Carpet technology has certainly come a long way over the last few decades and today’s carpets are more durable than ever. They are also often far more stain resistant, especially if a homeowner chooses to purchase a carpet made with a material called olefin.
What are Olefin Carpets?
Olefin is a synthetic fiber that is a byproduct of petroleum. It has become the second most popular carpet fiber, after nylon, and can be found in homes all over the world. It is relatively inexpensive and in most peoples’ eyes a great choice for high traffic rooms in their home because of the stain resistance it is marketed to possess.
Like any carpet though olefin carpets do have their pros and cons:
Olefin Carpet Pros:
Fade Resistance: Most olefin carpet is solution dyed which often means that it will keep its color longer and resist fading better than some other carpet fibers.
Stain Resistance: Partly because of the fiber’s make up and partly because it is solution dyed olefin is far more stain resistant than other choices (although it is not magic, it can be stained)
Ease of Cleaning: On a regular everyday basis olefin is easy to fairly easy to clean. There are some challenges though (these will be covered in the cons)
Olefin Carpet Cons:
Resiliency Problems: Olefin is not a very resilient fiber when compared to some other options. It does not spring back in the way that nylon will when walked on and “footprints” are far more visible and the carpet can tend to look dirtier than it really is.
Friction: Olefin is not as heat resistant as other carpets and is far more likely to be damaged by friction. Dragging a heavy piece of furniture across it can leave a burn mark. For this reason, using a rental carpet cleaner on it can sometimes cause more damage than it solves.
Oil: Although it is very stain resistant olefin does have a problem with oily residue. Olefin loves oil and will draw it down deep into the fibers and hold onto it, making it impossible to remove with a vacuum. If a carpet shampooer is used in an attempt to clean the carpet because olefin is water resistant – if you put a piece of it in water it will float – the water will migrate to the top of the carpet during the drying process and so will the oily soil, meaning that often the carpet will be dirty again in a matter of weeks.
Professional Eastern Ohio carpet cleaning is, therefore, the best solution for olefin carpets because these companies understand the challenges olefin presents and compensate for them accordingly.
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