The Carpet and Rug Institute recently conducted a Survey of Asthma & Allergy Doctors. The CRI reported:

“While many doctors are still recommending carpet removal to their allergy and asthma patients, they were very open to information about proper carpet care and maintenance as a viable alternative to taking carpet out.”

So before you rip out all the carpet in your home you might want to read the latest (May 19, 2008) and most comprehensive report on the subject that backs up the CRI’s position on carpet and asthma.

Toxicologist Dr. Mitchell W. Sauerhoff, Ph.D., DABT has submitted to the International E-Journal of Flooring Sciences a very interesting and comprehensive study that is exploring the controversy surrounding carpet and allergies. The report is found here:  Carpet, Asthma and Allergy – Myth or Reality?

If you don’t feel like reading all 15 pages right away then I will share with you the ending:

“In conclusion, a weight of evidence approach to evaluating existing medical and scientific studies is quite clear. Carpet does not cause asthma. VOC emissions from new carpet do not act as triggers for asthma or allergies. Carpet does not increase the incidence or severity of asthma or allergies in children and adults. From the standpoint of asthma and allergies, well maintained carpet is safe.”

Well maintained carpet requires good vacuuming and proper cleaning.  For an earlier article about good vacuuming and proper cleaning, please go to Successful Vacuuming and also Carpet Cleaning Explained.

What Asthma and Allergy Sufferers Should Avoid When Cleaning Their Carpets?

Asthma and allergy suffers also need to be sure that the indoor air quality is not adversely impacted during the cleaning process. This means avoiding portable cleaning systems that recycle the contaminated air back into your home and cannot deliver the heat necessary to eliminate dust mites which cause allergies. Low moisture systems that do not actually remove soil at the time of cleaning should also be avoided.

Asthma, Allergies and Carpet Cleaning Chemicals

In addition, the cleaning products used must be fragrance free, hypoallergenic and create no VOCs (Volatile Organic Gases). If the carpet cleaning products have a fragrance or strong odor then that is a indicator that the products can negatively impact the indoor air quality of your home. Products that are Envirodesic Approved or Indoor Air Quality Approved are highly recommended.

D-limonene Carpet Cleaning Chemicals and Health Concerns

Many carpet cleaners use D-limonene based cleaners which are strong solvent based cleaners that have a very strong orange smell. Although it is chemically produced from a natural source (orange peel) and is biodegradable, due to its low flash point, it must be treated as hazardous waste for disposal.  D-limonene is a skin and respiratory irritant and is very difficult to rinse completely from the carpet. It can cause serve skin rashes and can also trigger asthmatic attacks.

Natural, Organic and Green has Nothing to do with Indoor Air Quality or Health Safety

This leads to a very important fact: ‘natural’, ‘organic’ or ‘green’ does not mean it is safe for people or pets and has absolutely nothing to do with indoor air quality and VOCs. For an earlier article about indoor air quality please go to An Introduction to Indoor Air Quality. Asthma, allergies and carpet can get along after all. Educated consumers can also now choose professional carpet cleaning that does not negatively impact the indoor air environment of their home.

For additional information please feel free to contact me at Get Fresh Carpet Cleaning in Calgary.

News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Get Fresh Carpet Cleaning meets the high standards of the WoolSafe® Organization to become the only WoolSafe® Approved Service Provider in Calgary and all of Western Canada.

WoolSafe® Approved Service Providers Mark

WoolSafe® Approved Service Providers are a network of professional carpet cleaners trained and accredited by the WoolSafe® Organization.

These companies stand out for:

1. being proficient in cleaning wool carpets and rugs
2. having been a carpet & upholstery cleaner for at least 5 years
3. being members of a recognised professional or trade association related to the cleaning industry
4. having attended a WoolSafe® training course and meet other requirements relating to their business and professional associations
5. using WoolSafe® Approved products whenever they clean or maintain wool or wool-rich carpeting
6. ensuring the highest standards in carpet and upholstery cleaning

Only these companies are entitled to use this mark to promote their services.

To find a WoolSafe® Certified Operator near you click here or contact the WoolSafe® Organization.

The WoolSafe® Approved and Green WoolSafe® Approved Marks

These marks can be seen on the packaging and on the information and advertising material of certain carpet maintenance chemicals. Whether it is a product for professionals or for domestic use, it is a sign of excellence. It means that the product had been independently tested against stringent international criteria and found to be safe and effective to use on wool carpets and rugs. Used according to the manufacturers’ instructions, these products will not cause damage to the fibres or colours and will not promote rapid resoiling.

Get Fresh Carpet Cleaning uses the most appropriate WoolSafe® approved products for your particular carpet and rug cleaning needs.

