IICRC CCT CARPET CLEANING TECHNICIAN
ACTUAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS || ALREADY GRADED A+
<BRAND NEW VERSION>
IICRC CCT Carpet Cleaning Technician Exam Practice Questions
Category 1: Fiber and Yarn Systems
1. Which of the following is a protein-based fiber?
A) Nylon
B) Olefin
C) Wool ✓
D) Polyester
Rationale: Wool is a natural fiber derived from sheep, making it protein-based. Nylon, Olefin,
and Polyester are all synthetic, man-made fibers.
2. What is the primary soil-shedding characteristic of Olefin?
A) It has a natural waxy coating.
B) It has excellent dye affinity.
C) It has a low moisture absorbency. ✓
D) It has a high static generation.
Rationale: Olefin is hydrophobic, meaning it has very low moisture absorption. This helps it
shed water-based spills, but it also makes it challenging to apply water-based cleaning solutions.
3. The term "denier" refers to:
A) The number of twists per inch in a yarn.
B) The weight in grams of 9,000 meters of yarn. ✓
C) The number of piles per square inch.
D) The thickness of the primary backing.
Rationale: Denier is a unit of measurement for the linear mass density of fibers. It is defined as
the mass in grams per 9,000 meters of yarn.
4. A solution dyed fiber is most resistant to:
A) Abrasion
,B) Fading from sunlight and chemicals ✓
C) Staining from oil-based soils
D) Pilling
Rationale: In solution dyeing, color pigments are added to the polymer solution before the fiber
is extruded. This makes the color an integral part of the fiber, providing superior resistance to
fading from sunlight, oxidizers, and cleaning chemicals.
5. A BCF (Bulk Continuous Filament) yarn is less likely to:
A) Be used in commercial settings
B) Shed or pill ✓
C) Be made of nylon
D) Resist soil
Rationale: BCF yarns are continuous strands of fiber twisted together. Because the filaments are
long and continuous, they cannot shed or pill like staple fibers, which are short fibers spun
together to form a yarn.
Category 2: Carpet Construction
6. In a tufted carpet, the primary function of the primary backing is to:
A) Provide cushioning
B) Hold the tufts in place during manufacturing ✓
C) Serve as a moisture barrier
D) Determine the carpet's density
Rationale: The primary backing, often made of polypropylene, is the fabric into which the yarn
is tufted. Its main role is to hold the yarn tufts securely in place until the secondary backing and
latex adhesive are applied.
7. Carpet density is a calculation based on pile weight and:
A) Pile height
B) Gauge
C) Stitches per inch
D) Pile height ✓
Rationale: Density is calculated using the formula: Density = (Pile Weight x 36) / Pile Height. It
indicates how closely packed the yarn tufts are.
8. A woven Wilton carpet is characterized by:
A) A loop pile construction only
B) Yarns being pre-dyed and stored on looms ✓
,C) The use of a single level of loops
D) Being the least durable type of woven carpet
Rationale: Wilton looms use a Jacquard mechanism to control pre-dyed yarns from different
beams, allowing for intricate, multi-colored patterns. The unused yarns are buried within the
carpet structure.
9. The "gauge" of a tufting machine refers to:
A) The height of the tufts
B) The distance between needles across the width of the tufting machine ✓
C) The number of tufts per inch in the lengthwise direction
D) The thickness of the yarn
Rationale: Gauge is the distance between the needles measured from the center of one needle
to the center of the next, typically expressed in fractions of an inch (e.g., 1/10 gauge means a
needle every 1/10th of an inch).
10. What construction is most susceptible to shading?
A) Level Loop
B) Saxony Plush ✓
C) Commercial Loop Pile
D) Berber
Rationale: Saxony Plush carpets have dense, cut piles that are twisted and heat-set. Foot traffic
and vacuuming cause the tufts to lean in different directions, reflecting light differently and
creating the appearance of shaded areas.
Category 3: Underlays (Cushions)
11. Which cushion material is most resistant to moisture and mildew?
A) Felted Jute
B) Rubberized Animal Hair
C) Urethane ✓
D) Sponge Rubber
Rationale: Urethane (polyurethane) foam is a synthetic material that is generally resistant to
moisture and mildew, unlike organic materials like jute or animal hair.
12. The primary purpose of carpet cushion is to:
A) Act as a primary moisture barrier
B) Increase insulation and absorb sound
, C) Provide comfort and extend carpet life ✓
D) Increase the carpet's density
Rationale: While cushion does provide insulation and sound absorption, its primary functions
are to provide underfoot comfort and to absorb the impact of foot traffic, which reduces wear
on the carpet backing and yarn, thereby extending its life.
13. A cushion with a high "ILD" number indicates:
A) Low density
B) High firmness ✓
C) High resilience
D) Low quality
Rationale: ILD stands for Indentation Load Deflection. It measures the force (in pounds)
required to compress a cushion sample by 25%. A higher ILD indicates a firmer cushion.
14. According to industry standards, a cushion should generally be no more than:
A) 1/2 inch thick
B) 7/16 inch thick ✓
C) 3/4 inch thick
D) The same thickness as the carpet pile
Rationale: A cushion that is too thick (generally over 7/16 inch) can cause the carpet to flex too
much, leading to premature failure at the seams and damage to the carpet backing from
excessive stretching.
15. "Rebond" cushion is made from:
A) Shredded particles of bonded urethane foam ✓
B) Recycled rubber tires
C) Virgin prime polyurethane
D) Bonded wool fibers
Rationale: Rebond cushion is an economical and common type of cushion made by bonding
together small pieces of recycled urethane foam.
