There are many terms, some confusing, misused and misunderstood, that are used in the carpet and rug manufacturing and maintenance industries. This glossary is designed to help you better understand these terms. Click on the links for more detailed information for each term.

Absorbent Pad Carpet Cleaning:

See “Bonnet Cleaning” below.

Absorbent Powder Carpet Cleaning:

See “Dry Powder Cleaning” below.

Acid Rinse:

Strictly speaking, “acid rinse” simply means that, after extraction cleaning the carpet, an acid-based product is run through the machine to rinse out detergent residue in the carpet, rug or upholstery and to decrease the pH by neutralizing the alkaline components of the cleaning compound used. We never use the word “acid” in front of a customer! The term “acid”, in the minds of the customer, signals “danger - poison”! Instead, we call it a “Brown Out rinse” or a “Brown Out flush”.

Acrylic Fiber:

Acrylic is a plastic fiber frequently used in fake fur and upholstery fabrics. Acrylic fiber has a similar “hand” to wool but is seldom used in carpet.

Alkali / Alkalinity:

An alkaline substance has a pH above 7.0 in water. Most water-based cleaning solutions are alkaline because most soils are acidic. The term alkali describes a substance that chemically is a base (the opposite of an acid) and that reacts with and neutralizes an acid. The most common alkalis are sodium hydroxide (NaOH), also called caustic soda; and potassium hydroxide (KOH), also called caustic potash.

Anti-Allergen Cleaning:

The word allergy is defined in medical dictionaries as “a hypersensitive state”. An allergen is a substance that causes an allergic reaction. Between 50 and 70 million Americans suffer from allergies. And while the symptoms and severity may vary, a large percentage of allergic triggers – pollen, pet dander, dust mites, down and feathers, bacteria - are found in the indoor environment, particularly the bedroom.

Antimicrobial:

A chemical product that reduces the growth of common bacteria, fungi, yeast, mold and mildew.

Antistatic Carpet:

A carpet that dissipates an electrostatic charge before it reaches a level that a person can feel. Static is normally more of a problem in the winter when indoor humidity is the lowest.

Anti-Resoiling Agents:

Products, such as ARA, Anti-Resoiling Agent that keep spots and stains from coming back after cleaning and eliminate resoiling by repelling dirt and stains, making carpet cleaning easier each time.

Attached Carpet Cushion:

A cushioning material, (foam, rubber, urethane, PVC, etc.) attached to the back of carpet. Attached cushion is cushion material permanently bonded to the back of carpet and rugs by the manufacturer to provide additional dimensional stability, thickness and padding. Materials used include polyurethane, sponge rubber, PVC, high-density foam and latex. See “Carpet Pad” below.

Axminster Carpet:

Axminster carpets are usually complex designs and are always cut-pile, used mostly for creating multicolored patterned carpets. See “Weaving” below.

Backing:

See “Primary Carpet Backing” and “Secondary Carpet Backing” below.

Backing Adhesion:

Backing adhesion is the amount of force required to delaminate or separate the a primary backing and secondary backing.

Bactericide:

A bactericide is an anti-microbial that KILLS bacteria, a group of one-celled, vegetable microorganisms that lack the green pigment chlorophyll.

BCF:

See “Bulked Continuous Filament”.

Berber Style Carpet:

Berber is a bulky knobby-looking loop-pile with much larger loops than commercial grade loop pile carpet, usually made of olefin or olefin/nylon blend. Berber often has random specks of color, which are usually nylon blended in with the base olefin fibers. Because of its informal look, Berber carpet is very popular residentially, especially in family rooms, recreation rooms, and multimedia rooms.

BHT Yellowing on Carpet:

BHT is Butylated Hydroxytoluene, a preservative in older carpet padding. It can turn carpet yellow. Treatment with a strong solution of Brown Out^® will often remove the yellowing.

Bleeding on Carpets and Rugs:

See “Dye Bleed on Rugs and Carpet” below.

Blooming:

When carpet fibers untwist, this process is known as blooming. Blooming may occur for several reasons, including improper heat setting, improper cleaning and maintenance techniques, and general wear and tear.

Bonnet Carpet Cleaning:

A carpet cleaning process, where detergent solutions are sprayed onto a cotton pad, and a rotary cleaning machine is used to buff the carpet. The soil is transferred from the carpet to the buff pad, which is changed or cleaned as it becomes soiled. Carpet bonnet cleaning is also called spin pad carpet cleaning or absorbent pad carpet cleaning or carbonated carpet shampoo cleaning.

Braided Rugs:

Braided rugs are constructed of wool fabric, heavy wool rug yarn, or other materials, including olefin. Individual lengths of braid or a continuous braid may be stitched or laced together into the desired shape. All braids have a core, which is an inner material that gives the braid shape and consistency. During cleaning, this core, if made of paper or dyed waste material, can easily bleed to the surface! Paper, foam, textile byproduct, or waste materials are often used for the core of low quality rugs.

Broadloom:

A term used for carpet made wider than 54 inches, usually 12 feet wide.

Brown Out Flush:

See “Acid Rinse” above.

Browning of Carpets and Rugs:

Browning is a phenomenon in which, after the carpet or rug is cleaned and has dried, the fiber tips turn dark.

Bulked Continuous Filament (BCF):

BCF is an acronym for Bulked Continuous Filament and refers to synthetic fibers in a continuous form – miles long, formed into yarn bundles of a given number of filaments and texturized to increase bulk and cover. Texturizing changes the straight filaments into kinked or curled configurations.

Bulking (or Crimping):

Processing yarns, to fluff them up and give more coverage with the same weight. This is usually accomplished by crimping the fiber.

Butyl Cellosolve:

Often called simply “butyl”. Butyl Cellosolve is commonly used in many professional carpet cleaning presprays and traffic lane spotters because it is a unique solvent that is soluble in water yet is so strong that it is commonly used in wax strippers and heavy-duty ready-to-use cleaners.

Carding:

In staple yarn manufacture, a process to remove impurities and short, unusable fibers. The fiber is cleaned and aligned to form a continuous untwisted string called a sliver.

Carpet:

A carpet is any textile floor covering that is not designated as a Rug. Carpet is normally attached to the floor and/or the walls while rugs are normally unattached or loose.

Carpet Covers:

Temporary protection plastic carpet film, sometimes called carpet cover, features a pressure sensitive water-based self-adhesive system for new build, repair, conversion and refit to replace more traditional materials such as drop cloths, tarps, Visqueen^® and Herculite^®.

Carpet Cushion:

See “Carpet Pad” below.

Carpet Dimensions:

The three primary dimensions to carpet are: Gauge (Width), Stitch rate (Length), and Pile height (Height). Other common measurements are Denier, Density, Face Weight, Twist, Tuft bind and Staple Yarn Size.

Carpet Matting and Crushing:

One of the most frequent complaints and misunderstood conditions with carpet is matting and crushing. When matting and crushing occurs, fibers become bent and compressed by fatigue. Each fiber type and carpet construction will show varying degrees of departure from the carpet’s normal profile. Although matting and crushing will eventually occur with all fiber types and carpet constructions, carpet appearance can be prolonged and matting and crushing can be slowed by installing carpet over firm cushions.

Carpet Odor:

“New carpet” odor sometimes is present after the installation usually comes from 4-phenylcyclohexene (4-PC), a by-product of the latex binder used to hold the fibers and backing together. Such odors usually disappear within a few days with ventilating and frequent vacuuming.

Carpet Pad:

Carpet pad or cushion is the underlayment for carpet to help the carpet resist matting and crushing. Cushion is sometimes called padding, pad, underlayment or lining. Cushion also provides added acoustical, comfort, and insulation benefits and longer wear life for the carpet. Carpets installed over cushion or with attached cushion typically last much longer and are easier to maintain than carpet directly glued to the hard surface. There are three basic types of cushion: foam, rubber and fiber.

Carpet Protectors:

The purpose of carpet protectors is just what the name implies - they are chemical coatings that are designed to protect the carpet against soil, stains, wicking and/or static electricity. They are applied at the carpet mill, as with as Stainmaster^®, or may be applied after cleaning a carpet by the carpet cleaner, as with Scotchgard™ and Teflon^®, such as Bane-Clene’s Bane-Guard™, Sta-Clene^®, DuPont’s Teflon Advanced and Scotchgard Protector for Carpet and Upholstery change the surface energy of fibers and provide soil resistance as their primary function. Additionally, they help fibers resist both water-based and oil-based spots and spills. They may also contain a chemical stain blocker to neutralize nylon’s dye sites from stains.

