces are two key factors to distinguish between the two. The only thing you should avoid is drying a polyester carpet excessively as this will contribute to shrinkage. Polyester is very durable and has fairly good resistance against most chemical cleaning agents. The fibre leaves behind a firm, shiny bead and gives off a rather sugary odour when burned. Using a good fabric protector is one way to further enhance these qualities of nylon and make it more resilient to spots and stains.Ī polyester carpet will emit an orange flame with black smoke after a burn test, with the material sputtering and dripping at the end. Nylon is known for being easy to maintain and is generally stain-resistant, but using the wrong cleaning agent can damage the fibres. As the flame sputters out, it emits a waxy smell and leaves behind a hard, round bead that’s grey or brown. You can tell a carpet is made up of nylon when you burn the strand and it turns blue at the base and orange at the tip with no smoke (except when extinguished). By closely examining the fibre, you will be able to determine the exact material whether it is nylon, polyester, olefin, etc. Synthetic carpet fibres generally won’t leave any residue while natural fibres will leave a noticeable residue between your fingers.Įach fibre type reacts differently to the burn test which tells a lot about the material used. If it does not move away from the flame, it is a natural fibre (wool).Īnother way to determine whether you have a synthetic or natural carpet is by crushing the burnt strand with your fingers. If the strand arches away from the fire, your carpet is likely made of synthetic fibres ( nylon, polyester, or olefin). Pay close attention to how the material burns and the action that takes place while doing so. Hold the strand carefully and use a cigarette lighter to do the burn test. Hold the fibre with tweezers and cut with a scissor to obtain a single strand. Choose an inconspicuous area which to take a sample with - this could be in a corner, underneath the furniture, or in a low-traffic area. This consists of removing a small piece of fibre from the carpet and using a lighter to burn it. It may be a surprising concept, but doing a burn test is one of the best ways to identify a carpet’s material. This article will discuss how to identify your carpet’s fibre material to provide better overall carpet care. Second, knowing the fibre type will allow you to choose a cleaning product that’s most suitable for the carpet. First, it gives you a better understanding of the carpet’s cleaning characteristics in terms of how easy (or difficult) it is to remove spots and stains. Knowing which carpet material you’re working with has two major benefits. A commercial carpet, on the other hand, is mostly made from nylon though others are made of propylene or olefin. Knowing the carpet’s fibre type is important, especially when you’re cleaning it for the first time to ensure you’re not damaging the carpet when cleaning.Ī standard residential carpet typically falls into one of four main fibre categories and these are polyester, nylon, olefin, and wool. Carpets can be made up of many different materials, with each one having its unique qualities that make carpet care quite different from one material to another.
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