Soil or Stain
In the carpet industry there are two terms that are often misused, soil and stain. Soil in the carpet cleaning industry is defined as "almost anything which gets onto a finished textile carpet or an upholstered item in the wrong place and can be seen." Soils can be liquids, solids or a combination of both. Soils get into the fibers but can be easily removed with a vacuum.
Stains come in two forms, a common stain or a chemical stain. A common stain occurs from food, dirt, or oily substances that make contact with carpet. These spots are usually visible immediately and with the appropriate action taken, they can be removed without damage to the carpet.
Chemical stains are far worse than common stains and can often permanently discolor carpet and upholstery. Chemical stains are made when a foreign substance makes contact with the surface of the carpet or upholstery and has a molecular reaction with the dye in the textile. The time between contact and appearance of a stain can be days or months. If the dye is destroyed it will permanently discolor the carpet, upholstery, or textile and form a stain. Often nothing can be done to restore a chemical stain.
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