Carpet Rake or Carpet Brush:

A grooming rake helps to loosen stubborn soil and keeps the yarns lifted. The use of a grooming rake on cut pile carpet prior to vacuuming will greatly enhance its appearance.

Carpet Shampoo Cleaning Method:

The theory in the shampoo method is to generate a lot of foam in the carpet, allow this foam to dry, have the resulting residue attract the soil and vacuum up the residue and soil the next day. Shampoo methods are inferior due to poor cleaning plus resoiling problems. Because of their inherent resoiling problem, carpet shampoos will frequently also have an anti-resoiling additive such as a resin to reduce this resoiling tendency.

Carpet Styles and Textures:

Carpet can be grouped into three primary constructions: loop pile, cut pile and cut and loop pile. Some of the most common styles are Saxony, Frieze (Trackless), Saxony, Shag, Level Loop, Berber and Plush (Velvet). The linked article contains much more information and more styles.

Carpet Topical Treatments:

See “Carpet Protector Treatments” above.

Chair Mats:

Chair mats are usually a clear thick plastic sheet with cleats on the underside to prevent delamination and excessive wear on carpet where a desk chair is used. Chair mats will extend the life of carpet by spreading out the pressure from the chair casters; in fact, many carpet manufacturers void their warranty when a chair with casters is used without a chair mat.
Carpet around the outside edge of a chair mat is often heavily soiled where the chair casters have rolled off the mat onto the carpet. Additionally, the carpet under the mat often looks much lighter and cleaner than outside the area because It has never been soiled. Soil filtration has occurred on the rest of the carpet, but the chair mat has prevented it under the chair mat. Sunlight plus volatile plasticizers in the mat may have bleached the carpet under the chairmat.

Colorfastness of Carpets and Rugs:

The measure of a carpet or yarn’s resistance to fading. An example of fading would be a green carpet in a sunny area. Green is a combination of yellow and blue. When the green carpet fades, it will become increasingly yellow as the blue fades.

Continuous Dyeing of Carpet:

This is a dyeing process geared toward maximizing production, where the undyed carpet is passed under the dyeing equipment, and the dye solutions are “flowed on” to the carpet, rather than the carpet being immersed in the dyeing solution, which is call “vat dyeing”.

Continuous Filament:

See “Bulked Continuous Filament”

Cookie Cutter Carpet Repair:

A Carpet “Cookie Cutter” is the ultimate carpet spot & stain removal tool when all other attempts at removing a carpet spot or stain has failed. This tool utilizes remnants or carpet from a hidden area to repair burns, permanent stains, rips, tears, bleach spots and other small damage.

Corterra^®:

See “PTT” below.

Cotton Fiber:

Cotton, a vegetable fiber obtained from the seed of the cotton plant, is occasionally found in carpet, but it is too easily and irreversibly stained and wears too poorly to be common. The most common use for cotton is in fringes in rugs. There, soiling and graying are a problem. Cotton is made into small area rugs, such as braided cloth rugs, that can be washed and dried easily. Some woven rugs have cotton as the warp fibers, (particularly antiques and imports from certain countries). Unlike silk, cotton is 15% stronger when wet! A cotton rug should be cleaned with Natural Fiber Cleaner at 1 ounce per gallon in a well-ventilated area. Natural Fiber Cleaner contains a reducing bleach and detergents.

Creel:

The large frame used to hold yarn cones that directly feed yarn to the needles of a tufting machine.

Crocking of Rugs and Carpets:

A term used to describe excess color rubbing off as the result of improper dye penetration, fixation or selection. This not the same as dye bleeding which occurs when the rug or carpet is wet.

Crushing:

Also known as “carpet matting,” crushing occurs when fibers become bent and compressed. Eventually, all carpet will show signs of crushing. However, establishing a regular maintenance program, using firm padding below the carpet, and frequently rearranging furniture to re-direct traffic patterns can all help to greatly prolong crushing.

Cushion:

See “Carpet Pad” above.

Cushion Backed Carpet:

See “Attached Cushion” above.

Cut Pile Carpet Style:

A carpet style in which the face is composed of cut ends of pile yarn. See “Carpet Styles” above.

Cut / Loop Pile Carpet Style:

A carpet fabric in which the face is composed of a combination of cut ends of pile yarns and loops. See “Carpet Styles” above.

Defoam(ers):

A common problem in truckmounted extraction carpet cleaning is FOAM. Foam in the vacuum hose can increase drying time and greatly reduce cleaning effectiveness because it has, in effect, reduced the vacuum hose to 1/2 inch in diameter! Additionally, excessive foam can cause damage to the vacuum pump and other equipment.
Foam is usually caused by residues from carpet shampoo, spotters and detergents in the carpet. Silicone antifoams such as Bane-Clene’s AFC™ Anti-Foam Concentrate prevent foam from forming and cause existing foam to rapidly collapse.

Delamination of Carpet:

Delamination is the separation of the secondary backing or attached cushion from the primary backing of the carpet. Backing adhesion is the amount of force required to delaminate or separate the primary and secondary backings.

Denier (or Fiber Denier):

Denier is a unit of measurement that is used to determine the fiber thickness of individual threads or filaments used in the creation of textiles and fabrics. Fabrics with a high denier count tend to be thick, sturdy, and durable. Fabrics with a low denier count tend to be sheer, soft, and silky. See “Carpet Dimensions” above.

Detergent:

My Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “detergent” as“a cleansing agent such as soap or any of numerous synthetic water-soluble or liquid organic preparations that are chemically different from soaps but are able to emulsify oils, hold dirt in suspension, and act as wetting agents. See also “Surfactant”.

Dimensional Stability of Carpet:

The ability of the carpet to retain its original size and shape when subjected to outside forces (For example, a secondary backing adds dimensional stability to carpet).

Direct Glue Down Carpet Installation:

Direct glue-down is an installation method in which the carpet is directly glued to the sub-flooring such as wood or concrete. This is the most commonly used method of installation of carpet in commercial environments. This method of installation is generally considered the practical choice for high traffic areas and high stress areas such as educational buildings, restaurants, hospitality corridors and religious centers. When carpet is properly installed this method of installation virtually eliminates the potential for wrinkles, buckles, seam peaking, split seams, shrinkage and delamination.

Double Stick Carpet Installation:

“Double-stick” installation is the preferred alternative to direct glue down. Double-stick is an installation method in which the pad (cushion) is directly glued to the hard surface and the carpet is then directly glued to the pad. This carpet installation method gives a much more durable carpet system than direct glue-down, because it keeps the carpet from shifting its position or developing wrinkles as it ages and loses its elastic properties.

Dry Foam Carpet Cleaning (“Dry Extraction Cleaning” , “Shampoo Cleaning”):

A cleaning process using a minimal amount of water, where a dense foam is worked into the carpet and the soil­laden foam is then removed using a wet vacuum, which is often part of the same equipment as the brush. The Cylindrical Foam Shampoo machine like the Von Schrader machine, uses an air compressor to create dry foam before the foam is applied to the carpet and the carpet is then agitated with a revolving cylindrical brush which combs the foam through carpet pile. This method will leave dirt trapped in the carpet pile. Carpet must be thoroughly vacuumed before and after cleaning. The Rotary Shampoo method uses an ordinary rotary floor machine (the same kind used for stripping wax), sprays shampoo onto the carpet from a dispensing tank and a rotary brush whips the detergent to a foam. Carpet mills discourage the use of rotary brushes on carpet because of the potential damage that can occur. Overwetting is common with this method which can cause shrinkage and odor. Shampoo methods are inferior due to poor cleaning plus resoiling problems.

Dry Powder Carpet Cleaning (“Dry Extraction Cleaning”):

This carpet cleaning method is often called “dry cleaning” and sometimes “Dry Extraction Cleaning” since virtually no water is used. In this method, dry absorbent compound (containing small amounts of water, detergent and solvent,) is sprinkled over carpet or worked into the carpet with a machine. This purpose of this cleaner is to attract and absorb soil. Mechanical agitation from a brush works the cleaner through the carpet. The theory is that the liquids dissolve the soil and this soil/detergent/solvent mixture is absorbed into the carrier and is then vacuumed up. They are often used with a detergent prespray in heavily soiled areas. The compound is supposed to absorb the dislodged soil and is then vacuumed away. Carpet must be thoroughly vacuumed before and after cleaning. If a white powder starts appearing on shoes and cuffs of pants, too much was used and it was not thoroughly vacuumed up. A common problem is for this white powder to reappear after wet extraction cleaning. This carpet cleaning method has the advantage of no drying time for interim maintenance, since little water is used. This makes it a common maintenance cleaner.

