Once you’ve decided that you want carpet flooring for your home, your next job is to decide on a carpet fiber. The material that makes up your carpet determines its durability, softness, and resistance to moisture and dirt. The most common types in America are nylon carpet, polypropylene indoor carpet, polyester carpet and wool carpet.

Nylon Carpet

Nylon is the most durable synthetic carpet fiber available and is found in the majority of carpets sold in the United States. Nylon carpet takes dye easily, and is available in hundreds of colors. This type of carpet fiber is easy to clean, especially when treated with an anti-stain guard. Nylon carpet fibers are strong and flexible, and they stand up well to normal wear and tear. Nylon carpet is resistant to damage from moisture, oil and many chemicals.

Nylon carpet is also available as a “soft nylon” fiber. This carpet fiber has a luxurious feel, but is more expensive than other types of nylon carpet.

Polyester Carpet

Polyester carpet is among the most budget-friendly types of carpet available. This carpet fiber is strong, and polyester carpets are easy to clean and resistant to fading. Plus, this carpet fiber dries easily when wet, and repels mold and mildew. Unfortunately, polyester carpet isn’t as durable as other options. This carpet fiber crushes easily, especially in high-traffic areas.

Polypropylene Indoor Carpet

Polypropylene, also known as olefin, is another inexpensive carpet fiber with a growing popularity in the United States. It’s a light carpet fiber that absorbs dye easily and is resistant to fading. Polypropylene indoor carpet is naturally resistant to stains, chemicals and mold. However, this carpet fiber soils easily and can be difficult to clean. It also wears down easily and can look tattered if not properly cared for.

Wool Carpet

If price is no object, wool is the best carpet fiber available. Wool carpet is soft, rich and durable. This carpet fiber is also naturally resistant to stains, and damage by abrasion or fire. Unfortunately, all of these benefits come with a hefty price tag. Wool is the most expensive carpet fiber available, costing up to twice as much as nylon.

Plus, wool carpet requires much maintenance. Wool carpet fiber is difficult to clean, and can wear down easily in high-traffic areas. Wool carpet also needs to be mothproofed. This type of carpet doesn’t repel moisture–in fact, wool can absorb up to 10 times its weight in water, exposing a wool carpet to shrinkage, water damage and mildew. For these reasons, wool is a popular fiber for area rugs but not for wall-to-wall carpeting.

If you love the appearance and texture of wool carpet, consider a soft nylon carpet instead. This carpet fiber has a similar feel to wool carpet, but is much less expensive, and doesn’t require as much maintenance.