1. I M P R O V I N G I N D O O R
ENVIRONMENTW I T H P R O F E S S I O N A L C L E A N I N G

2. FLOORCOVERING
TRENDS
Floorcovering trends are continuously
changing. Before there was wall-to-wall
carpet the predominant floor covering was
hardwood. Many homeowners in the 1940’s &
1950’s had hardwood floors that they would
partially cover in the winter months with rugs
to prevent walking on the cold hard surface.
The rugs were typically cleaned and stored
during summer months.

3. IN THE 1950’S,
when DuPont introduced nylon as a carpet fiber, wall-to-wall carpet became
more affordable. So, the trend changed from hardwood to carpet.

4. PREVIOUSLY, rugs could be rolled up and taken outside, laid over a clothes line and beaten
with a whisk to remove the dirt, or taken to a rug cleaning company to be cleaned at their location. Wall-
to-wall carpet could not be removed as easily; therefore, there was a need for carpet cleaning equipment,
chemicals, and procedures. Carpet cleaning companies began to spring up everywhere, and DIY processes
were developed and many were sold door-to-door by vacuum cleaning salesmen.

5. CARPET IS STILL
THE MOST POPULAR
and highest percentage of floorcovering sold
today. However, residentially the trend is
moving to hard surface. This could be for
several reasons:
1. PopularTV stations like HGTV tend to
promote hard surfaces over carpet.
2. Several different floor covering options are
available today.
3. Carpet is often considered as unhealthy.
4. More and more people have multiple pets
living in their home, and carpet is not the
best floorcovering for untrained dogs & cats.
5. Carpet is not as durable as hard surface
floor coverings.

6. RECENTLY,a new floor covering trend has begun. Currently, hard surface floors are being
partially covered with a rug shortly after installation.This is a result of the benefits from having a soft
surface floor covering and the vast assortment of designs and styles available for today’s rugs.

7. FLOORCOVERING MAINTENANCE
Regardless of one’s preference, all floorcoverings must be maintained.There is no such thing as a self-
cleaning floorcovering.The Roomba® is a great invention but has many limitations. Indoor airborne
pollutants; such as, dust, dander, pollen, etc. are eventually going to fall out of the air onto horizontal
surfaces. Consequently, since flooring is the largest horizontal surface in a home or building, that is
where you will most likely find the largest concentration of pollutants along with tracked in soils and
other contaminates.

8. HARD SURFACES
will hold pollutants and soils in cracks and
crevices; however, the primary surface
does not hold anything.The contaminates
can just lay on the hard flat surface until
they are swept away, mopped away,
or blown away with foot traffic.The
challenge is that unless contaminates are
captured and contained by a vacuum, they
will become airborne and can be inhaled
into one’s lungs simple by breathing.This
may create a greater chance of allergic
reactions. Needless to say, hard surfaces
should be maintained with regular
vacuuming and cleaning.

9. CARPET ON THE
OTHER HAND,
acts as a large filter, capturing and holding
all types of contaminates; keeping them
from becoming airborne. This is an
important benefit when choosing a floor
covering to purchase, although it is often
not a consideration.
In addition to the benefits of carpet,
we must also consider the challenges.
Contaminants must be removed or they
will cause damage to the carpet fibers and
create a breeding ground for bacteria and
may cause allergic reactions.

10. CARPET MANUFACTURESrequire regular professional carpet cleaning at
specific intervals, typically by a certified company that uses HotWater Extraction to maintain the carpet
warranty.These specified cleaning intervals are required to help reduce wear on the carpet. If someone in
a home suffers from allergies, carpet may be a more favorable floor covering to consider, along with an
aggressive maintenance program by a professional carpet cleaning company.
http://www.carpet-rug.org/Documents/Research_Resources/Public/Carpet,-Asthma-and-Allergies-%E2%80%93-Myth-or-Reality.aspx (this cleaning
schedule may exceed that of the carpet manufacturer).

11. WHY IS THE INDOOR
ENVIRONMENT
IMPORTANT TO
OUR HEALTH?
Most people are aware that outdoor air
pollution can damage their health but may
not know that indoor air pollution can also
have significant effects. EPA studies of human
exposure to air pollutants indicate that indoor
air levels of many pollutants may be 3-5
times, and occasionally, more than 100 times
higher than outdoor levels.These levels of
indoor air pollutants are of particular concern
because most people spend as much as 90%
of their time indoors.

