A writer for the professional cleaning industry recently attended a national carpet cleaning convention. Her goal was to meet with several carpet cleaning technicians to ask what they wanted to see and learn at the show and about their challenges and key concerns.
Most mentioned that they wanted to see new types of tools and equipment. Others were most interested in seminars, especially related to new, more effective ways to clean rugs and carpets. And others wanted to meet with seminar leaders and peers to discuss trends that are impacting the industry.
But it came as a surprise to the reporter that there was no discussion of green carpet cleaning. After approaching a number of attendees about the subject, the reporter concluded that few get requests for green services; it was particularly not an issue for those who work in residential settings. However, there were exceptions: technicians who clean carpets in schools and hotel properties reported that increasing numbers of customers want their carpets cleaned in an environmentally preferable manner.
There are three key components in green carpet cleaning. The first is selecting the right chemicals and making sure the procedures and applications are appropriate for the task. The next is selecting the right equipment. And the final element is properly training all employees.
Chemicals, Procedures & Applications
As with many of the early green cleaning chemicals, those used to clean carpets tended to be more costly than conventional products and, to make matters worse, were often not as effective. However, according to Dave Howard, director of sales and marketing for Jon Don, a national distributor of cleaning chemicals, tools, and equipment, this has all changed in the past two or three years.
“Green-certified [carpet] cleaning chemicals* will not save you money, but their added costs are negligible,” Howard says. “[And] the chemistry used today has improved considerably. Many of these products are just as effective as non-green chemicals.”
The way chemicals are applied to carpets today, continues Howard, has also helped make carpet cleaning greener. At one time, chemicals were poured into the carpet extractor’s tank and diluted with water. Today, most technicians “pre-spray” carpets with cleaning solution. The result is that considerably less chemical is used, which is not only a cost savings but has less impact on the environment as well (as is the case whenever less chemical—green or conventional—is used).
Equipment Considerations
Using antiquated carpet extractors can negate all the benefits of using green-certified carpet cleaning chemicals. Older carpet extractors typically use one or more gallons of water per minute. Low-moisture machines use nearly half this amount.
Additionally, newer machines have advanced moisture-recovery systems. “The goal here is to use as little water as possible and remove as much as possible,” says Nick Wiebe, marketing manager for U.S. Products, a major manufacturer of carpet cleaning equipment. “This prevents the growth of mold and mildew and minimizes the amount of chemical residue left in the carpets after cleaning.”
Low-moisture equipment is also easier to maintain, according to Mike Bradshaw, with Jay Dee Cleaning, a 40-year-old carpet cleaning company in Denver, which cleans carpets in all types of facilities including hotel properties. “[Low-moisture machines] are easier to train employees on and easier for them to use, have less risk of damaging padding and subflooring, and use lower-pH chemicals and less water.”
Wiebe adds that low-moisture systems are even more critical in a hotel property. This is because hotels are typically 24/7 facilities, and having the carpets clean and dry as quickly as possible is all the more imperative.
In addition, he says that extractors that heat the carpet cleaning solution also contribute to green carpet cleaning. “Heat improves the effectiveness of the carpet cleaning chemicals,” he says. “This means less chemical may be needed, again reducing cleaning’s impact on the environment.”
Technician Training
At the conference mentioned earlier, the writer attended a seminar where the facilitator asked technicians how many vacuumed their customers’ carpets before cleaning with extractors. Of about 50 people in the room, only two raised their hands. Many technicians, and I suspect hotel housekeepers, either do not know that carpets should be vacuumed before cleaning or, in the haste to complete the task, simply skip it. When vacuuming is not completed first, the effectiveness of the cleaning chemicals is reduced, and the extractor—because the moisture released can turn dried soil into mud—can be less effective.
A technician properly trained in green carpet cleaning will know not only of the importance of vacuuming carpets before extraction but also of many other techniques that ensure carpets are cleaned effectively and with less impact on the environment, all with the goal of protecting human health.
Pollution-prevention and source-control strategies include these:
• Install effective entry matting systems at all key property entries. This will help minimize the amount of soils and contaminants entering the hotel, which is the best way to reduce the environmental impacts associated with carpet maintenance.
• Employ cleaning chemicals that have been derived from bio-based ingredients and have been certified by such independent testing organizations as Green Seal or the Environmental Choice Program.
• Use spot removers made from hydrogen peroxide or biological/enzymatic cleaners, and select carpet extractors that further reduce water, chemical, and energy consumption.
• Last, educate all hotel staff that cleaning, including carpet cleaning, is a “shared responsibility.” Everyone must work together to make properties cleaner and healthier.
Robert Kravitz is a writer for the professional cleaning, carpet cleaning, and hospitality industries.
*The Carpet and Rug Institute Seal of Approval program specifically identifies spot removers, pre-spray, and in-tank cleaning chemicals that have less impact on the environment and have also proved to be effective. They are rated by an independent laboratory using scientifically accredited cleaning standards. The products are tested for overall cleaning effectiveness, rate of re-soiling, pH, surface texture change, optical brighteners, and colorfastness. Other organizations such as Green Seal and Ecologo also evaluate and certify green carpet cleaning chemicals.
