a method for treating carpets is provided which obviates the need for scouring . in accordance with the method , an unscoured carpet is treated topically , and by means of a low wet pickup method , with a solution comprising particles of silica or a similar inorganic additive and a fluorochemical or other optional organic additive . carpets treated in accordance with this method are found to have excellent soil resistance properties which do not decrease noticeably with subsequent wear or cleaning . furthermore , since the method involves a low wet pickup , the required drying times are significantly reduced as compared to conventional aqueous bath immersion methods .