ISO 14419:2010 is applicable to the evaluation of a substrate's resistance to absorption of a selected series of liquid hydrocarbons of different surface tensions.

ISO 14419:2010 is intended to provide a guide to oil stain resistance. It can provide a rough index of oil stain resistance as, generally, the higher the oil repellency grade, the better resistance to staining by oily materials, especially liquid oil substances. This is particularly true when comparing various finishes for a given substrate. ISO 14419:2010 can also be utilized in determining if washing and/or drycleaning treatments have any adverse effect on the oil repellency characteristics of a substrate.

ISO 14419:2010 is not intended to give an absolute measure of the resistance of the substrate to staining by all oily materials. Other factors, such as composition and viscosity of the oily substances, substrate construction, fibre type, dyes and other finishing agents, also influence stain resistance. ISO 14419:2010 is not intended to estimate the resistance to penetration of the substrate by oil-based chemicals.