Evaluating the Performance of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Finishes on Upholstery Fabrics

Abstract

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are widely used to provide a hydrophobic and oleophobic barrier in some fabric finishing. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are a class of harmful chemicals that persist in the environment and our bodies. For indoor upholstery, these finishes are used to prevent staining. In this study, we examined the effectiveness of certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance finishes on commercial indoor fabrics for liquid repellency and stain performance. Three fabrics, each with an unfinished control, a dip finish, and a foam finish, were tested with coffee and oil-based salad dressing stains, two dwell times, two stain application procedures, and three abrasion conditions. Oil stain severity was affected by fabric type, finish, dwell time, and application procedure, but not abrasion. For water-based coffee stains, only fabric type had an effect. Droplet contact angle tests were also performed, revealing water and oil repellency is quickly lost with abrasion. Of the six per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance-finished fabrics tested, five showed small improvements in stain performance over unfinished fabrics; however, the performance differences between fabric types were much larger than the benefits from finishes. For oil stains, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance finishes help in ideal conditions when the finish is unabraded, stains are set gently on the fabric, and stains are cleaned quickly. Our results suggest that the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances on indoor furniture can be considerably reduced through intentional material selection to achieve better stain performance in lieu of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance finishes.