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Are Carpet Cleaners Safe
Aisha Ikramuddin
Monday, July 02, 2007
Among the inevitable things in life is the fact that all carpets will get dirty over time. Carpets and rugs, of course, take a lot of abuse from rambunctious children and pets, dinner guests who spill, people who refuse to wipe their feet before entering–the list goes on and on.
So it is also inevitable that carpets have to be cleaned somehow, at some point. Like other cleaners, carpet cleaners may contain toxic ingredients, some of which are not listed on labels because they are considered "proprietary" or "trade secrets".
Some carpet cleaners–especially spot removers–can be particularly dangerous, because they contain chemical solvents similar to those used by dry cleaners. These chemicals dissolve dirt without soap and water, but give off strong odors. Other potentially problematic ingredients in carpet cleaners include other compounds that produce lots of fumes (like formaldehyde), acids, pesticides, disinfectants, lye (sodium hydroxide), fragrances and many others.
Fabric and carpet stain repellents or "guards" may contain plastics and other potentially dangerous ingredients. The key ingredient in 3M’s popular Scotchgard® line of products, perfluoro-octane sulfonate (PFOS), was once portrayed as chemically inert, but recent research shows that it is a persistent organic pollutant (POP). PFOS, a suspected hormone disruptor, accumulates in the environment and the tissue of animals and humans. Despite ample evidence of PFOS's persistence, 3M kept it on the market for 40 years. In spring 2000, 3M announced it would phase out PFOS products by the year 2002. The safety of another perfluorinated compound, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), the main ingredient in Teflon®, which is used to coat non-stick pans and in fabric protectors, is currently under investigation.
During application and while drying, the chemicals in carpet cleaners and protectors evaporate and may concentrate in the air, causing indoor air pollution. This is more likely if the room is not well ventilated, the weather is hot and humid or the room is damp. Indoor air pollution can cause headaches, irritation to eyes, nose and lungs, asthma attacks, congestion, sneezing, coughing, fatigue, nausea and other symptoms.
There is some speculation that there is a link between carpet cleaners and Kawasaki Disease, though there is limited evidence to support this. Long-term exposures may increase the risks for chronic diseases, such as heart disease and cancer, depending on the chemicals involved.
Carpet shampoos usually leave a sticky residue on carpet fibers. The residue is usually hard to see or feel–though it can make carpets feel rougher and you may be able to smell it. Not only does the residue attract and latch onto dirt, but children, who crawl and play on carpets, can inhale these residues and get them on their hands, which often go into their mouths.
Dry shampoos, powders and foams may also linger on carpet fibers. These products generally contain solvents and detergents that must be applied for a specific period of time, then vacuumed to remove the cleaning product. A residue may be left behind or the product may sink deep enough into carpets to avoid being pulled out by the vacuum cleaner. Powders or dusts are easily inhaled and may irritate airways and cause asthma attacks. In fact, anti-dust-mite carpet treatments sometimes contain tannic acid or benzyl benzoate, both of which are skin, eye and respiratory irritants. Deodorizing powders often contain fragrances that irritate asthmatic lungs as well.
To remove shampoo residue from your carpet, see How to Keep Carpets Clean without Dangerous Chemicals . Healthy Child Healthy World recommends that children stay out of the house for at least four hours after carpets have been cleaned by any method. This can help reduce the risk of Kawasaki Disease, which may be linked to carpet cleaning.
Dangerous Chemicals Found in Some Carpet Cleaners
Solvents Butoxyethanol and other glycol ethers,Tetrachloroethylene, Perchloroethylene
Acids and other corrosive chemicals Hydroxyacetic acid, Hydrofluoric acid, Nitrilotriacetic acid, Sodium hydroxide, Sodium carbonate
Mildewcides and Disinfectants Tributyl tin, Formaldehyde, Phenol
Other chemicals Butane, propane and isobutanes (aerosol propellants), Dibutyl phthalate, Nonylphenol ethoxylate (surfactant), Octylphenol ethoxylate (surfactant)
You can find out if a carpet cleaning product you use or are considering contains any of these ingredients on the Household Products Database, produced by the National Institutes of Health. You can also search by ingredient.
