Green Carpet Cleaners Also Keep Your Family Safe

Many professional carpet cleaners claim their methods are safe and effective, but do you really know what is being pumped into your home? Detergents used by many professional carpet cleaners employing traditional steam or dry cleaning methods use a mixture of several chemicals that the Centers for Disease Control and the U.S. Environmental Protection agency have warned consumers to avoid.

Perchloroethylene, used in dry cleaning methods for carpets, upholstery and clothing, can cause fatigue and nausea if inhaled in large quantities. Even a few minutes of exposure can cause dizziness in children or those with compromised lung function. The solvent naphthalene, a by-product of coal tar, is considered a possible carcinogen and is known to cause side effects related to the central nervous system in both humans and animals.

During cleaning, the fumes from these detergents are released into the air, and may linger long after the cleaning process is over. In addition, no carpet cleaning method can guarantee than there is no residue left on the carpet after cleaning. If the shampoos used contain chemicals, the residue will too. If you have children or pets who spend a lot of time on the floor, this should be a particular concern. When these detergents are ingested, the effects can be much worse than if they are inhaled.

Many green carpet cleaners combat these issues by using soaps that are plant-based or finding other methods to clean carpets that do not require harsh chemicals. For example, some companies now use carbonating cleaning bubbles instead of detergents to clean carpet fibers.

To ensure the safety of your family, there are several steps you can take to find a local green carpet cleaner:

• Read reviews of local professional carpet cleaners by other customers. Many sites online provide recommendations and reviews. Make note of any mentions of chemical smells or other signs of strong detergents.

• Narrow down your list of possibilities, then do your research. Call and ask about the cleaning process. Look for a company who advertises “eco-friendly” or “green” services. These companies claim to use a fraction of the water of other services and avoid dangerous detergents, solvents and other enzymes.

• Investigate “green” claims further, because in some cases a company may claim a product is non-toxic, green or eco-friendly but is actually not. According to The Federal Trade Commission, any company who makes a claim about the environmental safety of a product must also offer reliable scientific evidence of the fact. If you are not satisfied with the answers offered in your original call to the company, discuss the methods used in detail with a supervisor.

• Ask how they dispose of the used waste water. Even plant-based carpet cleaning shampoos can pollute local groundwater if disposed of without filtration. Having a solid plan in place to properly dispose of waste water or neutralize the contaminants shows that a company is green-minded.

• Look for companies that hold the seal of approval from the Carpet and Rug Institute. This organization serves as a regulator for the industry, and is known as a tough advocate for consumers and for the environment. Also, ask if the cleaning products used have the Green Good Housekeeping Seal. Good Housekeeping awards this seal to many non-toxic carpet cleaners.

Many local carpet cleaning companies have improved their processes, and become more eco-friendly over the last few years. This, in turn, has made the process less dangerous for your family. This is not true, however, for all services. It pays to ask questions in order to keep your family safe and healthy.