Is this Olefin?

[tman7]

I have a customer I clean for on a regular basis that has apt townhomes. He uses the same carpet in all his units. Which I assumed was Olefin because of how easily certain spots like kool aid come out, (just a few passes with a wand) as well as how the the traffic lanes are always matted down and tend to stay down.

I cleaned a unit the other day and ran across a spot that looks just like bleach had been spilled. White in the center with pink along the edges. I have always thought that Olefin was pretty much impervious to bleaching because of it being solution dyed. and yet this spot looks EXACTLY like dye loss. Any ideas whats going on here? Thanks

Heres a pic - sorry, from my phone cammera.

 

[J Scott W]

You won't be sure of the answer from a photo. Do a burn test or a chemical test (formic acid) or simply see if a few fibers float in a glass after yourub them under water for a few seconds. You will know if it is olefin, nylon or maybe something else.

 

[TimP]

If it's a cut pile like in the photo it's most likely polyester followed by nylon.

Although most of the time you can get away with bleaching olefin carpet many times there is nylon added to it to color it easier in patterns. You'll get a 90/10 blend or something of the sort. But also don't forget the backing doesn't tolerate bleach so you're not supposed to bleach it. I've seen it many times in fact this week where you can tell that something bleached the color out in an olefin blend because some colors stay and others are gone.

Chances are your red spots are probably washable paint. And if not then it's most likely to be polyester because it's harder to stain than nylon. When coloring polyester it takes significant heat and time to get the color to adhere to polyester compared to nylon, and that's why they say it's very stain resistant. It doesn't take as much time or heat for nylon and that's why it's the easiest to stain but it's also the easiest to get stains out and it cleans the best.

Anyways, that's my take on it...... Ivebeensold

 

[John Olson]

I have a customer I clean for on a regular basis that has apt townhomes. He uses the same carpet in all his units. Which I assumed was Olefin because of how easily certain spots like kool aid come out, (just a few passes with a wand) as well as how the the traffic lanes are always matted down and tend to stay down.

I cleaned a unit the other day and ran across a spot that looks just like bleach had been spilled. White in the center with pink along the edges. I have always thought that Olefin was pretty much impervious to bleaching because of it being solution dyed. and yet this spot looks EXACTLY like dye loss. Any ideas whats going on here? Thanks

Heres a pic - sorry, from my phone cammera.

Never ASSume something is something. Test it and find out. Cheap Nylon actually cleans really really easy. Take your duck bills and cut a peice and see if it floats. My guess is it doesn't and this is cheap nylon but without testing we are just ASSuming.

 

[TimP]

Nylon:
Melts and shrinks from an approaching flame. In the flame, melts and burns slowly and is smoky. Once out of the flame, burns slowly and tends to self-extinguish. Burning nylon smells like celery. Its burned residue is a hard, shiny brown or gray bead.

Polyester:
Melts and shrinks from an approaching flame. In the flame, melts and burns slowly. When withdrawn from the flame, it burns slowly, melts and drips. Has a slightly sweet smell. It produces a hard, shiny black or brown bead.

Polypropylene (Olefin):
Melts and shrinks from an approaching flame. In the flame, it melts and burns. When withdrawn from the flame, it continues to burn. It has a candle wax odor and produces a tough, tan bead.

(I always thought olefin was asphalt smelling myself)


I'm guessing he doesn't know how to test cause of the question asked

 

[Chriswa]

great info TimP, writing that down

 

[Doug Cox]

In my experience, most times olefin is found in a looped carpet whereas polyester would be in a cut pile. Olefin cut pile might be found in a Golf shop where it would be considered "Spike Proof" or similar. I would guess by the picture, it would be a polyester. Next would be nylon. You can tell the type of fiber by the feel of the wand (in general). A wand will not "Lock Down" on a poly or Olefin like it will on a nylon.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

No the carpet in the picture is NOT Olefin (polypropylene).

 

[ruff]

If it's a cut pile like in the photo it's most likely polyester followed by nylon.

Chances are your red spots are probably washable paint.

Anyways, that's my take on it...... Ivebeensold

Since we are all guessing...
Why not add mine.

To me it looks like dye loss, as the intensity (I forgot the term, is it color value?) of that squarish pink area is less than the carpet's. That to me indicates dye loss.

And if it is a dye loss than no, it is not likely to be Olefin or any other solution dyed fiber.

The good news is that dye loss areas, can usually be re dyed.

And if I am mistaken........
Well.....
Just ignore this post :roll:

 

[TimP]

Since we are all guessing...
Why not add mine.

To me it looks like dye loss, as the intensity (I forgot the term, is it color value?) of that squarish pink area is less than the carpet's. That to me indicates dye loss.

And if it is a dye loss than no, it is not likely to be Olefin or any other solution dyed fiber.

The good news is that dye loss areas, can usually be re dyed.

And if I am mistaken........
Well.....
Just ignore this post :roll:

In the picture we know it's color loss. That's why he's confused because if it was olefin he shouldn't be seeing that. So therefore it's most likely not olefin. Also most of the time olefin is in loop pile carpet, and they do use nylon fiber in the olefin loop pile carpet to add some decorative coloring sometimes not always. Which is one thing I was explaining but it wouldn't show a discoloration like that. So it's not olefin for sure


He said in the original post that red "spots" have come up easily therefore he thought it was olefin. I said that the red spots probably were washable paint if they came up easily, and not a red kool aid or wine stain. Although polyester would have some stain inherent reisistance to kool aid especially if it had plenty of carpet protector on it and or didn't have as much time to allow the stain to set.

 

[tman7]

The picture came out lousy. Bad light combined with my phones camera. The dye loss is white in the center and pink on the fringes. It has to be bleach.

I'll test it next time I am there. I really dont think its nylon. If you saw the matted traffic lanes you'd understand. This carpet is very resistant to staining, I have delt with the occasional pet pee issues and it has never left visible stains. Must be polyesyter, I imagine its pretty cheap carpet.

 

[John Watson]

Tony, The CCINW is having a cleaning College in Oct at Seattle Intrlinks store. Be a great class for you. being tought by Toony - Harry Hides. Check it out at CCINW.org They have a few non-member seats open I understand..

Toony's Color correction class can show you how to fix things like that easy and make money doing it.. Just thought I would let you know....