Mold and Mildew Another issue related to carpet cleaning is the potential for mold growth in carpets that do not dry quickly enough. Steam cleaning carpets can thoroughly dampen the carpet AND the pad underneath. In humid or poorly ventilated spaces, a steam-cleaned carpet is an invitation for mold spores to sprout. Once mold begins to grow in a carpet or its pad, it's impossible to remove adequately. The spores and particles will be embedded and will thwart any removal process unfortunately. Even when mold is not actively growing, mold particles and spores can cause health problems, such as fatigue, headaches, allergy symptoms, asthma attacks and other breathing problems.
Posted by Mr.Clean on 04/20 at 04:38 PM
DMS Carpet Cleaning in Fairfield County,Connecticut offers green/organic cleaning products. These green cleaners are top notch and have exceeded our expectations ,so much so, that we use them even on commercial carpet cleaning jobs! Who said it’s not easy being green? Some of the cleaners we use even surpass “green” cleaning standards and, unlike are competitors, we offer these cleaning solutions for no additional cost.
Posted by Holly on 05/27 at 08:56 PM
It’s pretty obvious that the poster above (Mr. Clean) is not an enthusiastic client, but rather, is the business itself (DMS Carpet Cleaning). Be very wary of these claims - even if they are true, the post is dishonest and misleading.
Posted by Mr.Clean on 05/27 at 09:11 PM
Our post was made to inform people that although carpet cleaning can be toxic..there are companies -such as our-that offer a completly safe organic cleaning. There is no dishonesty or any attempt to mislead. We sure hope “Holly” has a change of heart and retracts “her” statements.
We are just very proud of the fact that our service gives people a safer alternative.
Posted by Holly on 06/07 at 10:14 PM
To Mr. Clean,
I apologize if I misread your post, which, now that I understand your meaning, is meant to be an advertisement for your services (as well as an endorsement of the methods you use). However, the post was not clear (it sounded as if someone was trying to pretend to be a consumer - read it again and you will see why we thought that). Now that I understand your meaning, I realize your intent. Thank you for clarifying. The site administrator is welcome to remove my earlier post.
Posted by Theresa on 07/04 at 01:21 AM
I don’t disagree that cleaning chemicals are probably dangerous, but I believe the current thinking is that the reason carpet cleaning is associated with such dangerous syndromes as Kawasaki Disease (which attacks the vascular systems of young children) is that the process of cleaning the carpets is probably dredging up sunk-in pollution like bacteria, mold, or dust mites. This is why it is usually reported by parents who have had their carpets steam cleaned, even when only with water, because the steam may help this stuff become more inhaleable. It’s very important that parents know to keep children off recently cleaned carpets until they are dry. I speak as one who has a child who played on a wet rug and did acquire Kawasaki Disease. I never want this to happen to another child.
Posted by mr.clean on 07/04 at 09:57 AM
Theresa,
first of all there is no conclusive evidence that kawasaki syndrome is caused by any type of carpet cleaning process. There is some speculation that perhaps the backing of a carpet may play a role.but again nothing conclusive. When steam cleaning is performed the proper way with the proper equipment it will take care of backteria and dust mites. However if there is mold present that may pose a more serious problem and more than likely is originating from the backing and/or padding,which is another issue. Know as far as “it is very important for parents to keep their children off the carpets after they have been cleaned” I must repectfully disagree with this blanket statement. My company DMS Carpet Cleaners uses organic/bio-based cleaners that will not cause any harm to people and pets. The steam cleaning process that I use helps rid the carpeting of bacteria and dustmites making it a more sanitary place - carpets dry relatively fast -the backing does not get wet. Now there are companies using systems and chemicals that would over wet and I would not want to walk on the carpeting after it has been cleaned but people need to make wise descisions and investigate a little before hiring just any company.
I am sad to hear of your situation and wish the best for your child and family. I just feel that the carpet cleaning industry as a whole is misrepresented by companies praying on peoples fear and misinformation.
Posted by izmir halı yıkama on 07/30 at 04:49 AM
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Posted by Cleaning Your Carpets on 04/17 at 10:33 AM
I have often wondered if all the cleaning products that we use around our houses are good for you. I am not a scientist but I can image that people that are around these chemicals everyday, would eventually start to have problems. That is just my opinion.