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Bulletin Board

Subject: What is the definition of soil?
Posted by Jim Smith

The IICRC defines it this way:

Soil: Any undesired substance that is deposited on, or that is foreign to, the construction of a textile material. Soil results from environmental conditions and use (e.g., dust and particles, shed fibers, foods and oily substances).

Since the definition says "foreign to," then stains and odors must be soil. Are they? If so, I am not comfortable with that. What are your thoughts?

Responses:

RE: … the definition of soil?: Scott Warrington

I think soil is a very broad classification. I definitely think stains are one type of soil. The staining material, if still present, is foreign to the carpet and unwanted.

Odors could become a semantics debate. Odors have to be air-borne to produce the sensation of odor. So, they are not in the carpet or on the fiber. The source of the odor could be in the carpet, urine for example. So then the urine would be a type of soil.

RE: … the definition of soil?: Ed Valentine

Great question.

My interpretation of the very term "soil" would be defined as: "any item(s) coated by foreign material."

Therefore, I would suggest that it doesn't matter if it is dirt, a spot, or a stain with residue.

RE: … the definition of soil?: Lisa Wagner

I always refer to my clients with their rugs on "spots and stains" and that the spots will come out with regular washing, while stains are going to require additional work.

There definitely needs to be much more definition besides just "soil" and needs to distinguish whether it is covering the fibers as particulate, or penetrating the fibers as stains. There should also be a distinction between dry and oily substances.