One of the most important carpet maintenance steps is removing dry soil and dust. Removing dry soil and dust from the carpet will improve the air qual...
One of the most important carpet maintenance steps is removing dry soil and dust. Removing dry soil and dust from the carpet will improve the air quality in the room and help to extend the life of the carpet. Keeping a regular maintenance schedule for your carpet is only one part of carpet care you also need to have the proper equipment for the job.
The Green Label
The CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) has developed The Green Label testing program for vacuum cleaners. The CRI developed the performance protocol and the main goal of that protocol is to protect the carpet quality,
keep the surfaces clean, and preserve air quality by not pushing dust back into the air.
The Green Label testing program identifies three criteria to certify cleaners.
1. Removes soil.
2. Keeps dust out of the air by containing it within the filtration bag and the machine itself.
3. It doesn't damage the carpet and helps to keep the appearance looking good.
Carpet and vacuum experts, along with scientists experienced with maintaining indoor air quality collaborated to develop the certification tests.
Soil removal
The test for soil removal involves four passes of the vacuum cleaner over a test carpet area. To pass the cleaner must extract a specified quantity of soil, in those four passes.
Dust containment
To pass the dust containment protocol no more than 100 microns of dust per cubic meter of air can be allowed to escape the cleaner. This includes the area around the brush rolls, the filtration bag, and any leaks from the vacuum system.
Carpet retention
The appearance protocol is a little subjective. It requires the vacuum cleaner to not adversely affect the carpet appearance, based on one year of normal use.
The manufacturer of the vacuum cleaner may only display the official CRI Green Label on the vacuum cleaner if it meets all three of the above criteria. The CRI tests canister and upright vacuums, wide area vacuums, and even walk behind types as well.
Matching machines
The first step to identifying a cleaner that will help extend carpet life and improve the air quality of your home or office is to look for the Green Label. Your next step is to match the vacuum cleaner with the job at hand. Matching vacuums is like engines: you wouldn't use a Volkswagen to power the Space Shuttle.
Wide area vacuum cleaners or sweepers can give excellent results in large open areas. The average 14 inch upright vacuum cleans on average 3,000 square feet of carpet per hour. The average walk behind, on the other hand, can clean at the rate of 40,000 square feet every hour, with the added ability to actually lift the carpets pile in the high traffic areas where they are subject to a lot of crushing and matting.
