Topical application of solid antimicrobials to carpet pile fibers during carpet manufacture

Abstract

Carpeted floor covering articles comprising carpet pile fibers to which a topical antimicrobial application of solid particles has been applied either during or after product manufacture (such as part of a cleaning or treatment process) are provided. Such a topical treatment includes specific inorganic antimicrobial metal ion-based solid compounds, such as silver ion-exchange compounds, silver zeolites, and/or silver glasses, which may or may not be dispersed within a liquid medium for ease in handling and application. Such treatments also optionally include compositions of stain resistant agents, anti soil-redeposition compounds and liquids, surfactants, antistatic agents, and the like, to impart other characteristics to the target carpeted products. Such carpeted products thus exhibit excellent antimicrobial characteristics at both the surface of the carpet pile, as well as within the pile itself. Furthermore, it has been found that application of such solid metal-ion based antimicrobials permits the ability to increase antimicrobial activity for the target carpet product after vacuuming.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.