Carpet is found in most homes, workplaces, hotels, schools and other public facilities across America. People choose carpet for its limitless decorating possibilities, safety and comfort, insulation and noise absorption, but while people love the way carpet looks and feels, market research shows cleaning and maintenance as the number one customer concern affecting carpet selection. Today’s carpets are more stain resistant and durable than ever, making them relatively easy to clean and maintain. However, maintaining the life and beauty of carpet depends on several factors: the quality of products and equipment used to clean carpets; the frequency and methods by which carpets are cleaned; and the skill and knowledge of people doing the cleaning.

The Carpet and Rug Institute’s (CRI) Seal of Approval program addresses the issue of carpet cleaning effectiveness by testing and certifying only those products that meet high-performance standards. This not only helps customers recognize quality products, but also helps them understand the best methods for preserving the life and beauty of their carpet. Additionally, Seal of Approval serves as an incentive for manufacturers to improve their products if they don’t pass the tests.

Proper cleaning is essential to preserving a carpet’s life and appearance, but not all cleaning products clean equally well. One of the things that prompted the creation of the Seal of Approval testing program was the fact that independent testing shows that some cleaning solutions and spot removers clean no better than water, and can even leave a sticky residue that attracts soil at a faster rate. There are also big differences in the soil removal and moisture-capture capacity among extractors, some of which are designed for deep cleaning, others for interim cleaning, and still others for light appearance cleaning.

To make sure carpet cleaning products deliver expected results and to help customers identify those products, the CRI’s Seal of Approval program tests solutions and equipment and certifies those that meet demanding performance standards.

Effective cleaning has health-related benefits. Carpet serves as a trap for allergens and other particles that fall to the floor. Removing them with vacuums that keep dirt and dust within the canister helps improve air quality. Likewise, using extractors that effectively recover water and cleaning detergents from the carpet minimizes the possibility of mold growth, which can occur when dirt and moisture remain in the carpet.

Extending carpet’s life also saves residential, commercial and institutional users from spending money on premature replacement, and reduces the amount of carpet going to landfills. Because of this, the Seal of Approval program has received the endorsement of the Florida Green Lodging program, sponsored by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

Underscoring the value that carpet manufacturers place on the role of quality cleaning products, some of the largest manufacturers have announced they will require the use of CRI Seal of Approval products as part of their carpet warranties.

The CRI Seal of Approval program began in 2004 by setting test methods and performance criteria for two categories of cleaning products: spot removers and pre-spray/in-tank cleaning solutions. In 2005, the program expanded to include a significant new element in the testing protocol — x-ray fluorescence (XRF), a sophisticated testing method that measures the precise amount of soil removed from carpet. XRF was developed by private industry and enhanced by NASA for the Space Shuttle program. Because CRI’s Seal of Approval program takes advantage of space technology, companies certified under the Seal of Approval XRF testing program are eligible to display the Space Foundation Seal, which showcases the fact that consumers can benefit from space science.

Recently, CRI expanded the program to include deep cleaning systems, processes which incorporate a specific machine used with a specific cleaning agent, following a specific procedure recommended by the manufacturer. In the near future, CRI’s Green Label Vacuum Cleaner Program will also likely be moved over to include Seal of Approval designation, thus assuring the vacuum cleaner not only improves indoor air quality but also cleans effectively.

To learn more about CRI and the Seal of Approval program, visit www.carpet-rug.org.