Stain-Resist Nylon

   A carpet protector, such as Scotchgard™ Carpet and Upholstery Protector or Teflon® Advanced Carpet Protector is often applied to the carpet after dyeing. After dyeing, the stain release chemistry is applied in thick foam that penetrates from the top and from below the carpet, so it is protected from most common household spills.

   Acid dyeable nylon is nylon polymer that has been modified chemically to make the fiber receive acid dyes. Acid dyes are negatively charged (anionic). Dye sites are charged areas on a fiber to which oppositely charged dyes are attracted. For example, cationic (positively charged) dye sites on nylon polymer attract acid dyes that are anionic (negatively charged). With today’s modern light colored carpets, very few of the dye sites are occupied by a dye, leaving plenty of dye sites available to react with Kool-Aid® (a registered trademark of Kraft Foods) and other foods and drinks containing acid dyes.

   Acid dye blockers are negatively charged anionic naphthalated phenolic resins that act like colorless dyes and cause nylon fibers to resist most common household food and beverage stains containing acid dyes by occupying remaining dye sites. Sometimes called stain blockers, these work by blocking the positively charged nylon dye sites, thus preventing (theoretically) staining by acid dyes. This is how Stainmaster® works. These are added to the nylon by the fiber producer or by the carpet mill.

   In the real world, with traffic, soiling, and cleaning, stain resistance gradually decreases. As a result, it is best to apply fluorochemical carpet protector on stain-resist nylon carpet after every cleaning.

   Stain resist nylon is a nylon fiber which has been treated with an acid dye blocker to make it fiber more resistant to staining by acid dyes, such as those in soft drinks and other beverages containing acid dyes. Brand name examples are Stainmaster®, Zeftron® 2000, Worry Free®, and Wear Dated®.

Stainblocker   Here is a drawing of a nylon fiber showing the cationic (positively charged) dye sites: The Plus charges (+), which I have circled are the available dye sites. The "N" circles are dye sites that have been neutralized with Stain Blocker. The Stain Blocker is negatively charged and neutralizes the positively charged dye sites.

   

   Because "quat" bactericides and most static control products are "cationic" (positive-charged), they neutralize the effect of the Stain Blocker and void the warranty.

Related Products:

  • Teflon® Advanced Carpet Protector

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