A stain repellent is a product added to fabric in order to prevent stains.[1]

Illustration of stain repellancy

Stains

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Stains on fabrics are classified into three types: water-based stains and oil-based stains or a mix of both.[2]

Stain repellant fabrics

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Fabrics are finished with certain finishes that do not allow unwanted stains or that will wash out in simple laundry.

Chemicals

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Mostly larger PFCAs such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) are used in stain repellancy. It is also known colloquially as C8. PFOA is a product of health concern and subject to regulatory action and voluntary industrial phase-outs.[3]

Alternative chemistry

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There are chemicals which are based on C8 free chemistry that may be used as an alternative to PFOA, but those are less durable.[4]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ "Stain Resistance". Textile Information Knowledge Platform. Textile Centre of Excellence. 2020. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
  2. ^ Jackman, Dianne Rose; Dixon, Mary Katherine (1983). water+based+and+oil+based+stains. The Guide to Textiles for Interior Designers. Peguis Publishers Limited. p. 143. ISBN 978-0-919566-95-8.
  3. ^ "Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA), Teflon, and Related Chemicals". www.cancer.org. Retrieved 2021-06-20.
  4. ^ "Huntsman Drives Sustainable Growth in Vietnam's Textile Industry". Huntsman Corporation. Retrieved 2021-06-20.