Method of stainproofing cellulose fibers and stainproofed product

A method of stainproofing a cellulose fiber, which comprises the steps of:

• (1) esterifying a portion of the hydroxyl groups of the cellulose fiber in a heterogeneous reaction system such that the degree of esterification as represented by a degree of substitution is from 0.01 to 1.5;
• and then
• (2) treating the partially esterified cellulose fiber with a solution or emulsion of a copolymer having repeating units derived from a fluoroalkyl group-containing polymerizable compound and a compound represented by the general formula:
• CH.sub.2 .dbd.CR.sup.1 COO--(XO).sub.m --(YO).sub.n --R.sup.2(I)
• wherein X is --CH (CH.sub.3)--CH.sub.2 -- or --CH.sub.2 CH (CH.sub.3)--;
• Y is --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 --;
• R.sup.1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group;
• R.sup.2 is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms;
• and each of m and n is an integer of 0 to 50, provided that the total of m and n is an integer of 1 to 70.