Dry Rot of Carpet Backing:

A condition caused by attack of microorganisms on fibers, textiles, carpets or other materials, characterized by less strength and integrity. Attack on carpet backings permits carpet to break and tear easily. Natural materials, such as jute, are susceptible, whereas polypropylene and most other synthetics are resistant.

Dye Beck Carpet Dyeing:

A very large vat with a reel to hold carpet, which is dyed in a solution of water and chemicals by carefully raising the water temperature and adjusting the pH so that the dye sites are opened to accept the dye.

Dye Bleed on Carpets and Rugs:

On occasion, especially with olefin/nylon berber blends, some bleeding of new carpet may occur with its first cleaning. Dye bleed can also occur on rugs from dog or cat urine liberating rug dyes.

Dye Sites:

Dye sites are positively charged areas on the surface of nylon fiber. These positively charged dye sites attract negatively charged dyes (often called “acid dyes”) in the carpet dyeing process by the carpet manufacturer. Unfortunately, Kool-aid^®, Gatorade^® and many other food items also use acid-based dyes, which permanently stain most nylon carpet fibers. The solution to this problem, as in Stainmaster carpet, was to introduce a clear, colorless dye after carpet dyeing to neutralize the remaining dye sites to reduce staining. Of course, no carpet is stain-proof. Spills that are allowed to soak for extended periods will slowly begin to penetrate dye sites and the protection can be destroyed by using the wrong cleaners and treatments.

Dye Stuffs:

Highly colored substances capable of permanent chemical or physical attachment to textile fibers. These are in dry powdered form or liquid form. They are the materials used to mix with water to create the dye “liquor” which is, in turn, mixed with water and other chemicals and used to dye carpet.

Emulsifier:

See “Detergent” above and also “Surfactant” below.

Encapsulation Carpet Cleaning:

Encapsulation carpet cleaning products use polymers and resins act like microscopic sponges to crystallize stains and dirt for immediate vacuuming after cleaning, leaving no sticky residue. Your best defense against the wicking reappearing spots and rapid re-soiling associated with commercial carpets is with encapsulation products, such as ARA Anti-Resoiling Agent, Brush & Bonnet and SCR Soil Crystallization Rinse from Pro’s Choice

Enzyme Deodorizer:

What exactly is happening when we use an enzyme treatment? Enzymes are part of our daily lives. Metabolic enzymes run our bodies, digestive enzymes break down the food we eat into a chemical structure our bodies can absorb and specific enzymes are found in our saliva that actually start the digestive process. Without them we simply could not survive. But how does that relate to treating pet urine? Simply put, the enzymes we use to remove pet odors from carpet are effective because something else looks at the urine contamination as food. When you hear someone talk about “bug count” or about the amount of “bugs” that are in their product they aren't talking about the enzymes themselves. They are talking about the bacteria that produce the enzymes which then break down organic materials such as odor causing urine and food spills. Molecular Modifier is one of the most common pet urine deodorizers. Enzymes are also used in carpet cleaning traffic lane spotters such as Pro-Zyme Heavy Soil & Grease Digester to help remove stains such as blood and cooking grease as in restaurants.

Extrusion:

Nylon fiber is created by “extrusion” - melting the polymer chips and then forcing the thick, viscous liquid (about the consistency of cold honey) through the tiny holes of a device called a spinnerette to form continuous filaments of semi-solid polymer. The spinnerettes used in the production of most manufactured fibers look very much like a bathroom showerhead.

Face Weight:

Face weight of carpet refers to the amount of fiber (per square yard) that is in the face of the carpet (total weight less the weight of the backing). However, this is different than density because tall, less dense tufts may have the same face weight as short, dense tufts. On average, short, dense tufts will be more resistant to wear and matting. See “Carpet Dimensions” above.

Fading:

Carpets and rugs subject to color changes over time. This change is very gradual and is caused by oxidation through exposure to the open air, pollution, ultraviolet rays and sunlight within the home.

Felting:

Similar to fiber bonding, except in the yarn form or non­woven fabric form, whereby the individual fibers are mechanically entangled (using a bank of needles) prior to the completion of the yarn manufacture. Needle felt carpets and padding are very common in cars.

Fiber:

The starting point of carpet is the fiber, a fine thread-like unit that is converted into yarn then tufted or woven into carpet. There are only six primary fibers used in carpet today: Nylon, Olefin, Corterra^®, Polyester, Acrylic and Wool.

Fiber Bonded (or Needlepunch) Carpet:

Carpet produced directly from individually colored (usually synthetic) fibers. The fibers are laid as a thick web and fed through a bank of barbed needles. This entangles the fibers (forming a felted surface), which are then impregnated with a chemical which, after drying, bonds the fibers permanently together.

Fiber Bundle:

A number of fibers twisted together.

Fiber Cushion:

Fiber cushion uses fibers (both virgin and recycled, and either natural or man-made fibers), which are interlocked into a sheet of felt. Felt fiber cushion density is by weight of ounces per square yard.

Field:

The largest (typically the center) portion of a rug.

Filament:

A single continuous strand of natural or synthetic fiber.

Filament Yarn:

A type of yarn whereby the individual fibers are much longer and tend not to be mixed, but rather bundled together before being twisted and heatset into yarn.

Filler:

A low cost material, usually very fine powders, used for extending rubber, plastic or other polymers. Carpet latex, which holds the primary backing and the secondary backing together, contains large amounts of fillers. The most common filler in carpet latex is finely powdered calcium carbonate, often called “whiting”, produced by grinding limestone. You will see a lot of this filler when you pull up a carpet and see white powder on the floor. The mill can reduce its cost by adding as much filler as possible.

Filtration Soil Lines on Carpet:

Filtration soil is a term used to describe dark, grayish lines that may appear on carpet. Soil filtration on carpet has become a common problem today because homes are much more airtight than in the past and because aromatherapy and burning of candles is so popular today. In fact, an internet search using the search engine Google with the search term “aromatherapy candles soot” will bring up several horror stories of severe soot formation in homes and offices where burning of candles is practiced.

Floor Mats:

See “Walk Off Mats” below.

Fusion Lines in Carpet:

Fusion lines occur when heavy furniture is dragged across the carpet, especially if olefin. The friction from the dragging creates sufficient heat to fuse the tips of the carpet. Unless very small, this is not correctable. Never drag furniture across carpet unless you are using EZ Moves™ or Bane-Glides™ Furniture Movers (often called "skidders".)

Finishing:

Carpet finishing processes include application of soil retardant and antistatic chemicals, steaming, application of secondary backing, application of attached foam cushion, back beating, brushing, shearing and others.

Flocked Carpet:

Carpet composed of short, chopped fiber or flock that is adhered, usually by electrostatic processes, to a base fabric, resulting in a short pile material with a velvety texture.

Frieze (also known as Trackless or Textured) Carpet Style:

Frieze (Pronounced "free-zay") is a tightly twisted yarn that gives a kinked or curled appearance to carpet pile. Each carpet tuft has two ply’s of yarn that are twisted together. Most carpet styles have 3.5 to 5 turns (twists) per inch. A frieze may have 7-9 turns per inch and the high carpet twist level causes the carpet tuft to kink or turn back upon itself giving it a curled appearance. The fibers flop over, concealing dirt, footprints and even vacuum marks. The short fibers make frieze perfect for high traffic areas. Frieze carpet is often called “California shag.” See also “Carpet Styles” above.

Fringe:

A decorative design element consisting of decorative edging and loose threads that is added to the edge (typically the ends) of a rug. When cleaning a rug, check the fringe for damage. Also, check if the fringe is dyed - don’t use peroxide on dyed fringe! Fringe is usually white cotton and grays severely. After cleaning the carpet fibers, clean the fringes — pulling the fringe away from the rug to clean it with the furniture pad underneath. There are two problems that may occur with the fringes: browning and dye bleeding onto the fringes. If the fringes are still very gray, apply clear hydrogen peroxide or Chemspec Rx for Fringe to the fringes only on fringes of oriental rugs or stubborn browning on undyed carpet. NOTE: On some tribal rugs, the dark appearance of the fringe is the natural color of the goat hair that is sometimes blended with the wool and is not discoloration or browning. In that case, do not use a bleaching agent. Also, silk rugs may have silk foundation yarns and silk fringes also should never be bleached. Additionally, peroxide should not be used on “tea washed” rugs.