Category 4: Chemistry of Cleaning
16. The chemical reaction that breaks down fatty acids and oils into soap and alcohol is called:
A) Hydrolysis
B) Saponification ✓
C) Suspension
D) Oxidation
ACTUAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS || ALREADY GRADED A+
<BRAND NEW VERSION>
IICRC CCT Carpet Cleaning Technician Exam Practice Questions
Category 1: Fiber and Yarn Systems
1. Which of the following is a protein-based fiber?
A) Nylon
B) Olefin
C) Wool ✓
D) Polyester
Rationale: Wool is a natural fiber derived from sheep, making it protein-based. Nylon, Olefin,
and Polyester are all synthetic, man-made fibers.
2. What is the primary soil-shedding characteristic of Olefin?
A) It has a natural waxy coating.
B) It has excellent dye affinity.
C) It has a low moisture absorbency. ✓
D) It has a high static generation.
Rationale: Olefin is hydrophobic, meaning it has very low moisture absorption. This helps it
shed water-based spills, but it also makes it challenging to apply water-based cleaning solutions.
3. The term "denier" refers to:
A) The number of twists per inch in a yarn.
B) The weight in grams of 9,000 meters of yarn. ✓
C) The number of piles per square inch.
D) The thickness of the primary backing.
Rationale: Denier is a unit of measurement for the linear mass density of fibers. It is defined as
the mass in grams per 9,000 meters of yarn.
4. A solution dyed fiber is most resistant to:
A) Abrasion
,B) Fading from sunlight and chemicals ✓
C) Staining from oil-based soils
D) Pilling
Rationale: In solution dyeing, color pigments are added to the polymer solution before the fiber
is extruded. This makes the color an integral part of the fiber, providing superior resistance to
fading from sunlight, oxidizers, and cleaning chemicals.
5. A BCF (Bulk Continuous Filament) yarn is less likely to:
A) Be used in commercial settings
B) Shed or pill ✓
C) Be made of nylon
D) Resist soil
Rationale: BCF yarns are continuous strands of fiber twisted together. Because the filaments are
long and continuous, they cannot shed or pill like staple fibers, which are short fibers spun
together to form a yarn.
Category 2: Carpet Construction
6. In a tufted carpet, the primary function of the primary backing is to:
A) Provide cushioning
B) Hold the tufts in place during manufacturing ✓
C) Serve as a moisture barrier
D) Determine the carpet's density
Rationale: The primary backing, often made of polypropylene, is the fabric into which the yarn
is tufted. Its main role is to hold the yarn tufts securely in place until the secondary backing and
latex adhesive are applied.
7. Carpet density is a calculation based on pile weight and:
A) Pile height
B) Gauge
C) Stitches per inch
D) Pile height ✓
Rationale: Density is calculated using the formula: Density = (Pile Weight x 36) / Pile Height. It
indicates how closely packed the yarn tufts are.
8. A woven Wilton carpet is characterized by:
A) A loop pile construction only
B) Yarns being pre-dyed and stored on looms ✓
,C) The use of a single level of loops
D) Being the least durable type of woven carpet
Rationale: Wilton looms use a Jacquard mechanism to control pre-dyed yarns from different
beams, allowing for intricate, multi-colored patterns. The unused yarns are buried within the
carpet structure.
9. The "gauge" of a tufting machine refers to:
A) The height of the tufts
B) The distance between needles across the width of the tufting machine ✓
C) The number of tufts per inch in the lengthwise direction
D) The thickness of the yarn
Rationale: Gauge is the distance between the needles measured from the center of one needle
to the center of the next, typically expressed in fractions of an inch (e.g., 1/10 gauge means a
needle every 1/10th of an inch).
10. What construction is most susceptible to shading?
A) Level Loop
B) Saxony Plush ✓
C) Commercial Loop Pile
D) Berber
Rationale: Saxony Plush carpets have dense, cut piles that are twisted and heat-set. Foot traffic
and vacuuming cause the tufts to lean in different directions, reflecting light differently and
creating the appearance of shaded areas.
Category 3: Underlays (Cushions)
11. Which cushion material is most resistant to moisture and mildew?
A) Felted Jute
B) Rubberized Animal Hair
C) Urethane ✓
D) Sponge Rubber
Rationale: Urethane (polyurethane) foam is a synthetic material that is generally resistant to
moisture and mildew, unlike organic materials like jute or animal hair.
12. The primary purpose of carpet cushion is to:
A) Act as a primary moisture barrier
B) Increase insulation and absorb sound
, C) Provide comfort and extend carpet life ✓
D) Increase the carpet's density
Rationale: While cushion does provide insulation and sound absorption, its primary functions
are to provide underfoot comfort and to absorb the impact of foot traffic, which reduces wear
on the carpet backing and yarn, thereby extending its life.
13. A cushion with a high "ILD" number indicates:
A) Low density
B) High firmness ✓
C) High resilience
D) Low quality
Rationale: ILD stands for Indentation Load Deflection. It measures the force (in pounds)
required to compress a cushion sample by 25%. A higher ILD indicates a firmer cushion.
14. According to industry standards, a cushion should generally be no more than:
A) 1/2 inch thick
B) 7/16 inch thick ✓
C) 3/4 inch thick
D) The same thickness as the carpet pile
Rationale: A cushion that is too thick (generally over 7/16 inch) can cause the carpet to flex too
much, leading to premature failure at the seams and damage to the carpet backing from
excessive stretching.
15. "Rebond" cushion is made from:
A) Shredded particles of bonded urethane foam ✓
B) Recycled rubber tires
C) Virgin prime polyurethane
D) Bonded wool fibers
Rationale: Rebond cushion is an economical and common type of cushion made by bonding
together small pieces of recycled urethane foam.
Category 4: Chemistry of Cleaning
16. The chemical reaction that breaks down fatty acids and oils into soap and alcohol is called:
A) Hydrolysis
B) Saponification ✓
C) Suspension
D) Oxidation
