Joe the Carpet Cleaner - Carpet Cleaning Victoria BC

It's difficult to think that carpet cleaning might be a dangerous task. An onerous task, maybe, but dangerous?

Unfortunately, the ingredient list in many household and commercial carpet cleaning products is scary…for both your personal health and the environment. The toxic chemicals in many of these carpet cleaners immediately go into your carpet and the air you breathe, and then continue to off gas into your home for a much longer period of time. In areas where there is a large quantity of carpet, the amount of chemicals released from carpet cleaners and deodorizers can be considerable.

Accidents and exposure to chemicals in cleaning products is a prominent health concern, particularly for children. Harsh chemicals and detergents in carpet cleaners can remain in the carpet fibers after a cleaning. Children, pets and especially babies, spend an immense amount of time crawling, sleeping and walking on carpets. Also, kids are always putting everything in their mouths, after they have been on the carpet. The actual carpet cleaning process also emits large amounts of these chemicals into the air and the strong odour of solvents sometimes lingering for hours or days after completion.

Unknown to most of us, many carpet cleaning products contain something called perchloroethylene. A known human carcinogen, this chemical can have immediate central nervous system (CNS) effects including nausea, dizziness, sleepiness, tremors and disorientation as well as sometimes long term CNS effects. Another common ingredient in carpet cleaners is Napthalene, which the Condensed Chemical Dictionary describes as "toxic by inhalation". Additionally, carpet cleaners may contain propylene glycol methyl ether which is an eye, skin and respiratory irritant, butyl cellosolve, a central nervous system toxin, aliphatic petroleum solvent which is neurotoxic and isopropyl alcohol which is carcinogenic at high concentrations. Other added ingredients are often detergents which can irritate skin, the carcinogen 1,4-dioxane, ethanol, ammonia and fragrances. Most carpet Cleaning Agents contain deodorizers and fragrance. These are categorized by the Government as VOC’s (Volatile Organic Chemical) and off gas where they linger in the air for days to weeks and are absorbed or inhaled.

Chemicals in carpet cleaners and other household products is also of great concern to the environment as they are washed down the sinks. Pouring into our rivers, streams and oceans, chemicals from household cleaning products have a negative impact on the health of wildlife and ecosystems. Natural carpet cleaning products offer a green solution to halt this pollution.

The pollution of the environment outside is a growing concern, but so too is the air we breathe inside our homes. On average we spend up to 90% of our time indoors, and statistics from the EPA state that indoor air pollution is often 6-12times worse than outside. Use of chemical cleaners is one issue, but so too is that “new car smell”. Brand new carpets, new upholstery and furnishings can give off toxic fumes that may include known carcinogens such as formaldehyde, toluene, benzene, xylene, and styene. These chemicals are released into the air through evaporation and may evaporate into the air you breathe on a daily basis for months or even years. It may seem crazy to clean your “new” carpet but we would highly recommend just that…especially if you have children, small pets or if you are chemically sensitive or prone to migraines.

Another consideration in the decision to use non-toxic products is the increasing prevalence of allergies and asthma, a worldwide rise of 50% every decade. Asthma is one of the most prevalent chronic conditions in Canada today which affects over 3 million people, and is most common in children (www.asthma.ca/corp/newsroom/pdf/asthmastats.pdf).

The US National Center for Health Statistics reports that 1 in 3 people suffer from allergies, asthma, sinusitis or bronchitis (www.cdc.gov/nchs). Toxic chemicals are seen to exacerbate and encourage these conditions. To ease the symptoms of these conditions, websites advocate reducing exposure to synthetic chemicals, particularly the kinds found in many carpet cleaners and other household chemical cleaners.

The best cleaning solutions come directly from Mother Nature. There are botanical based cleaners available that are child, pet and planet friendly. Real Natural Flower Power offers a 100% natural alternative to toxic carpet cleaners. Using a synergistic blend of essential oils, this formulae is fully biodegradable and best of all it works. Leave your home with an uplifting natural freshness and no worries about your health or the health of the Environment. Make a (low) impact and choose natural.

Real Natural Flower Power Carpet Cleaning Products are available at Gentle Earth Products. Order online at www.gentleearth.ca or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for retail and pick-up locations.

For professional carpet cleaning in the Victoria area, contact JOE THE CARPET CLEANER at 250.642.3223.