12. THE FOLLOWING ARE TEN SUGGESTIONS THAT HOMEOWNERS SHOULD
CONSIDER FOR IMMEDIATE IMPROVEMENT OF THEIR INDOOR ENVIRONMENT:
1. KEEPWALKWAYS AND ENTRIES CLEAN: Start by keeping sidewalks, entry areas, porches, and steps clean. Sweep, dust, vacuum or use a leaf blower to
remove soil and debris from entries to eliminate tracking into the home or building.
2. USE MATSTOTRAP SOIL AT ENTRIES: Exterior and interior mats to trap and contain particles and moisture should be placed at each entry.This not only
extends the life of carpet, but it also greatly reduces the quantity of particles that enter and build up in traffic areas, eventually becoming airborne.
3. CLEAN SHOES AT ENTRIES: Studies conducted by professional engineers on carpet dust samples indicate that fine particles containing lead are reduced by
cleaning or removing shoes at the entry.
4. PURCHASE AND USE HIGH QUALITYVACUUM EQUIPMENT: A high quality, durable upright vacuum with brush agitation is a must. Price is not as important
as quality. Check trade or consumer magazines, and expect sales persons to provide technically accurate information. Avoid door-to-door sales tactics. Also,
check the Carpet and Rug Institute’s list of vacuums that are included in the Green Label Program at www.carpet-rug.com
5. USE HIGH EFFICIENCYVACUUM FILTER BAGS: Use high-efficiency (HEPA-type) double-lined vacuum filter bags that filter out 99% of particles that easily
pass through paper filter bags and are a major source of respiratory irritation as well as household dust.
6. VACUUM FREQUENCY: Increase frequency of vacuuming before soils sift downward and become embedded in the carpet pile.Vacuuming should be done more
slowly in entry areas where most particle soils accumulate.Traffic areas should be passed over slowly two or three times.
7. HVAC FILTERS: At a minimum, use high-quality disposable filters. However, consider using high-quality reusable electrostatic filters for HVAC systems. These
filters create static electricity that charges soil particles, thereby attracting them to the filter.These filters should be removed and flushed to remove collected soils
on a monthly basis.
8. HAVE CARPET AND UPHOLSTERY CLEANED BY A PROFESSIONAL ON A REGULAR BASIS: Professional cleaning compounds lift and suspend fine particles
of soil leaving behind minimum residue.Then, extraction using a hot water rinse flushes the soil from the carpet fibers. (See recommended carpet cleaning
frequency chart above).
9. CLEAN OTHER SOFT SURFACES: Clean draperies, upholstery, rugs, and other fabric surfaces.Wash linens weekly.
10. CONTROL MOISTURE AND HUMIDITY: Dust mites and mold are the two most common allergens present in higher humidity climates. According to studies
conducted atWright State University, dust mite infestation will be eliminated if the relative humidity of the building, not just a particular area, is maintained
below 50%. Molds, which are classified as fungi, require humidity of 70% or higher and a food source of organic-based material to grow. Cooler surfaces, which
may have a relative humidity near 100%, create a perfect breeding area for mold. By reducing and maintaining the relative humidity of a structure below 50%,
both dust mite infestation and mold growth will be prevented.

13. COMMERCIAL CARPET CLEANING
FREQUENCY CHART
Reference: ANSI/IICRC Reference Guide For Professional Cleaning ofTextile Floor Coverings (IICRC S100)
TRAFFIC SOIL RATING*
VACUUM 1ST
FLOOR**
VACUUM ABOVE
1ST
FLOOR
SPOT CLEANING INTERIM CLEANING
RESTORATIVE
CLEANING
LIGHT DAILY 2-3XWEEKLY DAILY OR AS NEEDED 1-2X ANNUALLY 1-3X ANNUALLY
MEDIUM DAILY*** DAILY DAILY OR AS NEEDED 6-12X ANNUALLY 3-6X ANNUALLY
HEAVY
DAILY OVERALL;
2X DAILY INTRAFFIC AREAS
DAILY DAILY OR AS NEEDED 12-52X ANNUALLY 6-26X ANNUALLY

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