Carpet Cleaning Blog

What if someone told you right now that your carpets are loaded with allergens and toxins that could make your pets, your kids, and you sick?

You would probably want to rip up those carpets, right?

This is a normal and natural response, and yet it is the same sort of response people often have to the concept of professional carpet cleaning services: aversion. "Oh, no," they think, "those professional services use such toxic chemicals. We could never do that!" But what if we told you that the cleaning products we use are just as safe as the soaps and shampoos you already have in your bathroom cabinet? And what if we said that the stuff hiding in your carpet fibers right now is more dangerous than anything we would ever use to clean them with?

In this article, learn why you absolutely CAN have your indoor carpets professionally cleaned AND still provide a safe environment for your family.

Meet Our Cleaning Products

Here at Crystal Clean Services, we are parents too and we love our pets! This is exactly why we wouldn't use anything on your carpets that we wouldn't use in our own homes.

This is also why we post full and detailed MSDS (Materials Safety Data Sheets) for each product we use—you won't find any surprises here! We want you to make your own full and informed decision that you will feel good about.

This list represents the sum total of all the cleaning products we may use during your carpet cleaning job, depending on what you specifically request us to do:

• Dry foam shampoo. Sodium lauryl sulphate and ethanol are the only two ingredients. Ethanol comes from the same family as rubbing alcohol—it is just in a slightly smaller molecular form. And sodium lauryl sulphate is a foaming agent that is present in most soaps and shampoos today.
• Pre-treatment spray. This water-based spray is organic and alkaline. We use it for spot treatment only (if you have a particularly deep or difficult stain) at your specific request.
• Post-treatment stain shield. This stain shield provides UV-resistance and stain protection and we use it only at your specific request.
• Deodorizer. This optional deodorizer contains three ingredients: fragrance, propylene glycol, and primary alcohol alkoxylate. Propylene glycol is classified as a "small organic compound" commonly used in personal care products as a skin conditioner and fragrance. Primary alcohol alkoxylate is a type of surfactant (cleaning agent) that is biodegradable.

But Certainly There Must Be SOME Risks, Right?

While some of the ingredients listed in the four products we may use during carpet cleanings have scary-sounding names, they are considered to be as low-risk as many of the household cleaning products and personal care products you likely already have in your house today… with one notable exception.

Ingestion

Just as you wouldn't guzzle a bottle of hand lotion or stick a straw in a bottle of counter spray, you wouldn't want to drink or eat (or let your kids or pets drink or eat) our products. That is not what they are made for, of course.

Similarly, you don't want to spray or rub them into your eyes, nose, or skin. Here, even doing this with a common all-natural cleaner like baking soda or lemon juice could do some serious damage to those delicate tissues!

But we just like to mention this up front, to be sure you are aware that these products are entirely safe so long as they are used for the purposes for which they were created.

What's That You Said About Allergens & Toxins in My Carpets?

Oh yes. Your carpets — right now as they are — are much more toxic than anything we could possibly bring into your home to use to clean, deodorize, or protect them.

According to the Canadian Lung Association (CLA), existing carpeting offers a ready home to all of the following major irritants, allergens and toxins:

• Dust and dust mites
• Mould and mildew
• Pet dander
• Pollen
• Bacteria and fungi
• Chemical and biological irritants
• Smoke residue

These irritants and allergens are responsible for a host of health symptoms, including the following:

• Allergies that never go away
• Wheezing or asthma attacks
• Dry, itchy eyes or watery eyes
• Nose and throat irritation
• Coughing or sneezing
• Cold or flu-like symptoms
• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Skin irritation

The CLA also mentions that pulling up an old carpet you've had for a while can be a "sobering" experience—not to mention a stinky, dusty one! They offer a list of suggestions for how to ensure the carpeting in your home stays clean and safe:

• Vacuum it regularly with a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) rated vacuum.
• Immediately blot up and dry any moisture spills, even water.
• Use only non-toxic carpet cleaners for shampooing and cleaning (and don't do the work yourself unless you are VERY confident about mixing and using the products)!
• Discard water-damaged or mouldy carpets, as mould, and the treatment for it, can be very toxic.

Contact Crystal Clean Services to Schedule Your Cleaning

Here at Crystal Clean Services, we love hardwood floors and tile as much as the next person, but truly, there is no substitute for the feel of a soft, clean carpet beneath your feet!

Plus, carpet is so much nicer for infants and babies to play on and for the family pet who just wants to laze in the sun and nap. With our cleaning products, they can do those things safely.

Let us help you keep your wonderful, soft, and comfy carpeting safe, clean, and healthy for your whole family to enjoy. You can visit us online to learn more and schedule your professional dry foam carpet cleaning service today!