Organic Carpet Cleaners
Many people are becoming concerned about the number of chemicals that they have in their home or place of business. They are usually worried about the environmental pollution that these chemicals cause and the potential health effects of long-term chemical exposure.
The average American comes into contact with thousands of different chemicals each year, many of which have potentially adverse effects on human health. A great deal of this chemical exposure comes from cleaning chemicals used in the workplace or at home. Some of the most common cleaning products that are used today have been linked to very serious illnesses including cancer and Parkinson’s disease.
To avoid exposure to these kinds of chemicals, people are turning to organic cleaning products — often referred to as “green” cleaning products. This article will provide an overview of some organic carpet cleaners that are both safe and effective.
What Is An “Organic” Carpet Cleaner?
Organic carpet cleaners use ingredients that are non-toxic and environmentally friendly. Because organic carpet cleaners do not contain toxic chemicals, there is less risk of the occupants of the building becoming ill from exposure to the product. Organic carpet cleaners are particularly useful for households with pets or small children who may be frequently touching the carpet.
Organic carpet cleaners are much safer for the cleaner to handle and an accident with an organic cleaning product is usually less dangerous. Organic carpet cleaners are also easier to dispose of because they will not pollute the environment with toxins.
Some Effective Organic Carpet Cleaners
In the past few years, there has been a substantial increase in the number of organic carpet cleaners on the market. Consumers now have many products to choose from and the formulations have become very effective for cleaning carpets. The most effective organic carpet cleaners include:
Baking Soda
One of the simplest and most effective organic cleaners is baking soda (Sodium bicarbonate). It is a natural substance that can be mined from nahcolite, a soft and colourless mineral. Most commercial products produce baking soda by creating a chemical reaction involving sodium chloride, ammonia, and carbon dioxide and water.
It is extremely effective at removing odours from carpets and can be mixed with other ingredients to form a powerful carpet cleaner.
Vinegar
Vinegar is an outstanding organic carpet cleaner that is cheap, safe and simple to use. It is an antiseptic (kills germs) that is antibacterial (kills many bacteria) and antimicrobial (kills microscopic organisms).
It is a highly acidic solution with a pH of around 2.4. It is made by creating alcohol through a fermentation process, then using bacteria to convert that alcohol into acid. Vinegar is ideal for use in a steam cleaning machine and many professional carpet cleaners like to use to use vinegar to kill bacteria in the carpet.
Biokleen Carpet & Rug Shampoo Concentrate
This is a commercial organic carpet cleaner that is excellent for removing stains, bacteria, odours and dust mites from carpet. It is a strong product that has been designed for use in high traffic areas and commercial environments.
The ingredients include coconut and/or corn, grapefruit seed and pulp extract, orange peel extract, linear sulfonate, and filtered water.
Puracy Natural Carpet & Upholstery Shampoo
This product contains a combination of organic materials including plant-based cleansers and natural deodorising agents. Ingredients include lauramine oxide, pink grapefruit essential oil, sodium citrate and purified water.
It is a heavy duty product that can be used to remove stains, dirt and debris from carpets and other fabrics. It is a highly concentrated formula that can clean very dirty carpets effectively. It can be used to hand scrub carpets or as part of a steam cleaning regiment.
Pet Stain & Odor Miracle Enzyme Cleaner
This is an enzyme cleaner that has been specifically designed to remove pet stains and odours. It is an organic product that is completely non-toxic and environmentally friendly. The enzymes in this cleaner act as a catalyst that strengthens the biochemical reaction of the detergent. This product can be used on carpets as well as furniture.
Are Organic Carpet Cleaners Really Effective?
Organic carpet cleaners have come a long way in recent years and are easily as effective as most chemical carpet cleaners. If you are interested in keeping chemicals out of your home or workplace while looking after the environment, they are a great choice.
Sources
Chemicals in Household Products. (2016). Breastcancerfund.org. Retrieved 9 August 2016, from http://www.breastcancerfund.org/clear-science/environmental-breast-cancer-links/household-products/?referrer=https://www.google.com.au/
Gash DM, e. (2016). Trichloroethylene: Parkinsonism and complex 1 mitochondrial neurotoxicity. - PubMed - NCBI. Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved 9 August 2016, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18157908
Common Household Chemicals Linked to Human Disease. (2016). Mercola.com. Retrieved 9 August 2016, from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/03/09/household-chemical-exposure.aspx