"What
A Difference!" certified professional's Code of Ethics
REASONS WHY YOU MAY HAVE YOUR CARPETS/FABRICS CLEANED/REFRESHED
Kids are back to school
Spot had an accident
Mother in law is coming to visit
Garden Club's next meeting is at your home
Light blue color is looking brown
Crying over spilt milk
The area you just spot cleaned is now brighter than the surrounding area
Evidence of a wine tasting
Just had the soccer team end of season party
Traffic lane patterns are appearing ghostly
ALL
VERY GOOD REASONS FOR HAVING YOUR
CARPETS/FABRICS CLEANED/REFRESHED
Professional hot water extraction "steam" cleaning restores
and renovates the appearance of your carpeting. It makes it look better
and smell better. Yet, there is another extremely important reason you
should have your carpets professionally cleaned - your family's health!
That's right! Cleaner carpet and fabrics contribute to a healthier home
environment.
YOUR CARPETS/FABRICS AS A SINK
Have you ever thought about
what types of soiling and other conditions that you carpet is subjected
to? Your carpet acts like a sink. It collects and filters almost every
spilled material, airborne contaminant, and tracked soiling that enters
you home. As a matter of fact, carpet is designed to hide soiling. By
the time a carpet "looks" dirty, it can have a great deal of
contamination collected in it.
WHAT'S LURKING IN YOUR CARPET?
Time for the scare tactics
vocabulary -
Allergens
Asbestos
Biocontaminants
Chemical contamination
Combustion products
Dirt
Dust mites
Epidermal waste
Food particles
Grease and oil deposits
Gypsum
Insoluble particulate
soiling
Migrated outdoor pollutants
Pesticides
Quartz
Sand
Soil
Volatile Organic Compounds
(VOC's)
BIG WORDS, but what do they mean? Quite simply, if your carpet acts like
a sink, then it filters and collects sources of soil, bacteria, allergens,
and pollutants form the indoor environment. These contaminants are part
of what make your carpet "ugly - out". This "collection"
and "filtering" process allows carpet to trap contaminants within
the carpet/fabric. Hard surface floors may allow these contaminants to
continue to "roam" throughout the indoor environment. But like
any filter, your carpet needs to be periodically cleaned out. If these
contaminants are in your home, they could be contributing to you and your
family's health and allergy problems. Bacteria, pollutants, and allergens
trapped in your carpet/fabrics can contribute to an unhealthy indoor environment.
Dr. Thomas Plattts-Mills,, head of Allergic Medicine at the University
of Virginia Medical School, estimates somewhere between 500,000 to 1,000,000
hospital visit are made each year by patients allergic to biocontaminants
(fungi, mites, cockroaches, bacteria). Dr. Michael Berry, Deputy Director
of the Environmental Criteria and Assessment office of the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) stated the indoor environment may approaching
a pollution level 9 times (900%) of what our outdoor environment is. "Based
on what I have learned in recent months from researchers working in the
United States, Canada, and Western Europe, I have reached the conclusion
that carpeting and fabric not cleaned and properly maintained have the
potential to cause a variety of health problems inside the building environment."
So what can you do about all of these things that are lurking in your
carpets?
For one thing, periodic
vacuuming. Vacuuming can remove a great deal of this soiling. But most
vacuum bags allow small particles to pass through them. These released
particles tend to build up over time and have the greatest potential to
cause harm as they are inhaled deep into the lungs. Many other types of
contamination simply cannot be removed by regular vacuuming. That is why
it is absolutely essential that you have your carpets periodically cleaned
professionally. "Certified" Professional Carpet Cleaning by
the Hot Water Extraction method makes a significant positive contribution
to removing these contaminants. Recent tests performed by organizations
such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle
Institute, and the Carpet and Rug Institute have demonstrated that professional
cleaning can contribute to a reduction in indoor air pollutants.
Here's what Dr. Berry of the EPA has stated:
"Every time carpets
and fabrics are emptied of their pollution buildup through professional
cleaning methods, there is a health benefit. Cleaning processes that extract
pollutants from the environment enhance the quality of the indoor environment
by reducing exposure. Cleaning, especially through extraction, improves
environmental conditions and health protection."
HOW OFTEN
SHOULD YOU HAVE US CLEAN YOUR CARPETS?
How often you should have
your carpets cleaned by our "What A Difference!" certified professional
depends on a number of circumstances.