Fuzzing:

See “Shedding” below.

Gauge:

See “Carpet Dimensions” above.

Generation:

A reference indicating large improvements in the general development of the nylon fiber in carpet:
There are five generations in nylon fiber:
First generation: The first nylon fibers. These performed poorly because the soil could be seen through the fiber (unlike wool) and because, due to the round cross-section of the nylon fiber, the soil was actually magnified. As a result, apparent soiling was extremely rapid compared to wool. Later, delustering agents such as chalk were added to eliminate this problem, but the fibers had a dull appearance with this treatment.
Second generation: This is first generation nylon fiber with modified cross-section for soil hiding, such as tri-lobal. This eliminated the round shape problem causing the magnification problem.
Third generation: Anti-static qualities were added.
Fourth generation: Fluorochemical soil/stain protection was added.
Fifth generation: Acid dye stain blocker was added (stain-resist nylon).

Greige Goods:

Pronounced “Gray Goods”. Undyed, unfinished carpet.

Grinning:

In carpet, a condition where the carpet backing shows between the rows of pile yarns. May be caused by low pile yarn weight or carpet installation over stair nosings.

Gully:

The distance between the tackless strip and the wall. It should always be slightly less than the thickness of the carpet. 1/4 to 3/8 inch gap is acceptable according to the CRI 105 Carpet Installation Standard set forth by the Carpet and Rug Institute.

Hand:

Used to describe the tactile quality, or how a carpet or textile feels to the touch. While many aspects of manufacture (twist, fiber, weight, denier, density, etc.) go into developing a carpet’s “hand”, obviously a carpet with a soft, appealing hand will feel soft and comfortable to the touch.

Heatsetting (or Heatset):

A yarn manufacturing term, this is the process whereby heat or steam is applied to the twisted yarn to increase the yarn’s ability to hold its twist over time. This promotes the fiber’s ability to “bounce back” when it is temporarily crushed under foot.

High Density Foam:

Attached carpet cushion made from compounded natural and/or synthetic latex foam, having a minimum density of 17 pounds per cubic foot and a minimum weight of 38 ounces per square yard.

Hot Water Extraction Carpet Cleaning:

Hot water carpet cleaning is also known as “steam cleaning” and “warm water carpet cleaning” and is often abbreviated as “HWE”. Hot water or steam carpet cleaning is a combination of high water pressure for agitation and hot water (usually containing detergent) to increase cleaning effectiveness. This carpet cleaning method is frequently called steam cleaning due to the fine spray of water used to force dirt out of the carpet which is sucked up by the vacuum slot immediately in front of the spray. Seldom is real live steam used, however. This process consists of spraying a solution of water and detergent into the carpet pile and recovering the water and soil with a powerful vacuum into a holding tank. This can be done from a truck-mounted unit outside the home with only the hose and floor tool brought inside or by a portable system brought into the home or office. Depending upon the equipment, temperatures may range from cold tap water to boiling hot water and even super-heated water over 200 degrees F. Of course, with extremely high temperatures, there are dangers of scalding should a solution line break as well as the danger of damaging the carpet fibers. Hot water extraction or (“External Extraction”^®) is THE BEST WAY TO CLEAN CARPET according to nearly all carpet manufacturers and carpet fiber producers. This is the only carpet cleaning method classified as “deep cleaning”. All the others are considered “light surface cleaning” or “interim cleaning” because they are incapable of removing soil deep in the pile. Also, all other methods leave large amounts of cleaning agent in the carpet after cleaning.

Jacquard:

An apparatus for a carpet weaving loom that produces patterns from colored yarns. The pattern information is contained on perforated cards. The holes in the cards activate the mechanism that selects the color to be raised to the pile surface. Wilton looms have jacquard pattern devices.

Jute:

A natural fiber made from certain plants of the linden family, which grow in warm climates, such as those found in India and Bangladesh. Jute yarns are used for woven carpet construction (backing) yarns. Jute used to be used in tufted carpet as secondary backing, but now rarely.

Jute Rugs:

See “Sisal Rugs” below.

Knee Kicker:

A carpet installation tool used to make minor adjustments by stretching carpet (for installation with a tackless strip). By industry standards, the majority of this stretch must be performed using a power stretcher.

Knitted Carpet:

Carpet produced in a fabric formation or process by interlacing yarns in a series of connected loops. As in weaving, pile and backing are produced simultaneously. Multiple sets of needles interlace pile, backing and stitching yarns in one operation.

Latex Glue:

A water based synthesis of synthetic rubber, natural rubber or other polymers. Latex is used to laminate secondary backing to primary backing in carpet manufacture. It is also used to adhere a rug backing as well.

Level Cut / Loop (also known as Pattern Cut Pile) Carpet Style:

This type of carpet features a sophisticated look created by running cut pile and loop pile on a level pile height. The cuts and loops can appear random, or they can be arranged to create a distinct pattern. See “Carpet Styles” above.

Level Loop Carpet Style:

This type of carpet features yarn on the face of the carpet which forms loops of basically the same height, with both ends laminated into the carpet backing. See “Carpet Styles” above.

Loom:

Machine that produces woven fabrics. In weaving, lengthwise yarns (warp) are interlaced with weft yarns (fill) by the shuttle or other devices, such as gripper or rapier.

Loom Oil on Carpet:

See “Mill Oil” below.

Loop Pile Carpet Style:

Carpet style having a pile surface consisting of uncut loops. May be woven or tufted. See “Carpet Styles” above.

Matting of Carpet:

See “Carpet Matting” above.

Microfiber:

A microfiber is a filament having a diameter of 1 denier or less. In comparison, a human hair is 20 denier. This fiber is very strong, durable and has good resistance to abrasive wear. It also resists deterioration when exposed to mildew, sunlight, water and insects. Most microfiber upholstery is a great fabric and is usually easy to clean. Microfibers are half the diameter of a fine silk fiber, one-third the diameter of cotton, one-quarter the diameter of fine wool and one hundred times finer than human hair. This very fine quality gives the microfibers very unique and desirable properties. Because of how dense and tightly woven the fibers are, microfiber fabrics are liquid repellant. Polyester microfiber has excellent resistance to soiling and staining. Microfiber furniture has a soft “hand” (feel) and looks and feels much like suede. Most microfiber upholstery is made of polyester fiber.

Mill Oil in Carpet:

Mill oil also known as loom oil, spin finish or yarn lubricant, is the lubricant used in the carpet tufting machines and sometimes gets onto the carpet face during the tufting process. Yellowing from mill oil in carpet usually occurs in straight lines. Mill oil residue is most common on solution dyed fibers, such as olefin, because the step followed by the carpet manufacturer in rinsing out dyes is not needed and so the mill oil isn’t removed either.

Monofilament:

A single, continuous strand of synthetic polymer in the form of a filament large and strong enough to be used as a textile yarn. See “Bulk Continuous Filament” above.

Multifilament:

Synthetic yarns composed of a several continuous fiber strands extruded together from the multiple holes of a single spinneret. Multi­filament carpet yarns are texturized to increase bulk and cover, and are called “bulked continuous filament” yarns or BCF yarns. See “BCF” above.

Multi­Level Cut / Loop Pile Carpet Style:

This type of carpet features a sophisticated look created by running cut pile and loop pile, but the loops can be varying heights. The cuts and loops can appear random, or they can be arranged to create a distinct pattern. See “Carpet Styles” above.

Nap:

Another term for pile, usually used when discussing the pile direction, or the direction that the carpet came off the tufting machine.

Nonwoven:

A fabric manufactured directly from fibers or filaments, or from a web of fibers without the yarn preparation needed for weaving, knitting or tufting.

Nylon Carpet Fiber:

A synthetic fiber first discovered by DuPont (now Invista) chemists in 1938, but not used in carpet until much later. Today, it is the most often used fiber for carpet and can come in either filament or staple form. Features include cleanability, dyeability, stain and soil resistance, resistance to abrasion, ability to recover resiliency, moth proof, mildew proof, non­allergenic and color retention. From the introduction of nylon for use in the manufacturing of carpet, producers have been continually improving the character of nylon fibers, making them more desirable and durable as a floor covering. Nylon has become the fiber of choice for high quality carpet. The manufacturing advancements mentioned above have been commonly referred to as “generations” within the carpet industry. The most recent generation is the fifth generation, boasting anti­staining qualities as never before.

