The Quest for Sparkling Tiles

Carpet cleaning should be done at your home regularly, even if you don't think the carpets look especially dirty, as they can still be holding many irritants that bother your lungs and skin. Cleaning the carpets will also usually prolong the life of the fibres, keeping them from getting matted down and ruined, so that the carpet then needs replacing less often. However, if you're very eco-conscious, you may be worried about the water that is used for cleaning and the harsh shampoos and cleansers as well. Note a few choices you have that are more eco-friendly than standard cleaning, and then discuss these with a cleaning contractor as needed.

1. Eco-friendly cleaning solutions

The first thing to consider when it comes to cleaning a carpet is a solution that isn't made of harsh chemicals, but of natural materials. This can include vinegar and water versus a chemical-based shampoo, or cleansers made with salt and borax. These natural solutions can easily settle into stains and loosen them so that they can then be extracted without soap and cleansers.

Another eco-friendly cleaning solution is carbonated water. When applied to the carpeting, the carbon creates a bubbling action that clings to dirt, pet hair and dander, human hair, and other such debris in the carpet fibres. As the carbon bubbles and expands, it brings those pieces with it so they can then be easily extracted from the surface of the carpeting. This carbonated water treatment is not always as effective as a cleanser with shampoo or detergent, but it can make carpets much cleaner than before.

2. Recycled water

Since carpet cleaning often means lots of water, ask your contractor about using recycled water. This wouldn't be water from a previous cleaning job, but water that is collected from a manufacturing facility or other area and is boiled or otherwise treated for reuse. This will mean little to no fresh water is used on cleaning carpets.

3. Brushing and commercial vacuuming

Another eco-friendly way of cleaning the carpeting is to use industrial strength brushes on the carpets or a heavy-duty commercial vacuum. Industrial strength brushes will have thick rubber bristles that catch dirt and debris in the carpet fibres and pull them to the surface so they can be brushed away. This brushing also pulls fibres up from being matted, so the carpet looks like new. A commercial vacuum works in the same way; this is more powerful than your household vacuum, so it can more easily remove ground-in dirt and other debris in the carpeting. Your carpets will be much cleaner but without the use of water, detergents, and the like.