Mr. Sawchuk

Eco-Friendly Practices

Green Cleaning Hotel Carpet

By Mike Sawchuk, President & General Manager, Enviro-Solutions

There are probably scores of inventions that were made by "accident." This often happens when scientists and engineers are trying to develop a product for one purpose but find that it could be used for something else, sometimes something entirely different than what was originally intended. This is essentially how the most effective system to test carpet extractors was developed, and it has allowed hotel housekeepers to keep carpets healthier, cleaner, and Greener. And in this case it came about with a touch of science fiction to boot.

Lloyd Starks of KeyMaster Technologies, Inc. in Kennewick, Washington has always been fascinated by Buck Rogers, a fictional, futuristic cartoon character who was an early space-age hero to scores of young children when he was first introduced in 1928. Now nearly 60 years old, Starks holds the patent for X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer technology, an invention first used by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to examine space shuttle components and identify miniscule cracks and flaws that could become potentially hazardous problems in space.

While working with a major carpet manufacturer on a system to detect and distinguish different carpet protection systems on carpets, Starks realized that XRF technology could possibly be used to determine how effectively a carpet has been cleaned. In fact, XRF is so powerful that it can measure not only the amount of soil and impurities in a carpet but the type of soil as well. "Every atom has a fingerprint of sorts," says Starks, "and XRF reveals those fingerprints, even when they are soils."

To test his theory, he worked with the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) to develop a carpet extractor testing program using XRF technology. Sample carpets were tested before cleaning to detect how much and what type of soil was present in the carpet fibers. They were then retested after being cleaned with different portable carpet extractors, such as those used in hotel properties, to evaluate the performance of the machines by seeing how much soil was removed. The before-and-after testing measured not only how much soil was removed but also how much moisture the different machines left in the carpets compared to one another. This is significant because moisture left in carpets can impair indoor air quality (IAQ), cause rapid resoiling of the carpets, and, if wet for more than 48 to 72 hours, create a breeding ground for mold and mildew to develop-which can have very serious health consequences.

Proving that XRF could play a significant role in testing the performance and effectiveness of carpet extractors, CRI developed what is now known as the Seal of Approval (SOA) program. Manufacturers can have CRI test their machines on test carpet samples that have been mechanically soiled, and then each machine that meets CRI's standards is given a bronze, silver, or gold (the highest rating) SOA rating, depending on the test results. Machines with an SOA rating are considered Greener because they are more effective at removing contaminants and moisture from carpets after cleaning. The SOA program provides a certification system for carpet extractors, just as Green cleaning products are tested and then those with passing results are certified Green. This has had several benefits for the cleaning industry as well as the end user.

Green Carpet Cleaning?

Even though the Green movement has had a major impact on the jansan industry and the ways facilities are cleaned, many facility managers and even cleaning professionals believe Green cleaning refers only to the use of environmentally preferable cleaning chemicals. While Green cleaning chemicals are a vital component, Green cleaning encompasses much more and extends to virtually all the procedures, frequencies, tools and equipment we use for cleaning. Those cleaning products manufactured to be more environmentally responsible have a reduced impact on the environment and tend to be safer for the user and building occupants. This certainly holds true for carpet extractors and carpet cleaning.

The "health" of carpets may be even more critical in a hotel property than in many other types of facilities. Hotels often have acres of carpeted floors that may be used by literally thousands of people every day. The carpets act like a sponge, absorbing dust, soil, and pollutants. Eventually these contaminants must be removed-extracted-from the carpets or they can affect IAQ and the health of the indoor environment as well as building occupants.

In one case, children staying at a Fort Worth, TX, hotel mysteriously became ill. Looking for the cause, city health officials checked for the usual culprits-such as what they had recently eaten and where they had recently been-but found no answers. Finally, it was discovered that all of the children became ill after playing with their toys on the carpets in their hotel guest rooms. The carpets were tested and found to contain a variety of unhealthy contaminants. The children had touched the carpets while playing and then eaten snacks, causing the contaminants from the carpets to be ingested and the children to become ill.

In addition to carpets not being thoroughly cleaned, if conventional carpet cleaning chemicals are used to clean the carpets and not thoroughly extracted, they can release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other contaminants into the air that can also harm the IAQ and the health of hotel guests. However, the use of Certified (Green Seal or EcoLogo) Green chemicals and effective certified extractors can significantly reduce harmful contaminants from carpets and keep cleaning workers and guests healthy.

A Systems Approach

In addition to Green carpet care involving more than just cleaning chemicals, we must always view this and all Green cleaning as part of a system, with each component working together to protect human health and the environment. For instance, if you use environmentally preferable carpet cleaning chemicals but an older or non-SOA-approved carpet extractor, this may wipe out the benefits of Green by leaving too much moisture in the carpets, negatively affecting the indoor environment.

This effect was demonstrated when the Harvard University's Department of Public Health analyzed the impact of using conventional floor care products on an environmentally preferable hard-surface floor. They found that all of the environmental benefits of the flooring are essentially eliminated the first time the conventional chemicals are used on the floor.

If Green cleaning is not operated as a complete system, it defeats the goal of incorporating healthier, Greener cleaning into a facility. It is also why hotel housekeepers in the process of Greening their properties should work with their jansan distributor to develop a comprehensive program to make sure that the carpet extractors selected--along with all products, chemicals, and tools used for cleaning--contribute to a Green cleaning system.

SOA's Impact on Hotel Housekeepers

The independent, third-party Green certification programs such as EcoLogoTM, Green Seal(R), and some others that have been developed to evaluate cleaning chemicals and other cleaning products have had a dramatic positive impact on the industry. They have eliminated the confusion both end customers as well as jansan distributors and manufacturers faced determining what is and is not a Green cleaning product.

Before certification, some products were self-declared Green by their manufacturers based on the most reliable information and sources at the time or simply to take advantage of consumer marketing trends. This confusion harmed the growth of the Green movement because manufacturers were uncertain of the guidelines necessary to develop a truly environmentally preferable and responsible product. And consumers felt deceived and misled when they selected products deemed Green that were later determined not to be so. The impact of certification can be summed up in one word: validation. Certification indicates that the product has now been tested, analyzed, and independently proven to be Green.

The same can be said of the use of XRF technology and the SOA program. This rating program removes all subjectivity and doubt about selecting a carpet extractor. The technology and program have helped the industry establish recognized and honored criteria so that manufacturers now have guidelines as to what is Green and can develop equipment that performs more effectively. The certification program has also eliminated the uncertainty for the consumer as well as distributors marketing extractors.

We can see that it was not so much science fiction that revolutionized the carpet cleaning industry, making it more effective and Greener, but science itself. Based on studies, tests, and approved practices, a technology developed for one purpose has found another and helped an industry develop products that are making our hotels and the environment healthier for everyone.

Mike Sawchuk is VP and GM of Enviro-Solutions, a leading manufacturer of certified-Green cleaning chemicals. He has developed and implemented programs in the cleaning industry throughout North America. His career has spanned sales, marketing, and operations positions with manufacturers and distributors. He holds a bachelor of business administration from Brock University and a MBA from McMaster University. He is a frequent presenter at seminars and tradeshows and am author of several articles on Green cleaning issues. Mr. Sawchuk can be contacted at 877-674-4373 or Sawchuk@Enviro-Solution.com Extended Bio...

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