Olefin (or Polypropylene) Carpet Fiber:

A synthetic fiber used for some conventional, as well as indoor­outdoor, carpets. This fiber is produced in continuous filament, fibrillated and staple form; solution dyed. Polypropylene is known for stain resistance, easy cleanability, wearability and a low absorption factor. Other features include abrasion resistance, mildew proof, moth proof, non­allergenic, resiliency, color retention and recoverability. Recommended for light traffic because it is less durable and less resilient than nylon. It also exhibits poor appearance retention and pattern walk­out as compared with nylon.

Oriental Rugs:

Strictly speaking, the term “Oriental rug” refers to a hand knotted or hand-woven rug made in one of the traditional weaving areas of the Middle or Far East. Oriental rug quality is judged by the type of knot used, pile depth, number of knots per square inch, yarn fineness, color richness, fastness of the dye, and subtleness of the pattern. Oriental design rugs are machine-made reproductions of hand-knotted Orientals and are often incorrectly called Oriental rugs. Most “Orientals” brought in for cleaning are, in fact, Oriental design rugs, not true Oriental rugs.

Pad:

See “Carpet Pad”.

Peaking:

A seam that is peaking is one that is generally higher than the other areas of the carpet. Most often this is due to improper carpet installation. It is also caused by a carpet installer running the padding seams in the same direction as the carpet seams (normally, this should not be done).

pH:

pH is the Measurement of Alkalinity and Acidity There is nothing magical about the term “pH”. It is the chemist’s shorthand for “Potential of Hydrogen”. Please note the upper pH limit of 10 for cleaning stain-resist nylon carpet. Yet, all other things being equal, the higher the pH, the better the cleaning. Also, note that there is a 10-fold increase in alkalinity or acidity for each pH unit change. In other words, a solution at a pH of 14 is 10,000,000 times as alkaline as one at a pH of 7. Note the very low pH of vomit. Because of its low pH, any staining agent in vomit will be MUCH more difficult to remove, because the lower the pH, the more set a dye will be.

Piece Dyed Carpet:

Carpet dyed by immersion in an aqueous dye bath in a dye beck.

Pile:

The visible surface of carpet, consisting of yarn tufts in loop and/or cut configuration. Sometimes called “face” or “nap”.

Pile Crushing:

Pile crush is unavoidable, especially on cut-pile carpet. It will be most noticeable in high traffic lanes and under the legs of heavy pieces of furniture. More frequent vacuuming will help minimize this condition in heavy traffic areas. Moving furniture occasionally and using cups under the legs of furniture will also help minimize pile crushing. When it does occur, gently brush the area with your hand to hasten the recovery. Sometimes, steam heat will help. Unfortunately, pile crushing in olefin carpet is irreversible.

Pile Density:

See “Carpet Dimensions ” above.

Pile Direction of Carpet:

Carpet pile direction, also called “nap”, is the direction in which the pile naturally flows. This corresponds to the direction that the carpet came off the tufting machine.

Pile Height:

A measurement (usually in fractions of an inch) of the pile of a carpet, from the base of the primary backing to the tip of the yarn. See “Carpet Dimensions” above.

Pile Lifter:

The 1998 Building Service Contractors Association International Carpet Guide says “The pile brush type vacuum will remove deeply embedded soil, and open up a nap more than a regular, lightweight vacuum. Usually, a pile brush machine will be used weekly on traffic lanes, monthly on all of the carpeted areas and always just before any cleaning process. The pile brush vacuum is a dual-purpose machine because it is used both to maintain commercial carpet and to clean”. Recommended by leading carpet manufacturers, the Certified^® Pile Brush removes deeply embedded dry particulate matter from the carpet while helping groom the nap, eliminate traffic patterns and prolong the life of carpet and rugs. Shaw Industries says, “Using a pile lifter in traffic lanes just prior to cleaning will remove the deeply embedded soil and open up the pile so the hot water extraction can be more effective. After using a pile lifter, the final step … will be less difficult.”

Pile Reversal of Carpet:

See “Shading” below.

Pile Setting:

Carpet cleaning term for the process of erecting the damp and disheveled pile after shampooing by means of a pile brush or pile lifter.

Pilling:

This is a term used to describe the condition when small “pills” of fiber appear on the top of the carpet. Some pilling can occur as a result of the type of fiber used to manufacture the carpet and the level of foot traffic. Small amounts of pilling should simply be cut off the top of the carpet.

Plied Yarn:

A yarn composed of two or more single yarns twisted together. Most carpet yarns have 2.5 to 6.0 twists per inch.

Plush Carpet Style:

See “Carpet Styles” above.

Ply:

This is a term used in describing how many single fibers are “plied” or “twisted” together to form a given yarn.

Polyester Carpet Fiber:

Polyester (PET - Polyethylene Terephthalate) had been gaining market share, but is no longer. It had been gaining because it was easily recycled from 2-liter soda pop bottles (a good “talking point” to environmentally conscious consumers) and because it is inherently stain resistant. Polyester carpets are soft to the touch. Like olefin, it has very poor resilience, which obviates its use in high traffic areas and it readily attracts oily soils.

Pooling of Carpet:

See “Shading” below.

Power Stretcher:

A carpet installation tool used to stretch carpet (for installation with a tackless strip). According to industry standards, residential carpet, installed over cushion with a tackless strip, must be power stretched to prevent wrinkles and ripples.

Presprays:

See “Traffic Lane Spotters” below.

Pretreatments for Carpet Cleaning:

See “Traffic Lane Spotters” below.

Primary Carpet Backing:

The primary backing into which the tufts are inserted may be made of jute, kraftcord, cotton, woven or non-woven synthetics, but normally polypropylene.

Prime Urethane Cushion (pad):

Prime urethane foam is a firmer version of the same cushioning used in upholstered furniture, mattresses and automobile seats. Two liquid ingredients are combined to form a large mass of foam, which is then sliced into sheets for use as carpet cushion. There are three types of prime urethane carpet cushion: conventional prime, grafted prime and densified prime cushion. Prime urethane foam grades are measured by density or weight of the material per cubic foot. See “Carpet Pad” above.

Printed Carpet:

Print dyeing is the process of producing a pattern with dyestuffs on carpets and rugs, done with screen-printing, roller equipment or ink jet printers. This is easily checked for in the field by bending over the fiber tuft – if the tuft is only dyed part of the way down, it is print dyed. After print dyeing, the carpet is steamed and dried. Do not use high-pH aggressive detergents on print dyed carpet. This type of dyeing allows tone on tone and multi-color effects. Included in this method are flat bed printing, rotary printing, silkscreen printing and computerized jet spray printing.

PTT Carpet Fiber:

PTT is an abbreviation for Polytrimethylene terephthalate. In 2009, the Federal Trade Commission approved a subclass to traditional polyester called triexta. The PTT fiber that is currently used in Mohawk’s SmartStrand^® carpet can now be labeled triexta. The FTC last approved an extension for residential carpet in 1959. The process of getting the FTC to approve the triexta polyester subclass was a joint lobbying effort between Mohawk Industries and DuPont. PTT fibers resist staining with acid food dyes. But, PTT does have an strong affinity for oil and grease, but should respond well to cleaning if it is done on a regular basis, at least annual, for typical family use.

Puckering of Carpet:

An installation problem when one side of the carpet is longer than the other side of the adjoining edge. The oversized carpet gathers in the form of wrinkles or pleats at the seam.

Random Shearing:

A carpet texture created by running loop pile carpet through the carpet shearer whereby high loops are actually cut to become cut pile. Since cut pile is less reflective than loop pile, the resulting texture can actually appear to be different color. Also referred to as Tip Shearing. See “Carpet Styles” above.

Rayon Fiber in Rugs and Fabrics:

Rayon is a manufactured regenerated cellulosic fiber, produced from naturally occurring polymers. It is known by the names viscose rayon, faux silk and art silk. It usually has a high luster giving it a bright shine. If the rug you are cleaning is rayon, wet clean VERY cautiously! Rayon loses 50-70% of its strength when wet and rayon rugs frequently bleed severely. Pre-test for dye stability. Because of its poor durability, high absorbency, poor dimensional stability, tendency to fade and its tendency to strongly shrink, rayon is a very poor choice for rug fiber. Rayon is easily damaged by spotters containing alcohol, such as APS™ All Purpose Spotter. Also, remember that “art silk” or “faux silk” is actually rayon, not real silk, even though it’s shiny like silk!