Du Pont, the world's largest
manufacturer of fibers, recommends cleaning at least every eighteen months.
But other considerations
may increase the frequency rate:
Smoking habits
Number of children
Ages of children
Soiling conditions
Humidity
Temperature
Condition of the outdoor
environment
Health status of occupants
Allergy conditions
Number of pets
Types of pets
Types of activities being
conducted
Just to name a few.
WHAT DO FIBER PRODUCERS AND CARPET MANUFACTURERS
SAY ABOUT CARPET/RUG CLEANING?
The five largest fiber producers:
Allied
BASF
Du Pont
Hoechst Celanese
Monsanto
All recommend periodic cleaning
by a certified professional!
Most major carpet mills
agree. Shaw Industries, the world's largest carpet manufacturer recommends
hot water extraction carpet cleaning by a trained certified professional.
Du Pont, in their report "Indoor Air Quality: A Technical Review
of "Carpet Contributions" states, "Since carpets do act
as a 'sink' for many types of particles, periodic professional cleaning
is very important."
WHAT ELSE SHOULD I KNOW ABOUT CARPET CLEANING?
After your carpet has been professionally cleaned, there are several other
important things for you to consider. Several simple practices will help
you and your family get more enjoyment out of your freshly cleaned carpeting.
First, your carpet will
be protected by the installation of protective tabs or blocks underneath
the legs of wooden furniture. Please do not remove these tabs or blocks
until your carpet is completely dry.
Second, how long your carpet
takes to dry depends upon many things within your indoor environment -
including:
Humidity
Air movement
The degree of soiling
that was with the carpet
And your instructions
to our cleaning technician.
Please refrain from subjection
your carpet to extreme traffic or usage until the carpet is completely
dry. This will usually occur within four to twelve hours.
Third, children and pets
should be kept off of the freshly cleaned carpets for six (6)to twelve
(12)hours after cleaning or until the carpet is completely dry.
A HEALTHIER INDOOR ENVIRONMENT
Carpet and fabric cleaning
by our "What A Difference!" certified professional can be an
important contribution in maintaining the health of your family's environment.
So don't delay. Just because your carpet may not look too dirty doesn't
mean that it doesn't need to be cleaned. "What A Difference!"
certified professionals look forward to the opportunity of serving you
soon.
A Drapery, Rug and Upholstery Cleaning Program for a Cleaner, Safer and
Healthier Indoor and Outdoor Environment
"What A Difference!"
certified professional's Code of Ethics:
1. "What A Difference!" certified professionals will make every
effort possible to contribute to and enhance a cleaner and healthier indoor
and outdoor environment.
2. "What A Difference!" certified professionals will strive
to protect the health and safety of our cleaning client as well as our
service specialist by using training programs, equipment, cleaning solutions,
and technical procedures that to the best of our knowledge are the safest
available.
3. "What A Difference!" certified professionals will work to
maximize the healthy condition and quality of our customers indoor home
environment by extracting form their draperies, rugs and upholstered items
maximum amounts of soil, toxins, allergens, pollutants, bacteria and particulates
while at the same time maintaining the integrity of the fibers themselves.
4. What A Difference!" certified professionals will dispose of our
cleaning recovery wastewater by procedures which are set by company policies
that meet or exceed all local, state, and federal waste water management
authorities and will not contribute to the pollution of our lands, streams,
harbors, oceans, waterways, and landfills.
5. What A Difference!" certified professionals will strive to provide
our clients with the very best and safest cleaning of their home or office
carpets and fabrics which contributes to your health, the fabrics life
and appearance. Our cleaning methods and procedures will not effect the
stain resist, wear or appearance warranties of your home or office carpets
or fabrics.
6. What A Difference!" certified professionals using high controlled
cleaning solution temperatures will contribute to a healthier indoor and
outdoor environment by using less chemical and ensuring faster drying
times.
7. What A Difference!" certified professionals will only use cleaning
solutions that have been selected by Steam Way International when providing
the Healthy Homecare Program™. These cleaning solutions are environmentally
safe, biodegradable, rinse virtually residue free, minimize any exacerbation
of any pre-existing allergy conditions and adverse effect on the indoor
and outdoor environment.
The Globe, your family and
"What A Difference!" certified professionals thank you for considering
our alternative for a healthier lifestyle.