Every home or office space needs regular carpet cleaning so that the areas you spend the most time in are always smelling clean and feeling fresh. Non-toxic carpet cleaners are the best way to ensure this while keeping the people around you safe.  

Green carpet cleaning methods avoid using potentially lethal chemicals and instead value a more environmentally friendly approach. Non-toxic carpet cleaners are safe by everyone’s standards. You can feel more secure in knowing you and your loved ones won’t be harmed in the comfort of your own home or amongst the employees in your workplace.

In this article, Angle Carpet Cleaning in Glendale will dive into the specifics on which non-toxic carpet cleaners you should be using and which potentially dangerous ones you should avoid. 

This comprehensive guide will be divided into the following sections: 

• Toxic Carpet Cleaning Chemicals
• Ways to Safely Clean Carpet
• Seeking Professional Services

Before we discuss those topics, let’s do a little housekeeping and answer some recurring questions about non-toxic carpet cleaning and the best green carpet cleaning solutions.

Do carpet cleaners use toxic chemicals?

Most carpet cleaning methods, when performed correctly, are non-toxic and don’t pose a major threat to the safety and well-being of everyone nearby. But some carpet cleaners contain toxic chemicals and have the ability to contaminate indoor air quality.

It can be difficult to guarantee non-toxic carpet cleaning measures are being taken without a professional carpet cleaning service. This requires hiring carpet cleaners who practice green carpet cleaning and will have the ability and knowledge to execute a safe carpet cleaning plan.

However, this type of relationship with your local green carpet cleaning service also requires some trust. You should be asking what chemicals are being used on your carpets and then verifying that those chemicals are, in fact, non-toxic carpet cleaners.

Once you’ve established credibility with the right carpet cleaning professionals, you now have a solid option for all of your green carpet cleaning needs. 

Are steam cleaning carpet solutions toxic?

Steam cleaning carpet treatment is generally a non-toxic process that combines cleaning agents with hot water to create steam. The steam is then used for removing dirt and grime from the carpet with a specialized vacuum and rinse system.

Like any cleaning formula, the wrong mix of products can cause a hazardous substance that is unsafe to use. This holds true for steam cleaning as well, which is why it’s important to check with experts in the green carpet cleaning industry.

Steam cleaning carpet treatment presents certain advantages and challenges that you need to consider before taking this approach.

Pros:

• Green carpet cleaning companies will use eco-friendly techniques to effectively and sustainably clean areas that minimize human exposure to contaminants.

• Removes dirt and grime thoroughly, as well as dust and pet stains for most residential and commercial settings. Certain non-toxic carpet cleaning formulas will not work with steam cleaning, which is another reason to seek professional advice.

• Helps improve air quality by combating allergens that often get trapped inside the carpet fibers. Different types of allergens are more active during certain times of the year and undergo constant seasonal changes.

Cons:

• Leaves carpet wet for several hours, which can be a major inconvenience for households with children or pets. Businesses with tight deadlines on projects that require face-to-face interaction can also be affected.

• Takes several hours for the wet carpet to dry after a steam cleaning. This is inopportune for people and businesses with busy schedules, but it allows time for mold and bacteria to form on the carpet. (We’ll talk more about this later.)

• Creates wastewater leftovers where the disposal method isn’t always clearly known. (Pro Tip: Ask your green carpet cleaning company what they do with their wastewater after cleaning to make sure they follow a responsible and environmentally conscious plan.)

If you are steam cleaning carpets by yourself without seeking professional help, it’s important to always pay attention to the chemicals in each product. We’ll spend more time talking about dangerous chemical combinations in a moment, but you need to be mindful of them at all times.

Are babies safe from carpet cleaning?

With most carpet cleaning formulas being non-toxic, it makes them generally safe for infants and small children. Carpet cleaning experts will advise you to keep children away from recently cleaned carpets for several hours, possibly even a full 24-hours after cleaning.

This ultimately depends on a bunch of factors, including the type of carpet, the surface area of the carpeted area, and how profound the area or particular carpet stain was. In all of these scenarios, a qualified green carpet cleaning technician will be able to tell you exactly what the waiting period should be. The right professional service will also use non-toxic carpet cleaning formulas, especially when children are present.

Can you get Kawasaki disease from carpet cleaning?

At this time, researchers have concluded there is no link between carpet cleaning chemicals and Kawasaki disease. All claims of a scientific connection have been dismissed.

Kawasaki disease, also known as Kawasaki syndrome, is a severe illness caused by the inflammation of blood vessels. About 80 percent of all cases occur in children under five years old, making it the leading cause of acquired heart disease in children.