Rebond Carpet Pad:

See “Carpet Pad” above.

Resilience of Carpet:

Resilience is the ability of carpet pile to recover its original appearance and thickness after being subjected to compressive forces such as under the legs of heavy furniture or from crushing under traffic.

Resoiling after Cleaning Carpets and Rugs:

We read this term often in various carpet cleaning publications, but what does it mean and what causes it? Strictly speaking, resoiling simply means that the surface got dirty again. Carpet does get dirty with foot traffic and cleaning certainly doesn’t prevent that! What most people mean by “resoiling” is that the carpet became visibly dirty more quickly than it should have after it was cleaned. There are many potential causes of resoiling. Track-in of ice melt, especially calcium chloride, will hasten soiling. A moisture condition from malfunctioning air conditioning or water leaks leads to moist carpet, which will make the carpet a great cloth to clean off the bottoms of shoes! Has the customer recently spilled something on the carpet and tried to get it up? Sticky residues from soft drinks and hand dishwash compounds will also rapidly cause resoiling. Perhaps, the traffic pattern has changed resulting in more soil being tracked in or the parking lot was recently repaved or there is construction. Before blaming the carpet cleaning, be sure that nothing else has changed! But, of course, the carpet cleaner may have used a sticky detergent or prespray or failed to remove all the traffic lane spotter.

Rippling of Carpet:

Rippling is where the carpet is loose in areas and seems to have waves or wrinkles in it. This is also known as buckling or wrinkling .In properly installed carpet, rippling should rarely occur. Even if it does occur, it would be in periods of very high heat and humidity. Sometimes a carpet will ripple after wet-extraction cleaning if the carpet was not properly power-stretched in. Even then, the carpet usually returns to its normal appearance after 2-3 dries of drying. If the carpet remains rippled after the period of very high heat and humidity passes, a professional carpet installer should be contacted to use a power stretcher to re­stretch the carpet.

Roll Crush:

If the carpet roll has sat too long in storage or had rolls stacked too high on it, the weight will compress the carpet face resulting in what is called Pole Crush or Roll Crush. This rarely occurs at the manufacturing level since rolls are stored one roll in height. Some carpet retailers store rolls at heights of three or more rolls! Roll crush also may occur during shipping where rolls are loaded several rolls high. Carpet Roll Crush marks appear as wide bands across the carpet width and are easily identified since they are not evenly spaced but are progressively spaced closer as the carpet roll neared the center core. In Nylon Carpet, roll crush marks often come out over time with heat and humidity especially in the summer - if the carpet was properly power stretched in place rather than knee-kicked in. They can be forced out by steaming with a "Jiffy Steamer" or by having the carpet hot water cleaned (steam cleaned). Sometimes, a pile lifter will help. Polypropylene (Olefin) Carpet is a different story. Since polypropylene fiber has zero resilience, once it is crushed, it will not come back up - not even with steam. Unfortunately, Carpet Roll Crush is not considered a manufacturing defect; therefore, the carpet mill usually will not pay to have the problem corrected.

Rotary Brushing:

A carpet cleaning technique in which a detergent solution is worked into the pile by a motor driven rotating brush. Loosened soil and spent solution is often subsequently removed by vacuum. This method can damage cut-pile carpet. See “Carpet Shampoo” above.

Rug:

The term “rug” generally means a textile floor covering that is not fastened down and that does not extend over the entire floor. “Carpet” usually refers to a floor covering that is installed and fastened down from wall to wall.

Saponification:

Saponification, in carpet cleaning, is a chemical reaction between the detergent and certain oily soils in the carpet. These oils are vegetable/animal fat and oil from cooking, body oils, etc. Oils like these will react with alkali to form soap. An example of this is how soap was made in the frontier days. The mother would heat up a kettle of bear grease in a big kettle with water. The grease would just melt and float on the water because it hates water. She then added lye or wood ash alkali, and the fat was turned into soap, which not only dissolves in water but also is a detergent! This is another reason that higher pH usually results in better cleaning.

Saxony Carpet Style:

A Saxony is a cut pile carpet with upright yarns in which the individual tips of yarn are clearly visible. For centuries, Saxony has been the classic cut ­pile construction. See “Carpet Styles” above.

Seaming Tape:

A tape, typically with an adhesive, used in the installation of carpet to bind two edges of carpet together.

Seams in Carpet:

In a carpet installation, the connection of the edges of two pieces of carpet using various seaming tapes, hand sewing or other techniques.

Seam Sealing / Sealer:

A procedure involving coating the trimmed edges of two carpet pieces of carpet to be seamed with a continuous bead of adhesive in order to prevent fraying and raveling at the seam. Most (but not all) seam sealer manufacturers add a UV reflectant compound (called a "tracer") to their products to make them more visible to a black light during inspections. This helps in finding the seam sealer if it has gotten on the surface. Most seam sealer manufacturers also manufacture products specifically designed to remove seal sealer from the carpet.

Secondary Carpet Backing:

The secondary backing is any material laminated to the primary backing in a “marriage roller” for dimensional stability while locking individual tufts in place.

Selvage:

The side edges of a rug or carpet.

Shading Carpet Problem:

After installation, carpet sometimes appears to change color in certain areas. This phenomenon does not involve a true color change, but rather a difference in light reflection between various surface areas. Shading is not a manufacturing defect, but is actually considered to be the beauty of a cut pile carpet, simulating the look of velvet or suede. The condition occurs due to the difference in light reflection between the sides and tips of the yarn strands. As the pile surface is disturbed, the yarn sides will reflect more light than the tips, resulting in the highlighting feature so common in today’s styles. Normally, this condition is temporary (such as with footprints). In rare cases, the condition is permanent. The latter is referred to as pooling or watermarking. The reason for this condition is unknown except that it is traffic related and random in nature. The pile fibers take on a permanent set based on the traffic patterns, and this set cannot be changed.

Shag Carpet Style:

Shag carpet is a deep-pile texture with long cut surface yarns. Pile height is greater than 3/4 inch, with density not exceeding 1800. Shag rugs are soft, cozy and luxurious and come in a variety of textures and lengths. Shag carpet is nearly impossible to clean satisfactorily. See “Carpet Styles” above.

Shedding of Carpet Fibers:

This is a “hairy” effect on the carpet surface caused by loose fibers with all new carpet, especially cut piles. Shedding is caused by short fibers within the pile that work loose and is most evident in high traffic areas. Shedding will gradually decrease after the new carpet has been installed. The length of time required to eliminate shedding is dependent upon the type and amount of vacuuming performed.

Sisal Rugs:

Sisal rugs, often called jute rugs, are for indoor use only and are often found in enclosed and screened-in porches. They should never be exposed to rainfall or allow to become water saturated. Sisal rugs SEVERELY brown and water stain! It is important during cleaning to control the amount of moisture. It is NOT recommended that Sisal be cleaned with a wet cleaning method. If the Sisal rug is severely soiled and you must wet clean, try cleaning with Natural Fiber Cleaner, which contains a reducing bleach to reduce the likelihood of water stains and browning. A rug or carpet protector should be applied to a Sisal or Jute rug before there is a chance of a spill to it that would be difficult, if not impossible, to remove.

Skein Dyeing of Carpet:

(Pronounced “skane”). Dyeing yarn in skein form is used for small lots. Yarn is unwound from cokes to skeins and then are mounted and immersed into a large hot dye vat. After dyeing and drying the yarn is rewound onto cones.

Sliver:

An intermediate stage in the production of staple yarns, where the yarn is carded (cleaned and aligned in the same direction) into a sliver, and is then drafted (properly proportioned) before being twisted and heatset.

Smartstrand^®:

See “PTT” above.

Snags:

Sharp edged objects such as chair legs or high-heel shoes can grab or snag a carpet yarn and pull out a tuft. If a tuft is loose, cut off the snagged tuft with a pair of sharp scissors or Duckbill Napping Shears. Do not try to pull out these snags, or you may cause “zippering”.

Soil Filtration Lines on Carpet:

See “Filtration Soil Lines” above.

Soil Resist on Carpet:

See “Carpet Protector” above.

Soiling of Carpet:

This is the build-up of particles of soil and similar materials that cling to carpet fibers and is perfectly normal. Thorough vacuuming and proper routine cleaning should minimize this problem. Carpet should be professionally wet-extraction cleaned at least every 18 months.

