ABSTRACT
The soiling of textile materials is very familiar to residents of every continent on the earth and has been a nuisance for centuries. Two distinct processes dramatically affect the appearance of textiles, soiling and staining. In soiling, particulate matter approaches the fiber or yarn and is held there either by physical entrapment or by attraction to the surfaces by some chemical force. Staining is a more serious problem with fabric made from polyamide fibers, such as wool or nylon, than with polyester or olefin fiber because the dye causing the color is probably acidic and readily attracted to the basic dye sites. Although soiling of textiles by atmospheric particle deposition is essentially identical for both apparel and carpet fabric, contact soiling of these textile types arises from two difference types of soil. The composition of the mixtures used for carpet soiling are completely different from that for apparel soiling.