A theory that began following the death of famous actor John Travolta’s son is that Kawasaki disease was the culprit via exposure to carpet cleaning chemicals. Travolta’s son, who suffered from seizures, was found unconscious on Jan 2, 2009, after striking his head violently on a bathtub.

A handful of years before his son’s death, Travolta publicly said he believed his son’s Kawasaki Disease diagnosis was linked to toxic carpet cleaning chemicals, thus the cause of the seizures. This theory was widely promoted without evidence in the media following the death.

Toxic Carpet Cleaning Chemicals

Across the carpet cleaning industry, the majority of chemicals will not severely jeopardize the health and safety of everyone who comes in close contact with the freshly cleaned carpet. Most cleaning agents are relatively mild, but that doesn’t mean these chemicals are completely harmless..

If possible, you should try to refrain from using certain ingredients and go with non-toxic carpet cleaners. There are three particular carpet cleaning chemicals classified as carcinogens by both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the American Cancer Society: Tetrachloroethylene, Naphthalene, and Butoxyethanol.

1. Tetrachloroethylene (Perchloroethylene) 

Tetrachloroethylene, also known as perchloroethylene and commonly referred to as “Perc” in the industry, is a colorless liquid with a sweet aroma. Perc was a popular chemical before companies began using green carpet cleaning techniques. In extreme cases, exposure to a large amount can lead to detrimental health problems.

Perc is popularly used in dry cleaning machines, so people who live or work near dry cleaning facilities have greater exposure. About 28,000 dry cleaning facilities around the country use Perc, so the EPA was forced to act. In 2020, an EPA mandate under the Clean Air Act went into effect that bans dry cleaning services located near residential buildings to use Perc.

The ban was put in place as a result of the alarming side effects Perc can have on people. If exposed heavily to the chemical, it can irritate the body’s respiratory system and eyes. It can also cause kidney dysfunction and neurological effects such as behavioral changes and coordination impairment. Nausea, dizziness, and vomiting are also possibilities.

The American Cancer Society lists Perc as a “probable carcinogen.” This means the scientific evidence isn’t conclusive yet, but there are compelling indications that the chemical is dangerous when inhaled. Human studies show high exposure could lead to an increased risk of getting bladder cancer, multiple myeloma, or non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.  

Wearing dry-cleaned clothes or having minimal exposure to Perc through carpet cleaners doesn’t guarantee any of these perilous side effects. It will likely have a small impact. But increased exposure precipitates an increased risk for harmful disease, and you can avoid this entirely by using non-toxic carpet cleaners.

2. Naphthalene

Naphthalene is a popular cleaning agent that helps to dissolve dirt and grease, making it an effective tool for carpet cleaning. But similar to Perc, Naphthalene is also flagged by the American Cancer Society as “reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens.”

This is one step lower down the list compared to Perc as a probable carcinogen because there is less scientific evidence to support it being lethal. However, Naphthalene still shows strong signs of destruction. Made from coal tar and also used as a pesticide to kill moths and other insects, the chemical has harmful side effects too.

Naphthalene can cause cognitive issues such as confusion and dizziness, while it also can lead to nausea and vomiting. More severe drawbacks from high exposure include both kidney and liver damage and possible nerve damage.

3. Butoxyethanol

Butoxyethanol is another colorless liquid commonly used as a solvent in many hard surface cleaning products. Like the aforementioned substances, Butoxyethanol is dangerous to inhale in large amounts, but the key difference is skin exposure.

Skin contact with butoxyethanol can result in irritation as well as the chemical being absorbed through the skin. Side effects include headaches, dizziness, and passing out. There are also some extreme health difficulties associated with the chemical such as liver and kidney damage.

When cleaning the carpet yourself, it’s important to always read the label of cleaning products and find out if any of the listed chemicals are hazardous. In specific carpet cleaning situations, look for the three chemicals above and try to avoid them as much as you can.

Non-toxic carpet cleaners are a better alternative to using cleaning agents that have any of these active ingredients. Professional carpet cleaning technicians are aware of these potentially dangerous substances and will provide a more eco-friendly solution.

Non-Toxic Carpet Cleaning Practices

There are a variety of non-toxic carpet cleaning methods you can implement whether you want to take them on yourself or hire outside help. Regardless of your choice, it’s important to know the chemicals being used.

If you decide to venture along the do-it-yourself path, think of it as a three-step checklist for non-toxic carpet cleaning by combining homemade solutions and store-bought cleaning products:

1. Homemade Spot Cleaners
2. Homemade Full-Carpet Cleaners
3. Eco-Friendly Store-Bought Cleaners 

But first, you’ll need to know how to carefully shop for non-toxic carpet cleaners. 

Luckily, there are a few free online resources where you can search what kind of chemicals are in certain cleaning products. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has the GRAS database, which stands for “Generally Recognized As Safe.” 