Solution Dyed Carpet:

In solution dyeing of carpet, dyestuffs are added to the molten polymer before extrusion into a colored filament. As a result, the filament is impregnated with the color pigment all the way through. The only way to dye olefin is by solution dyeing. Commercial nylon is also quite often solution-dyed. However, unless appropriate acid dye blockers are applied after carpet manufacturing, solution-dyed nylon can continue to accept acid dyes from food spills, coffee, colas, etc. There are several advantages to solution dyeing fibers. When a fiber is dyed post-production (as in traditional dye methods), the dye soaks into the fiber and fills the fiber’s cells. After being dyed, the fiber appears uniformly colored, at least to the naked eye. However, there are always cells in the fiber that did not absorb the dye – these are known as empty dye sites. To understand the difference this makes, picture a radish and a carrot. The radish represents the traditional-dyed fiber, where the color is on the exterior but does not go through. (The radish is red on the outside but white on the inside.) By contrast, the carrot is orange all the way through, in the same way that a solution-dyed fiber has color throughout. Solution-dyed fibers are much more colorfast (resistant to fading or color bleeding) than other fibers. This is because the color is locked into the fibers. So, solution-dyed fiber is a great choice for areas that will be subjected to intense light. Also, because the fibers are stabilized during production using ultraviolet inhibitors, they are the best choice for use in outdoor carpet applications. Another huge benefit of solution-dyed fibers is increased stain resistance. Therefore, solution-dyed fibers are great for use in commercial carpets. The primary disadvantage of solution-dyed fibers is the reduced color selection, compared to other fibers.

Sorona^®:

See “PTT” above.

Space Dyed Carpet:

Several colors are printed along the yarn length to produce a tweed effect when tufted.

Sprouting Carpet Problem:

The condition whereby small tufts of yarn “sprout” above the level of the rest of the carpet. In most cases, the best cure is simply to cut the offending yarn to the level of those around it with sharp scissors. Do not try to pull out these “sprouts,” as they are most likely attached to other yarns in the carpet itself, which can then be loosened as well.

Stains on Carpets and Rugs:

Carpet stains are spills of materials such as food and drinks such as Kool-Aid and even coffee containing dyes and result in a dyed stain that can be difficult to remove.
THERE ARE 4 PRIMARY CARPET & RUG STAIN CATEGORIES:

1. Petroleum Based such as Gum, Grease, Tar, Ink, Adhesive, Glue, etc.
2. Biological such as originating from body secretion such as Vomit, Blood, Feces, etc.
3. strong>Synthetic Based : Stains containing man made dye such as those from Kool-Aid, Fruit Punch, Colored Candy, Cough Syrup, etc.
4. Organic Based: Stains from a natural source such as Wood Furniture, Mustard, Coffee, Mold, Tea, Urine, etc.

Stainmaster^®:

STAINMASTER^® brand stain-resistant nylon was introduced in 1986 by DuPont^® and later sold to Invista^®. The Stainmaster brand is now owned by Lowes. While Stainmaster is the most recognized carpet brand in the country, Lowes no longer just applies it to stain-resistant 6,6 nylon, but now applies it to several fibers that are also stain-resistant.

Stain-Resist Nylon Carpet:

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 such as Kool-Aid. 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 dye blockers are negatively charged 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. 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. Because “quat” bactericides and most static control products are “cationic” (positive-charged), they neutralize the effect of the Stain Blocker and void the warranty.

Staple

Short lengths of fiber that may be converted into spun yarns by textile yarn spinning processes. The fibers can be any variable length, from short pieces to 8 inches, and are then spun into yarn via carding, drafting, and finally, spinning.

Static Discharge in Carpet:

Static electricity in carpet can be an annoying problem, especially when carpet is new. When the normal moisture returns, the static should greatly subside.

Steam Cleaning of Carpet:

See “Hot Water Extraction” above

Stitch Rate of Carpet:

See “Carpet Dimensions” above.

Stock Dyed Yarn:

Colored spun yarn produced from fibers dyed in staple form. The term does not encompass yarns spun from solution dyed staple.

Surfactant:

The word “surfactant” stands for “surface active agent”. All detergents and emulsifiers are surfactants. To understand what is needed to achieve effective cleaning, it is helpful to have a basic knowledge of soap and detergent chemistry. Water, the liquid commonly used for cleaning, has a property called surface tension. In the body of the water, each molecule is surrounded and attracted by other water molecules. However, at the surface, those molecules are surrounded by other water molecules only on the water side. A tension is created as the water molecules at the surface are pulled into the body of the water. This tension causes water to bead up on surfaces (glass, fabric), which slows wetting of the surface and inhibits the cleaning process. You can see surface tension at work by placing a drop of water onto a counter top. The drop will hold its shape and will not spread. In the cleaning process, surface tension must be reduced so water can spread and wet surfaces. Chemicals that are able to do this effectively are called surface active agents, or surfactants. They are said to make water “wetter.” Surfactants perform important functions in cleaning, such as loosening, emulsifying (dispersing in water) and holding soil in suspension until it can be rinsed away. Surfactants can also provide alkalinity, which is useful in removing acidic soils. Surfactants are classified by their ionic (electrical charge) properties in water: anionic (negative charge), nonionic (no charge), cationic (positive charge) and amphoteric (either positive or negative charge). (Extracted from an article by “The American Cleaning Institute”.)

Tackless Strip:

Wood or metal strips fastened to the floor near the walls. The strips have two or three rows of nails angled up toward the walls, to which carpet backing is attached during a stretch ­in installation.

Tensile Strength of Carpet:

The greatest stretching force a yarn, fabric or carpet can bear without breaking. See “Carpet Dimensions” above.

Texture of Carpet:

Surface characteristics of carpet pile, including such aesthetic and structural elements as high­low or cut / loop patterning, yarn twist, pile erectness or layover, harshness or softness to the touch, luster, and yarn dimensions. See “Carpet Dimensions” above.

Texture Retention or Loss of Carpet:

The amount that a carpet retains or loses its texture is controlled by the individual carpet yarns doing so. The degree of twist put into yarn during its manufacture (a focus of Fabrica’s products), helps define how well a yarn will perform. Under normal wear and with proper maintenance, a carpet ‘s texture should not change dramatically. However, as carpet ages, it is normal for traffic areas to lose more texture than areas without traffic (such as under furniture). Frequent vacuuming will help prevent/alleviate this problem, as will furniture rotation.

Tip Sheared Carpet Style:

A carpet texture created just like random shearing, but is typically less pronounced. See “Carpet Styles” above.

Textured Carpet Style:

See “Frieze” above and “Carpet Styles” above.

Trackless Carpet Style:

See “Frieze” above and “Carpet Styles” above.

Traffic Lane Spotters:

A carpet cleaning traffic lane spotter or prespray is a pretreatment chemical solution applied to certain areas of the carpet in advance of the carpet cleaning extraction process. The chemicals in presprays are usually geared primarily to dissolving and removing oils because the oil film in carpet (from cooking, pollution, smoking, plastics, auto exhaust, etc.) attracts and holds onto other soils and also pulls soil off the soles of shoes when walked on. The purpose of the traffic lane spotter prespray is to:

1. Improve cleaning, particularly on difficult areas.
2. Prevent over wetting, which might occur if too many wet passes are done over a heavily soiled area in an effort to get it clean. Overwetting will result also in spots and stains reappearing.
3. Help remove large areas of spills and stains.
4. Reduce time spent on the job, thereby reducing labor costs and increasing profitability.

Triexta:

See “PTT” above.

Truckmount Carpet Cleaning Equipment:

A truckmount carpet cleaning machine is a carpet and upholstery cleaning machine that is generally mounted to the floor of a van or trailer. Its cleaning method is hot water extraction, the method recommended by nearly all carpet manufacturers. This can be done from the truck-mounted unit outside the home with only the hose and floor tool brought into the home or office. Bane-Clene refers to this type of carpet cleaning as “External Extraction”™. TYPES OF TRUCKMOUNT CARPET CLEANING EQUIPMENT:

1. “PTO” - Power Take Off systems get their vacuum and water pressure power from the truck’s transmission or engine.
2. Slide-in systems are called that because they are equipment that can be “slid into” the van or truck and bolted down. The power equipment, the dirty water recovery tank, the fresh water tank and the reels for the hoses are usually bolted to some part of the van. Bane-Clene’s machines fitting this category are the Perma-Mount^® 70 and the Perma-Mount120.
3. Hybrids - In the case of the hybrid approach, the hot water tank, the dirty water recovery tank and the hose reels are permanently bolted to the truck or van. BUT, the separate power unit is on wheels with its own electric in-line heater, hot water tank and recovery tank and can be removed from the van and simply plugged into outlets in the building. Bane-Clene’s machines fitting this category are the Duo-Mount^® the Maxi-Mount^® the Mini-Mount^® and the Para-Mount^®.

