The increasing awareness of the harmful effects of synthesized chemicals on the environment has resulted in a global push towards the development of more eco-friendly compounds that are organic in nature.This new-found science has led to the development of a whole host of alternative products that are used in everyday cleaning, both in the household and for industrial applications, including environmentally-friendly carpet cleaning products.
The chemicals that have been traditionally used in carpet cleaning products are mainly derived from synthetic compounds based on carbon and chlorine elements.The first such compound to be applied to industrial cleaning applications is known as tetrachloroethylene, discovered in 1821 by famed chemist Michael Faraday, and was used as the basis for the chemical compound perchloroethylene.The first and most widely used application of this synthesized chemical was in the dry-cleaning industry.
Perchloroethylene later became the most widely-used chemical compound in the carpet cleaning industry, and soon another synthetic compound was developed for carpet cleaning application, known as naphthalene, which is derived from coal tar.Both of these chemicals have been since discovered to be extremely harmful to human health as well as the environment, due to the carcinogenic nature of all chlorinated hydrocarbons.These chemicals are especially difficult to remove from the environment due to their toxicity at low levels and their high density, which causes them to sink into ground water.
More environmentally-friendly carpet cleaning products have been developed that use organic elements and processes without depending on a chlorine-based enzyme action to remove dirt and stains from rug and carpet fabrics.The process for cleaning carpets known as Chem Dry depends on carbonated water to lift dirt and other materials from carpets. Although this process does include the use of hydrocarbons, the lack of chlorine in the mixture results in a non-carcinogenic method of carpet-cleaning that presents and extremely low level of risk to human health and the environment.
There are several organic elements that have natural cleaning properties that are also water-soluble, which improves their biodegradability. There are many vegetable-based soaps that are non-toxic and safe for use in environmentally-safe carpet cleaning. The addition of sodium carbonate to organic soaps is also helpful to the cleaning process because it prevents the bonding of magnesium and calcium to water molecules, thereby allowing the soap to become more active in the removal of debris and stains from the carpet fabric. Sodium carbonate is the basis of what are commonly referred to as baking soda and washing soda.
There are also organic ingredients that are found in most households that can be used in environmentally-friendly carpet cleaning. Vinegar is very effective in removing dirt and stains due to its acidic qualities. The essence of vinegar is derived from the fermentation of ethanol. Although ethanol is associated with petrochemical processing for the production of fuels, it is actually an organic element that results from the metabolizing of sugars from yeast. Citric acid, especially from lemon juice, also provides caustic characteristics that are beneficial for lifting debris from carpet fabric. Either of these elements, when diluted with sufficient amount of water, are safe and effective treatments for environmentally-friendly carpet cleaning.
Domestic and commercial cleaning company based in London, DS Cleaning provides
Environmentally Friendly Cleaning and sanitizing service that uses natural products for home, office and end of tenancy cleaning. All cleaning products used are eco friendly and will not harm the environment. For details visit http://www.dscleaning.co.uk
