Carpet Fiber Identification Chart
by Advicemen
Carpet Fiber Identification and Characteristic Charts
| Fiber | Flame Color & smoke | Ash | Special Note | Odor |
| Nylon | Blue base and orange tipNo Smoke, white puff | Hard, rounded and bead-like in gray-brown to black | Celery or Sealing Wax | |
| Polypropylene / Olefin | Blue base and orange tipNo smoke | Hard, rounded and bead-like in light gray to brown | Floats in water | Asphalt or burning paraffin |
| Polyester | Orange flameSputters black smoke | Round, hard & shiny black | Dense Black Smoke | Sweet over-ripe fruit |
| Acrylic | White-Orange sputterBlack smoke | Black ash, irregular hard crust will crush | Harsh, acrid charred meat | |
| Wool | OrangeSputters, no smoke | Irregular, black, crumbles to fine powder | Self extinguishes | Burning hair |
| Silk | OrangeBurns | Self extinguishes | Burning feathers | |
| Cotton | Yellow-orange, irregular, glowing ember, no smoke | Gray fluffy ash crumbles to fine powder | Burns evenly and slowcontinues to smolder | Burning Paper |
| Fiber | Type | Ad/AB | pH Cleaning Range** | Dissolves in |
| Nylon | Synthetic | Absorbent* | 1.5 - 13 (stain resist under 10. | Formic Acid (70%)Hydrochloric acid |
| Polypropylene / Olefin | Synthetic | Adsorbent | 1.2 - 13 | DehydronapthaleneFloats in water |
| Polyester | Synthetic | Adsorbent | Under 10 | Dissolves in hot meta-cresol Boiling dimethylformamide |
| Acrylic | Synthetic | Adsorbent | Under 10 | Dissolves at 212° or less in dimethylformamide |
| Wool | Natural | Absorbent | 5.0 - 5.8 | Chlorine Bleach |
| Silk | Natural | Absorbent | 5.0 - 5.8 | Chlorine Bleach |
| Cotton | Natural | Absorbent | Below 9 | Dissolves in strong acids. |
*Stain resist nylon may act like an adsorbent fiber.
**Always pre-tests all products prior to using.
***Some polyester will also dissolve in dimethylformamide but at 370 degrees.
[...] ko maruyama wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptCarpet Fiber Identification and Characteristic Charts Fiber Flame Color & smoke Ash Special Note Odor Nylon Blue base and orange tipNo Smoke, white puff Hard, rounded and bead-like in gray-brown to black Celery or Sealing Wax … [...]