Tuft:

An individual yarn (either cut or one­half of a loop) resulting from a single penetration of the primary backing by a threaded needle.

Tuft Bind:

A measure of the individual tuft ‘s adhesion to the carpet backing. The force required to pull a tuft from a carpet.

Tufting:

Over 95% of the carpet manufactured in the United States is tufted rather than woven. A tufting machine is essentially a huge sewing machine, usually twelve feet wide, with hundreds of needles that insert loops of yarn into the primary backing of the carpet. Yarn is fed from a creel, one tube of yarn for each needle and threaded through the needles. The tufting machine is set up to produce level loop, multi-level loop, cut pile, and cut and loop pile structures. The tufting machine’s needles punch the yarn through the primary backing, which is fed into the machine from the rear. The looper forms the pile and determines the pile height. Loopers with a cutting knife attached are used to produce cut-pile or plush carpet. The carpet is manufactured “fuzzy side down”. A loop-pile machine does not have those knives, leaving the loops uncut.

Tuft Length:

See “Pile Height” above.

Twist:

Twist is the process whereby two or more spun yarns are twisted together. Twist is counted by the number of turns per inch (TPI) of the yarn. The performance of cut pile carpet is highly dependent on the rate of twist and twist retention. Heat setting helps stabilize yarn twist by subjecting the yarn to high temperature steam under pressure. Most carpet yarns have 2.5 to 6.0 twists per inch. A higher twist level usually results in better texture retention and better resilience. A high twist will result in a frieze, a medium twist will produce a Saxony, and low twist will result in a velour or Saxony plush style.

Underlayment (Carpet Pad / Carpet Cushion):

See “Carpet Pad” above.

Walk Off Mats / Floor Mats:

Over 80% of all carpet soil is tracked in on the bottoms of shoes. If your maintenance program is to be effective, walk-off mats are mandatory at ALL entryways which lead in from the outside. With walk-off mats, most of that dirt can be trapped at the door before it has a chance to reach the carpet. It takes several foot treads for friction to remove most of the dirt from the bottoms of shoes, so the longer the walk-off mats, the better. Outside soil-removal mats that have a coarse texture, are able to brush soil from shoes and hold large amounts of soil in their pile. Walk-off mats must be kept clean. If mats are allowed to become and remain heavily soiled, they can actually deposit dirt onto shoe bottoms and cleomes part of the problem. Daily vacuuming and periodic cleaning or replacement is recommended. To facilitate cleaning, two mats should be purchased for each location and used on a rotating basis. Remove the soiled one to be cleaned, and put the clean one in its place to protect the carpet. It’s also important to always to keep walk-off mats dry. Mats that extend for 6 to 15 feet inside the entrance will trap eighty percent of soil and moisture from the first five or six steps. Protective mats should be used around food stations, water coolers, elevators and stair thresholds to prevent moisture and dirt from becoming ground into carpet. NOTE: A 15 foot long walk-off mat can effectively remove about 80% of soil and moisture before it reaches the carpet. A good walk-off mat performs these three tasks:

1. Removes soil from the shoe.
2. Absorbs large amounts of dirt, slowing the rate of transfer onto carpet surfaces.
3. Absorbs excess moisture from wet shoes, thereby reducing soiling on the interior carpet.

Wall­ to­ Wall Rugs:

Rugs manufactured specifically to be installed in a wall ­to ­wall fashion, as you would normally install carpet.

Warp:

A weaving term for yarns that run lengthwise in woven fabrics and carpets. See “Weaving Carpet and Rug” below.

Watermarking Carpet Problem:

See “Shading” above.

Weaving Carpet and Rug:

Weaving is making a carpet (or rug) on a loom with face yarns held in place by intertwining them with warp and weft yarns. Warp, in woven carpet, refers to yarns running lengthwise. The easiest way to remember that warp is associated with length is to think of “warp” speed as in Star Trek. Weft, in woven carpet, refers to yarns running widthwise between warp yarns. The easiest way to remember that weft is associated with width is to think “weft” and “right”. There are two major rug-weaving techniques: pile (or knotted) weave and flat weave. More information is on the linked article.

Weft:

The yarn that runs widthwise in woven cloth or carpet, interlacing with the warp yarns. (Think “weft” is “left” to right). See “Weaving Carpet and Rug” above.

Wicking after Cleaning Carpet:

Wicking is the upward motion of water and cleaning solution during drying from the base of a tuft to its tip carrying with it any remaining soil and contamination, which is then deposited on the tips of the tuft. To reduce wicking, pre-vacuum thoroughly, make extra dry strokes, and use air movers. The biggest cause of soil wicking is over wetting due to technician error. Soil wicking can be caused by slow drying, over wetting, overuse of pre-spray and heavy accumulation of soil at the base of yarns. Wicking is the cause of “reappearing spots and stains.” Most of a spill is not on the fibers, but is instead in the backing and the pad. Drying time is critical to reduce this problem – use plenty of dry strokes and blowers, especially when working with heavily soiled carpet or berber.
Wicking on olefin carpets and rugs is especially severe. To reduce wicking on these, pre-vacuum thoroughly, make extra drying passes, and use air movers to speed up drying.
Wicking on loop pile carpet can be greatly reduced by following hot water extraction with dry bonnet cleaning. This is especially helpful on commercial olefin loop carpet with a large number of spills.

Wilton Carpet:

The Wilton loom uses a mechanism to regulate the feeding of pile yarns into the loom to form a pattern. Joseph Marie Jacquard invented this in 1801. Sculptured carpets are made by controlling pile height and cutting, or not cutting loops. See “Weaving Carpet and Rug” above.

Wool Carpet Fiber:

Wool is normally from fleece (sheep hair), but in antique rugs the wool can also come from other animals like goat hair, etc. At one time, wool was the primary fiber in carpet, but its cost resulted in steadily decreasing market share.
Wool has several excellent qualities. It hides soil much better than synthetic fibers because it is not clear and, therefore, soil cannot be seen through it, plus it has scale edges to further hide microscopic particles of soil. It is also the preferred fiber where cigarette burns are a problem, because it does not melt. Wool's high moisture content and protein constituents provide natural flame resistance. Wool also “feels” softer to the touch. Wool carpets wear well and age beautifully and have a look and feel that is unmistakably their own. However, wool is expensive, is easily stained by nearly everything, has very poor chemical resistance making spotting and stain removal much more difficult, mildews, is attacked by carpet beetles and moths, fades easily in direct sunlight, and attracts and stubbornly holds on to protein soils such as urine, blood and meat juices.

Woven Carpet:

Carpet that is manufactured on a weaving loom in which the lengthwise yarns and widthwise yarns are interlocked to form a fabric. See “Weaving Carpet and Rug” above.

Yarn:

A continuous strand composed of fibers or filaments and used in tufting, weaving and knitting to form carpet and other fabrics. Carpet yarn is often plied and may be either spun or continuous filament.

Yellowing of Carpet - Causes and Cures:

One of the big problems that can happen with carpet is that it sometimes develops a yellow cast. The most common causes of this problem are:

1. Use of a detergent with a pH over 10 on stain-resist nylon carpet.
2. Application of silicone protector on stain-resist nylon carpet.
3. BHT (Butylated Hydroxy Toluene) preservative in rebond pad.
4. Mill oil (loom oil / yarn lubricant).
5. Calcium Chloride Ice melt.
6. Optical brighteners.
7. Direct sunlight and ozone fading, especially on green carpet.
8. Pesticide treatment.
9. Soil Abrasion.
10. Urine.
11. Bleaching Agents.
12. Nicotine (Tobacco).
13. Tracked-in oils
14. Cooking oils
15. Burning of candles
16. Floor finishes

Zippering of Carpet:

Zippering occurs in a loop pile carpet in which tufts are pulled from the backing resulting in long, lengthwise pulls out of the carpet. This happens when someone pulls a loose tuft or a vacuum cleaner grabs a loose tuft and pulls out the entire length of tufts.

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