The most common way for professionals to identify carpet is through a burn test. Here is a highlighted steps to take to help identify the construction of most carpeting.
- Odor- After burning a fiber smell the smoke after the flame goes out. Man made {synthetics} can be difficult to tell but natural fibers will have a very distinctive odor.
- Wool smells the same as burning hair.
- Plant based smells like burning a piece of paper.
- Chemical tests can be accurate but impractical. Carrying the chemicals can be dangerous and impractical. Nylon needs formic acid and wool dissolves in chlorine bleach but may take 5-10 minutes. Olefin can be tested with water as it will float.
Some common characteristics:
- Nylon- blue flame with orange tip
- Wool- smells like hair
- Plant based- smolders
- Polyester- reminds you of burning plastic, turns into hard shiny ball
- Olefin {berber} floats in water
