Problem! What Carpet Fiber Should I Choose? Special Report Continued:
Polyester has some excellent qualities and the dye method makes it very resistant to bleaching, fading and soil dye reactions. It is very resistant to water-based stains, but it is not resistant to oily stains. In fact, an oily spill or spot left without proper cleanup can oxidize and even chemically bond with, and become part of, the fiber. You need to know that some of these spots just won’t come out.
Polyester is not a resilient fiber. When crushed it does not regain its original shape easily. Traffic areas tend to lie down, showing “apparent soiling”. Furniture marks can be permanent reminders to the owner of where his furniture used to be. Even when cleaned properly it will lay flat. It tends to lie in different directions (nap reversal) down a heavily traveled hall or room and is very noticeable. The appearance from the nap reversal then looks like a snake down the hall or a pool of water in the middle of a room. Definite improvements have been made by heat setting and using finer yarns, but crimp loss can still be a problem. This is a characteristic of polyester, not a defect.