The Green WoolSafe® Mark is for environmentally responsible cleaning products. They have to be WoolSafe® approved and also have to meet the requirements of Green Seal or Environmental Choice/EcoLogo for their environmental impact.

All approved products are subject to annual re-evaluation testing to ensure they continue to meet the WoolSafe® requirements.

Get Fresh Carpet Cleaning uses products awarded the Green WoolSafe® Mark in its regular cleaning of all wool carpeting. These products are also Indoor Air Quality Approved (IAQ) Certified or Envirodesic Certified to not negatively impact the Indoor Air Quality of your home environment.

In addition, Get Fresh Carpet Cleaning has earned the Certified Firm designation of the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC) and the only Calgary company to bear the Carpet and Rug Institute Seal of Approval.

Need we say more?

Contact: CRI Communications Department, 706.428.2103

Dalton, GA. (May 18, 2009) – The Carpet and Rug Institute once again raises the bar on industry standards by enhancing the Seal of Approval Service Providers program, to encourage carpet cleaning companies to provide a higher level of customer service and satisfaction.

The Seal of Approval program tests and certifies superior performing carpet cleaning solutions, vacuums, deep cleaning extractors and recognizes professional carpet cleaners that exclusively use Seal of Approval products which meet residential carpet warranties. Companies certified as Seal of Approval Service Providers must continue to use cleaning products and equipment tested and certified under the program. Additionally, the enhanced Service Provider program asks that companies agree to uphold certain principles of customer satisfaction and comply with a “code of conduct.”

“Carpet is comfortable and beautiful. But we know that consumers have questions about how to care for carpet over time. Choosing the wrong service provider can be a disaster, since a bad choice may result in poor carpet cleaning results or even damage to carpet fibers,” said Werner Braun, CRI president.

“The Seal of Approval Service Provider program is designed to make carpet cleaning and maintenance easy by helping identify companies who use only superior performing products and equipment and are responsible for the workmanship of the services provided. As a result, customers can feel confident doing business with companies who have earned the Seal of Approval Service Provider Certificate.”

The Seal of Approval also aims to match the right cleaning methods with the right products and strongly recommends that participants are also certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC), an independent certification body that sets industry standards for firms and their employees.

CRI has also established a “code of conduct” requiring certified providers to uphold a high standard of accountability, responsibility and customer-oriented service. It also has provisions for carpet manufacturers and equipment and sundries manufacturers, including honoring warranties and providing product usage and cleaning and maintenance information for consumers.

The Seal of Approval program is celebrating its fifth year anniversary in 2009 and has grown to more than 186 participating manufacturers with 471 products certified and nearly 700 service providers.

© Carpet and Rug Institute

Note from editor: Get Fresh Carpet Cleaning the first and only Calgary Carpet Cleaning Company to earn the Seal of Approval Service Provider Certificate applauds the CRI as they make  further changes that raise the bar on industry standards.

Herman Miller Mirra Basic

A common problem with home offices and work spaces is the effect that the casters or wheels from office chairs have on the carpet interface. Can they both get along?

The repetitive rolling motion increases carpet wear over time. The movement can also in some cases cause delaminating of the carpet. Delamination is the separation of the secondary backing from the primary backing of the carpet which results in a bubbled or rippled appearance. This problem is not repairable. Replacement is the only option.

The Plastic Mat Option

Many choose to use a plastic chair pad for their office or home space. This may seem like a realistic solution but it presents its own problems. Plastic desk mats create an electrostatic charge which is transmitted on to the surrounding carpet fibers. This charge attracts and holds dust particles and at times the fine graphite powder that is released from the castors or wheels. This causes over time black lines around the edges of the plastic mat.

Those Ugly Black Lines

These black lines can be minimized by thorough vacuuming. Get Fresh Carpet Cleaning recommends that the mat to be lifted and the carpet carefully vacuumed twice a week. This and yearly carpet cleaning will keep this problem to a minimum.

There are other visual problems that the plastic mat can create over extended periods of time. When the mat removed there will often be a noticeable color and texture change when compared to the surrounding carpet. This effect is permanent due to the wear and fading of the surrounding carpet.

They Really Can’t Get Along

In summary, using an office chair on traditional carpeting with an underpad is going to cause some damage over time. The two just can’t seem to get along! Your best option is to choose either a commercial glue down carpet, or hard surface flooring for your office space. With the help of a great designer or sales consultant this can actually create a more attractive work space for your home environment.