GRAS pulls from hundreds of studies and scientific reports to explain what ingredients are in products. You can also look up which cleaning products are part of the EPA’s Safe Choice Program, an initiative designed to help consumers find products with safer ingredients.

More than 2,000 products qualify for the program to give people the best information on making environmentally-safe buying decisions. Another helpful resource the EPA provides is the Design for the Environment (DfE) label it places on antimicrobial products like disinfectants and sanitizers.

Although these may be less specific to non-toxic carpet cleaners, it’s still a valuable tool when purchasing cleaning products for your home and office.

1. Homemade Spot Cleaners

Various combinations of soap, white vinegar, baking soda, and essential oils make for great spot cleaning solutions. You can apply these non-toxic carpet cleaners when you have an individual stain that needs immediate attention.

The top five most common carpet stains are coffee, wine, mud, blood, and pet stains. White vinegar is an effective agent against coffee and wine stains, while warmer water, soap, and baking soda will get you started on removing oil-based stains and mud.

2. Homemade Full-Carpet Cleaners

For larger non-toxic carpet cleaning projects where the objective is to clean a whole room, carpeted area of the house, or office, you’ll need to strategically plan how to use a combination of dry powders and cleaning products with some form of vacuuming and steam cleaning.

Baking soda and cornmeal can be potent odor-absorbing ingredients that will freshen any carpet safely with a simple vacuum cleanup. Other homemade non-toxic carpet steaming efforts that attempt to mix cleaning products with a steam cleaner are also an option, but these methods have many reasons for caution.

You need to be mindful that you don’t accidentally create a toxic solution that puts everyone in your home or office at risk. The wrong blend of cleaning products could be catastrophic. 

3. Eco-Friendly Store-Bought Cleaners

A lot of companies and products like to portray themselves as eco-friendly. In today’s marketplace, it’s more advantageous to make these claims and advertise them because consumers prioritize environmentally-safe products.

By using the EPA’s Safer Choice Program and looking for the DfE label on products, as well as checking the FDA’s GRAS database, you can make informed purchasing decisions while shopping for the safest non-toxic carpet cleaners.

Seeking Professional Green Carpet Cleaning Services

As we’ve continued to express throughout this guide, when it comes to green carpet cleaning and using the best non-toxic carpet cleaners, there’s nobody more equipped for the job than a professional. Local businesses with several years of experience know how to safely and efficiently render the best results for your carpet.

There are a lot of carpet cleaning companies out there who claim to use non-toxic carpet cleaners and practice sustainable methods for green carpet cleaning, but it can be more or less window dressing.

They say it because they know that’s what people want to hear. Almost every customer wants to be told their carpets will be cleaned responsibly with the safest cleaning agents that leave behind the least amount of environmental waste.

But who is supposed to cross-reference these claims and confirm green carpet cleaning is taking place? It’s up to the educated customer. Here are a few things to closely look at before choosing the right non-toxic carpet cleaning service:

• Using Green Products: As much as advertisements or even commercials can say non-toxic carpet cleaners are being used, it doesn’t guarantee companies are following through. You should first call the company to double-check they don’t use any harmful chemicals. Then, verify if the chemicals they use are green-certified.

Legitimate green carpet cleaning businesses will use green-certified products authorized by the EPA and FDA’s standards. Continue to verify ingredients through the Safer Choice Program, DfE labels, and the GRAS list.

• Shorter Dry Times: The best green carpet cleaning services will leave your home or office with shorter dry times after a deep cleaning. Shorter dry times are crucial because it reduces the chance of mold, mildew, and bacteria spreading throughout your home, office, or work facility.

The typical dry time after a proper green carpet cleaning is within 24-hours. Anything exceeding that threshold will increase the risk of toxic spread, which can impact human exposure through skin contact or breathing in poor air quality.

• Show Proven History: Using the right non-toxic carpet cleaning products with short dry times doesn’t mean much without a company that has produced successful results. Read online reviews, talk to your neighbors and business colleagues, and do a little bit of research in your free time. Finding a superb green carpet cleaner that you can call anytime is an invaluable asset.

Closing Advice

We’ve covered a lot of information in this year’s comprehensive guide to non-toxic carpet cleaning. Enough that it may be overwhelming, but you should always remember there are highly qualified green carpet cleaning services out there.

You don’t have to research chemical ingredients on your own or manufacture a homemade steam cleaning apparatus out of an old vacuum that sits untouched in the closet. Maintaining clean carpets is an essential part of a strong home and prosperous business.

Clean carpets create a pleasant aesthetic for guests and customers to ogle at, but it helps keep people safe. And the best way to preserve the carpet is by letting green carpet cleaning professionals use non-toxic carpet cleaners.