Olefin Carpet: What It Is, Pros & Cons, and How It Cleans Up
Trying to figure out the best carpet for a home can feel like the options never end. The last thing you want to do is have carpet in your home that can cause issues for kids, pets, and your family. In this post, we'll learn more about Olefin carpet and whether or not it's a good solution for your home carpeting needs.
What is olefin carpet?
Olefin carpet is a man-made synthetic fiber carpet. It's created from a type of thermoplastic material, polypropylene, that is solution dyed.
The overall look of the Olefin carpet is shorter in strands, and it lacks the light and fluffy texture that carpets typically have.
What are the advantages and pros of olefin carpet?
Olefin is less expensive than other fibers and mainly used as a berber, because it shows less matting and crushing. It is an affordable and economical carpet fiber choice.
This type of carpet is typically seen in areas that have higher traffic indoors, like commercial and office buildings.
It is also often found in outdoor spaces or areas close to an outdoor area, as olefin resists fading from sunlight.
Olefin is great at resisting food type spills, too, but it does not resist oily stains well, so you want to avoid tracking in blacktop, oil, or grease on your olefin carpet.
Is Olefin carpet safe to use in the home?
Yes, using this type of carpet in the home is safe, but there are a few things to keep in mind. While this might be an economical purchase in terms of cost, this type of carpet doesn't have the same lifespan as other types of fibers. This means that even though you might be saving money with Olefin carpet prices, you'll likely spend more money in the long run because of the cleaning process or replacement needs.
Plus, it's not as soft and plush as other residential carpet fibers.
In terms of Olefin carpet health and safety, this type of carpet can be used in the home without the worry of pets having issues with it. The shortness of the carpet is good for animal nails and claws as well.
Olefin carpet toxicity is something to keep in mind since it is made with products that use chemicals and plastics. These variables can cause some homeowners to question whether or not they want that in their home due to the worry that the chemicals may leech out over the years.
Can Olefin carpet be used outdoors?
Due to how this type of carpet is made, it can be used outdoors without worry, especially as it resist UV fading. Just know that this type of carpet doesn't do well in terms of resisting oil stains, so if you have this in an outdoor space that isn't covered, you may be replacing the carpet in a short time.
Can Olefin carpet be steam cleaned?
Yes, professional steam cleaning olefin carpet can be done, but it is important to let the pros at Zerorez® handle that job.
This is because the materials used in the carpet can actually melt or change texture and appearance if they are heated or not steamed cleaned properly.
Food and other lighter stains will come out pretty easily from olefin carpet fibers, while oil-based stains will not.
Does olefin carpet need a premium fiber protector after cleaning?
Since olefin is solution dyed it resists food based stains, so some think that fiber protector does not help. However, olefin loves oil and dust so the protector is needed to help resist oils from soaking in and helps release dust and dirt when vacuuming.
Olefin vs Nylon Carpet: Is Olefin carpet good? Is Olefin carpet better than nylon?
While the definition of "good" varies on the person who has the carpet, most olefin carpet reviews will showcase the fact that this type of carpet tends to show stains and wear down quickly compared to other types of carpet.
Nylon carpet is known for its ability to resist stains and hold up in high-traffic areas, while Olefin carpet stains easily and will slowly break down and flatten over time.
Nylon carpet is quite a bit pricier than olefin carpet, but due to its durability, the price point tends to actually balance out. What you pay for nylon carpet to be installed once versus saving money to have olefin carpet installed and then potentially replaced in the future may prove that buying the price isn't always a good idea for saving money and cutting costs.
Is Olefin carpet worth it?
That question ultimately has to be answered by you, but take your time weighing the pros and cons. Budget, traffic, and time must all be considered when replacing or changing the type of carpet inside a home.
Calling your local Zerorez carpet cleaning professionals is also a great way to ask those questions about the longevity and life of carpets. The carpet cleaning pros at Zerorez have been cleaning and improving carpets for over 20 years and would be happy to talk to you about all the various carpet choices and how well they clean up and last over time.