If you live in Calgary, talk to one of the knowledgeable consultants at Kensington Carpet One Floor & Home for some practical and beautiful options for your home. If you have any specific questions on this topic, feel free to contact me at Get Fresh Carpet Cleaning. You may also want to read about soil filtration lines, another frequent problem that occurs in homes.

How many pounds of dirt can this rug hide?

I get asked frequently how often should I have my carpets cleaned? The truth is, there is no particular schedule other than maintaining your warranty valid (most carpet warranties specify every 12 to 18 months). Cleaning frequency really depends on the type of traffic you haveon your carpet and how you maintain it. Maintenance goes a long way in extending the time between cleanings.

I cleaned a house with a light beige carpet a few weeks ago that had never being cleaned and was 13 years old. It looked great! The home belonged to a couple with no kids or pets and who had a excellent vacuuming regime. Some people can get by with professional cleanings every 2 to 3 years, while others need their carpets cleaned every 6 months or so. Appearance alone should not be the determining factor when deciding when to clean your carpet. Today’s carpets are engineered from the fiber up to hide soil. In fact, a tan, residential grade carpet can hide up to a pound of dirt per square foot before it becomes noticeably soiled!

Appearance, reduction of potentially unhealthy contamination that may accumulate in the carpet, and manufacturers requirements to maintain your warranty should all be factors that help you decide how often to clean your carpeting.

A “no shoes policy,” frequent thorough vacuuming, and spotting with a residue-free carpet spotter are all excellent ways for you to keep your carpeting vibrant and healthy and extend the length of time between professional cleanings. Regular cleanings by a certified professional will ensure that you get the full intended life-cycle out of the carpet, deferring expensive replacement costs.

Especially when entering a economic downturn, it makes good economical sense to maintain and extend the life your carpeting. You would be pleasantly surprised to see what a full restoration cleaning can do for an old tired carpet.

If you have recently purchased new carpet for you home, make sure to take note of when the first warranty clean needs to be performed. For more information on the recommended cleaning frequency of the carpet in your home or business, or for more tips on extending times between cleanings, please don’t hesitate to give Get Fresh Carpet Cleaning in Calgary a call.

Image Courtesy of Lees

With Ultra25 4x protection, the long lasting liquid repellency of Ultra25 will repel most liquids, including juice, coffee and other spills, four times longer than other carpets with traditional stain protection, making clean up quick and easy.

The advertising promises:

“Protection like you’ve never seen before.  Completely protects the carpet fibers from top to bottom, optimizing the life of your carpet and enhancing the ease of maintenance.  Because beauty is never just skin deep!”

Does it live up to it’s promises? The answer is in the warranty:

Titanium Warranty: 25 Year Wear, 120 Days Replacement, 25 Years No Exclusions StainResistance, 15 Years Texture Retention and Installation for the Life of the carpet. The exclusive “NO EXCLUSIONS Ultra25 Stain Warranty” covers stains other carpet warranties don’t: pet stains, grease, mustard, coffee, cola and many other different stains.  See warranty information for complete details.

This is the best warranty in the business. When a warranty does not exclude pet stains and mustard (two culprits of permanent staining), you know it’s good!

Get Fresh Carpet Cleaning recommends Kensington Carpet One Floor & Home in Calgary for relax, it’s Lees.

Mohawk Smartstrand Blanco

Looking for new carpet? I recommend you put SmartStrand on your short list for many reasons.

Mohawk SmartStrand was released in 2005 and is made with DuPont Sorona polymer.  You can find it at Kensington Carpet One Floor & Home.

Now technically speaking this is a polyester fiber. What? Polyester you say, have you last your mind? No, this not the same type of builder grade polyester that we have learned to hate which easily mats, crushes and scratches.

The polymer is made by DuPont in pellet and the fiber and carpets are produced by Mohawk. DuPont’s trademark for the chemical type is 3GT, but the structure is chemically identical to PTT polymer. Shell/PTT PolyCanada also manufactures PTT which Mohawk uses as well.

DuPont has been making polymers for decades. Think Kevlar and Stainmaster which have become household names. We now have them to thank for Sorona which is naturally stain resistant. That means the protection will never wash off or wear-off. You will never have to reapply carpet protector after cleaning. The Achilles heel of nylon carpets is that the chemical stain resist proprieties will diminish over time and with recommended cleanings. SmartStrand with Sorona does not have this problem. Mohawk and Dupont are so convinced that PTT is superior to PET that they have made an application to the American Trade Commision (FTC) to re-classify it under a new name.

OK, that’s fine but what about the poor floor performance of your typical polyester? Here is the great news; the performance of the PTT polymer so far has proved very good with superior resilience. It may even be as good as nylon in similar carpet construction. If this holds true, than say goodbye to the issues of traffic resilience of the PET polyester.

