subject: Choose Carpet Cleaners Who Use Design For The Environment Products [print this page] The mission of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is to protect human health and the environment, and to ensure that all Americans are protected from risks to the environment and risks to their health where they learn, work and where they live. One way the EPA is doing this is through the Design for the Environment Label (DfE). This label only granted to household and commercial products that have been thoroughly tested and proven safe both for individuals and families and for the environment.
In order to determine the safety of such products, a DfE scientific review team screens each and every ingredient in every product for potential dangers. They not only examine each chemical's structures and components to see how they could impact people and the environment, but they also check for any masked chemicals, negative synergies between chemicals, and, if necessary, recommend safe alternatives to chemicals currently used in the product through their Alternatives Assessments Program.
Using products with the DfE label can help protect your family's health and the environment too. Unfortunately, only around 2000 products have the DfE label. This may sound like a lot, but given the large number of cleaning products currently available on the market, it's actually quite a remarkably small number. Most of the cleaning products in your home right now probably don't have the DfE label, and most cleaning companies, such as your office's cleaning service and many carpet cleaners, probably don't use EPA approved products.
Without the EPA certification, you can't be sure if a carpet cleaner is being completely truthful about their cleaning solutions being environmentally safe or safe for children and pets. It's very easy for a company to say its products are safe, but the DfE certification means they have gone through the rigorous testing required by the EPA, and truly are safe for both people and the environment. Some carpet cleaning companies, though, are putting their products through this test, proving their dedication to being eco-friendly.
Some cleaners are also taking additional measures to help the environment. Besides their green cleaning products, they have energy efficient machines, they recycle, and practice water conservation. As an added bonus, a low moisture carpet cleaning system can clean a home using only two gallons of water, whereas a steam carpet cleaning service requires up to 40 gallons of water or more!
Next time you need to have your home or office's carpets clean, ask your carpet cleaner if they use DfE labeled products. By choosing an eco-friendly, green carpet cleaning company, you're not only protecting the health of your friends and family, you're helping the earth too.
