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.

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.

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.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) explains:

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids. VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects. Concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher indoors (up to ten times higher) than outdoors.  VOCs are emitted by a wide array of products numbering in the thousands. Examples include: paints and lacquers, paint strippers, cleaning supplies, pesticides, building materials and furnishings, office equipment such as copiers and printers, correction fluids and carbonless copy paper, graphics and craft materials including glues and adhesives, permanent markers, and photographic solutions.

EPA’s Total Exposure Assessment Methodology (TEAM) studies found levels of about a dozen common organic pollutants to be 2 to 5 times higher inside homes than outside, regardless of whether the homes were located in rural or highly industrial areas.  Additional TEAM studies indicate that while people are using products containing organic chemicals, they can expose themselves and others to very high pollutant levels, and elevated concentrations can persist in the air long after the activity is completed.

The ability of organic chemicals to cause health effects varies greatly from those that are highly toxic, to those with no known health effect. As with other pollutants, the extent and nature of the health effect will depend on many factors including level of exposure and length of time exposed. Eye and respiratory tract irritation, headaches, dizziness, visual disorders, and memory impairment are among the immediate symptoms that some people have experienced soon after exposure to some organics. At present, not much is known about what health effects occur from the levels of organics usually found in homes. Many organic compounds are known to cause cancer in animals; some are suspected of causing, or are known to cause, cancer in humans.

So now you know why Get Fresh Carpet Cleaning in Calgary has gone to great lengths to source out primary carpet cleaning products that are not only hypoallergenic but also contain NO VOCs. These products are IAQ Approved and Envirodesic Certified. Using IAQ Approved products is important in carpet cleaning, as the pre-spray or conditioner is atomized during application as well as during the cleaning extraction process. This has the potential to significantly and adversely affect the indoor air quality of you home or business.

1. Tracked-in, gritty particles make up approximately 55%.
2. Animal fiber from people, pets and fabrics comprise about 12%.
3. Another 12% is vegetable matter and fiber from fabrics, indoor plants, lawn trackings and paper products.
4. These combine to account for 79% of the soil nestled in carpet fibers.

This soil composition varies with geographic location and use of the facility. This dry soil is often abrasive and can harm carpet fibers if not removed. Under the weight and movement of foot traffic, these particulate soils can scratch and cut carpet fibers, dulling the appearance of the carpet. Abrasive soil is the major cause of carpet wear.

Frequent, thorough vacuuming is the most important step in a carpet maintenance program. Routine vacuuming enhances the appearance and prolongs the useful life of carpet by lifting the fibers and removing harmful particulate soil.

Proper vacuuming also helps create a healthier indoor environment by removing pollutants such as dust mites and their feces, discarded human skin cells that mites feed upon, mold spores and other biological contaminants collected in the carpet.

The equipment is the first consideration for effective vacuuming. The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC), Vancouver, Washington, the certifying body for professionals achieving levels of proficiency in the cleaning, restoration, and inspection industry, offers these tips on selecting a vacuum cleaner:

1. Upright vacuum cleaners are generally more efficient than canister models.
2. A top-load vacuum works more efficiently than a bottom-load.
3. The vacuum cleaner head should be equipped with a beater bar or revolving brush. This mechanical action separates the carpet fibers and lifts the soil for vacuum removal. This duplicates the agitation of beating the rug on the clothesline.
4. A dual-motor vacuum, utilizing one motor to operate the beater bar and one for the vacuum, is most efficient.
5. The cleaning objective is to remove as many particles and biopollutants as possible, not to redistribute them into the air to settle back into the carpet and furnishings or be absorbed into the respiratory system. Vacuum cleaners equipped with high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration systems trap tiny particles.
6. Disposable paper bags are recommended over cloth bags. Cloth bags can become clogged with soil, reducing air flow through the bag.
7. Replace the beater bar and brushes as they become worn.
8. Have blower fan blades replaced as they abrade.
9. Replace worn or cracked belts.

Vacuuming is such a common place chore that little thought is given to how it should be done. The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC) provides these recommendations:

1. With vacuuming, more is better. You cannot over vacuum a carpet. Today’s carpets are designed to hide soil, so soil is not always visible. Studies conducted by Hoover Vacuum Cleaning Company show that one square foot of carpet can hold up to one pound of dirt and still appear clean.
2. Thorough vacuuming to remove the pile-damaging soil hidden deep in the carpet takes time.
3. Don’t just groom the surface by removing large, noticeable debris.
4. Adjust the brush or beater bar properly for each carpet height. The brush or bar should touch the carpet.
5. Empty or replace the bag often. When a bag is half full, vacuum efficiency is reduced by 60 to 80%.
6. Overall vacuuming is needed, but knowing where to concentrate your efforts is more productive. The majority of soil in carpet is brought from outside by foot traffic, so normally the highest concentration of soil is in entrances and high traffic areas.
7. Hand vacuum the dust and fine particulate soil that builds up around the edges and in the corners of the rooms.

Successful vacuuming requires time, proper technique, and effective equipment. However, even the most meticulous worker with the best vacuum cleaner cannot remove all the soil in carpet. A small percentage of the soil is oil-based. This oily residue bonds the particulate soil left from vacuuming to the carpet fibers and causes the appearance of dirty traffic patterns. Vacuuming is ineffective against this oily buildup. Removal requires the periodic service of a certified professional carpet cleaner. Of course that’s when you call Get Fresh Carpet Cleaning in Calgary!