Overview
ISO 13750:2000 is an international standard developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) that specifies a testing procedure to determine the resistance of textile floor coverings to staining by acid food colours. This standard is crucial for manufacturers, quality controllers, and testing laboratories in the textile and flooring industry to assess how well textile floor coverings withstand stains caused by common acidic food dyes, which can impact the aesthetics and durability of flooring products.
The standard provides a controlled and reproducible method to apply acidic food dyes-specifically a standardized red dye (Food Red 17, also known as Red 40 FD&C)-to textile floor coverings and then evaluates the intensity and persistence of the resulting stain after rinsing and drying. The apparent intensity of staining will naturally vary depending on the colour and material composition of the floor covering.
Key Topics
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Scope and Purpose
Defines methods for evaluating staining resistance of textile floor coverings to acid food colourants to ensure reliability and consumer satisfaction.
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Test Reagents and Conditioning
Details use of a standardized red acid food colour (CI Red 17), distilled or demineralized water, and citric acid to simulate acid food staining under controlled pH and temperature conditions.
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Sample Preparation
Requires cutting test specimens to specified dimensions (minimum 150 mm × 150 mm), cleaning them by brushing or vacuuming to remove surface contaminants prior to testing.
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Test Procedure
Involves applying a precise volume (20 ml) of the staining solution within a defined area using a 50 mm diameter ring and tumbling the solution five times to ensure uniform wetting. Specimens are aged for 24 hours in standard atmosphere and then rinsed until runoff is clear.
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Evaluation Methods
Two options for stain assessment are included:
- Visual comparison using the AATCC Red 40 stain reference scale from 1 (intense stain) to 10 (no visible stain).
- Colorimetric measurement using a spectrophotometer to calculate color differences (ΔE) under CIELAB conditions and software conversion to stain scale.
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Accuracy and Reproducibility
Describes reproducibility within laboratories and variability between different laboratories with confidence intervals, ensuring consistent and reliable results internationally.
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Test Reporting
Specifies minimum reporting requirements including sample identification, test method, results, deviations, and dates.
Applications
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Quality Control in Textile Floor Covering Production
Ensures products meet stain resistance claims, preventing premature staining by acidic food substances common in household and commercial environments.
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Product Development and Improvement
Provides manufacturers with objective data to develop or enhance textile floor coverings with improved stain resistance performance.
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Certification and Compliance
Supports certification processes and compliance with customer or regulatory specifications related to stain resistance of textile flooring.
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Comparative Performance Testing
Enables comparison between different floor covering materials, dyes, and treatments to select optimal solutions for particular applications.
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Customer Assurance
Demonstrates product durability and robustness against acidic food stains, enhancing customer confidence in textile flooring products.
Related Standards
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ISO 105-J01:1997 – Textiles - General principles for surface colour measurement, used for accurate colorimetric assessment in ISO 13750.
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ISO 139 – Conditioning atmospheres for textile testing, which defines the atmospheric conditions for consistent sample conditioning.
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ISO 1957 – Sampling procedures for machine-made textile floor coverings, ensuring representative test specimens.
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ISO 11379 – Laboratory cleaning method for textile floor coverings, referenced for preparing specimens free of extraneous contaminants before testing.
By adhering to ISO 13750:2000, manufacturers and testing bodies can reliably determine the acid food color stain resistance of textile floor coverings, contributing to enhanced product quality, consumer satisfaction, and standardized testing practices globally.