What about sustainability? PET polyesters are made from recycled pop bottles (and sometimes with new polymers) as so were considered environmentally responsible. DuPont have developed a process by which 37% of their Sorona polymer is made from corn sugar a renewable resource. That is why Dupont is refers to their Sorona polymer as 3GT instead of PTT.

It is also certified Green Label Plus by the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) for low VOCs and has no added topical chemicals.

Nylon has been the standard for durability for years – until the PTT and 3GT polymers which are significantly lower in price than nylon and Stainmaster nylon.

Get Fresh Carpet Cleaning Calgary feels that that SmartStrand is lives up to its name and is a smart choice for your home. Visit Kensington Carpet One Floor & Home in Calgary and see if its right for your home.

Lees Kyoto Modular

With the downturn in the economy, it makes good sense to protect your investment and extend the life of your carpet.

The overall price of commodities has increased 326% over the past four decades, yet the price of carpets has only increased 77.8% according to The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI), the national trade association for the carpet and rug industry, Dalton, Georgia. Carpet is a tremendous value, but it is still one of the largest purchases you will make for your home or business.

How can you best protect this investment?

The durability and soil hiding characteristics of today’s carpet can disguise the need for maintenance. Proper maintenance of carpet can enhance the beauty and extend the useful life of carpet and protect your investment.

Clean carpet contributes not only to the overall aesthetics of a structure, but it plays a significant role in the healthful state of the indoor environment in which people work, live and spend the majority of their time.

The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC), the Certification body for the professional carpet and upholstery cleaning and restoration industry, Vancouver, Washington, offers the following steps for proper carpet maintenance:

CONTROLLING SOIL: Most abrasive particulate soil accumulates initially within the first few feet of major entries to homes and commercial buildings. Once inside, this soil takes its toll on carpet fibers and on the general appearance of the structure. It also contributes airborne particles that affect overall air quality. Every effort should be made to keep this soil accumulation outside by the use of properly selected entry mats. Entry mats that collect or absorb soil and moisture should be placed adjacent to carpeted areas in entries of homes and businesses and, if possible, not on top of the carpet. They must be maintained by periodic vacuuming, shaking and cleaning.

VACUUMING CARPET: Routine vacuuming with properly maintained, quality equipment is the single most important step a home or business owner/manager can take to extend the life and appearance of carpet. A top-fill upright vacuum with brush agitation or a canister vacuum with a “power head” incorporating brush agitation should be selected and used with routine frequency. Equally important, soil that is loosened and vacuumed from carpet must be collected in the vacuum’s recovery system and not allowed to re-enter the air within the structure to contribute to indoor air pollution. For this reason, a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtering system or bag should be used in any vacuum equipment employed.

IMMEDIATE SPOTTING: Most spots can be removed easily if the excess is lifted or blotted and the area is treated immediately by carpet owners with plain water or with spotters containing mild (ph range of 5-9), dilute detergents that do not leave residue. If ignored, those spots, or components thereof, may bond with fiber dye sites, forming permanent stains. Immediate spotting is an essential responsibility for home and business owners/managers.

CLEANING: Installed residential carpet exposed to routine use should be programmed for cleaning at least annually. Carpet that is subjected to extreme soiling or heavy use, particularly high traffic areas, or carpet installed in homes occupied by persons with allergy or respiratory problems requires greater cleaning frequency. Carpet in low traffic areas, such as formal living rooms and dining rooms, needs less frequent cleaning. Cleaning frequency recommendations are available from The Carpet and Rug Institute or the manufacturer of your carpet. The Environmental Protection Agency has also compiled a chart published in the IICRC Standards S001-1999.

Commercial carpet should be analyzed according to its construction, the type and frequency of traffic, and the soiling conditions encountered, and other extenuating circumstances, such as occupant activities, structure design and indoor air quality. Specialized maintenance and cleaning programs (e.g. weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, etc.) should be developed based on individual needs. Moreover, frequent cleaning of entrances and high traffic areas reduces the contaminants and soil particulates tracked in from outside the structure that accumulate in these areas.

One of the most critical, though often neglected, responsibilities of carpet owners involves routine maintenance. The useful life and appearance of carpet are affected substantially by the type, quality and frequency of maintenance procedures. Carpet that is properly cared for will provide many years of beauty and service.

Following the IICRC recommended four steps of carpet maintenance will protect your carpet investment.

Get Fresh Carpet Cleaning in Calgary is an IICRC Certified Firm and is always available for consultation regarding regular maintenance of your residential or commercial carpet or helping you to decide when restorative cleaning would be a viable alternative to extend the life of your carpet.