DALTON, GA.—The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) recently announced the first commercial vacuums to earn certification under its new Seal of Approval/Green Label testing program. An independent testing laboratory certified that the vacuums meet high industry standards for soil removal, indoor air quality and carpet fiber protection. This announcement coincided with the 2007 ISSA/Interclean trade show in Orlando, Fla., where CRI showcased the newest addition to its Seal of Approval program for carpet cleaning solutions and equipment. Nearly 300 products carry the CRI Seal of Approval.
The Proteam Sierra CM and the TTI Rubbermaid prototype earned the highest gold certification. Electrolux Sanitaire, Windsor NuWay and Windsor Versamatic VS18 earned silver certification and the following earned bronze certification: Windsor Flexamatic 12, Windsor Senor S15, Windsor Senor S12, Windsor Versamatic VS14, Proteam 1500XP and Proteam Super Coach W/154E.
“The Seal of Approval/Green Label program sets a new, higher standard for cleaning effectiveness and indoor air quality,” says Werner Braun, CRI president. “Facility managers and those who supervise carpet cleaning in office buildings and retail, commercial and hospitality spaces now have a way to identify top performing vacuum cleaners. Cleaning with the right equipment helps preserve the life and beauty of a carpet.”
The new Seal of Approval/Green Label vacuum program is a tiered program with the entry level of bronze requiring a 10 percent improvement of cleaning performance over CRI’s Green Label program.
NASA Technology Utilized
The Seal of Approval/Green Label vacuum program utilizes NASA-enhanced x-ray fluorescence technology (XRF) to measure precise amounts of soil from carpet samples and clearly differentiate performance levels. Because the CRI Seal of Approval program takes advantage of space technology, companies under the program are eligible to display the Space Foundation Seal.
In addition to tougher standards for soil removal, a gold level machine must also meet a higher dust containment standard to insure indoor air quality. The new gold standard requires that a machine has no more than 35 micrograms of dust particle emission. The old standard allowed for 100 micrograms of dust particle emission. Containing dust within the machine is a way to help maintain indoor air quality.
Manufacturers in the current Green Label vacuum program will retain certification for their machines until 2010, at which time the program will be phased out.
The Seal of Approval program also tests and approves spot removal and pre-spray/in-tank solutions, deep cleaning extractors and deep cleaning systems (cleaning solutions and extractors used in combination). For a listing of all certified products, visit www.carpet-rug.org.
