How to green your carpet cleaning
Whether it's wall-to-wall carpeting or area rugs, your floor coverings will eventually need a good cleaning. But the last thing you need is chemical cleaners.
Photo: goforchris/Flickr
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How to green your carpet cleaningWhether it's wall-to-wall carpeting or area rugs, your floor coverings will eventually need a good cleaning. But the last thing you need is chemical cleaners.By Chris BaskindFri, Mar 26 2010 at 3:22 PM EST
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Photo: goforchris/Flickr One of the problems with indoor carpet — other than offgassing of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in some synthetic weaves — is that they are the ideal home for mites, molds and dust.
Vacuuming is your first line of defense. But carpet eventually means carpet cleaners, many of which contain the infamous dry cleaning agent, perchloroethylene (perc). We've written about this substance in the past. Another common nasty is naphthalene, a possibly carcinogenic solvent linked to red blood cell damage.
Beyond the potential cancer-causing risks of both perc and naphthalene, many people report dizziness, nausea and irritation from the fumes. Pets are equally affected. Neither substance has any place in a healthy home.
If you decide to hire a professional cleaner, inquire about plant-based alternative solvents and insist on nontoxic steam extraction methods. There are also green carpet cleaning solutions available for home use, suitable for some carpet machines and spot application. Their ingredients are generally agreed to be safe for people and pets. Seventh Generation Carpet Cleaner and a similar product by Simple Green aren't hard to find at local whole food and natural health stores, and can be ordered online.
Postpone a general cleaning with spot maintenance. Here you have some natural options: salt for mud, dirt and red wine; club soda for coffee stains; and cornstarch or cornmeal for grease. To control odors, liberally sprinkle carpeting with baking soda and allow to sit overnight before vacuuming. Direct sunlight is also a great deodorant. A couple of hours in the sun does wonders to freshen bathroom mats and area rugs.
Renting a commercial steamer? Rinse out the cleaning chamber with warm water and flush the residue. It's not the best solution, but it beats recirculating the pesticides and chemicals from other people's carpets through your home. Invest in your own steam cleaning unit, and you'll have peace of mind knowing only natural cleaners are keeping your home fresh, clean and healthy.
Copyright Lighter Footstep 2008
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Comments
alaskaresident
05/20/2011 16:00 PM
Thanks for sharing this great information about non-toxic carpet cleaning! However I wanted to point out that it is a common misconception that Simple Green is non-toxic. In reality, Simple Green products contain hazardous chemical solvents that are linked to health problems. Here's some more information: "Simple Green contains 2-butoxyethanol, a type of chemicals known as ethylene glycol ethers (EGEs), that are commonly used as solvents both in businesses and industries. In humans, long.... More
PureGreen
04/05/2011 15:06 PM
Great information! It's true that there are hundreds of carpet cleaning companies to choose from. Just open a phone book in New York City and you'll see how many options a consumer has when choosing their cleaning company. It's up to the consumer to make the effort in finding a company that truly uses GREEN products. At PureGreen Carpet Cleaning, we offer true organic cleaning in New York. All solutions are non-toxic and VOC compliant. Our MSDS sheets are made readily available for.... More
Amir-p
03/09/2011 14:32 PM
Mother Nature's Carpet Cleaning specializes in Eco friendly Carpet, Upholstery & House cleaning. We use Eco friendly Green Sealed and Bio Degradable products. We are a Family Owned company with unbeatable customer service you can't find anywhere else. There are no sales games with us, the prices are set and in front of you. We believe in being honest and respectful of our customer and standing behind our service which is why we offer a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Call us today and.... More
fideli
01/03/2011 07:14 AM
Cool!
Dmsclean
10/23/2010 17:22 PM
DMS Carpet & Upholstery Cleaners in Stamford, Ct. offers a greener way to have your carpet and upholstery cleaned. Serving Fairfield County for over two decades, we have the experience, state of the art cleaning equipment and "green" cleaning solutions to handle your cleaning needs...naturally!
Sherrie Chastain
07/14/2010 11:53 AM
In the past, find carpet cleaner has been difficult for various reasons. However, todays powerful ecommerce sites allow you to find carpet cleaning company with ease.
ruzzel01
04/08/2010 14:08 PM
Thanks for putting this up. Basically, dry cleaning is what works for me. If you have spilled any organic matter, like dry corn cob or any meal, the dry cleaning fluid will be suspended in it. The stain is saturated with it. Which a cleaner from AZ floor covering told me.
benechin
04/07/2010 12:14 PM
I'm very pleased with the cleaning what i have now http://bit.ly/ajIPV0. This is my first home steam cleaner. I delayed purchasing one because I never thought a home cleaner could do as good of a job as the pros. But this Hoover made me a believer. I used it to clean up pet stains and the smell and stains are long gone. The suction and scrubbing are an A+. Add your commentSign in with one of these accounts or just add your comment below. |
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