The Environmental Impact Of Carpet Cleaning

In the midst of a global climate crisis, we are starting to examine the environmental impact of everyday actions. Like any activity, carpet cleaning has an effect on the earth. These consequences can be both positive and negative, but it's important to consider them.

The positive impact of carpet cleaning

Waste prevention

With such a high volume of products going to landfill every day, waste is a serious environmental issue. By cleaning your carpet, not only are you preventing it from going to landfill, but you save the materials that would be used to make a new carpet.

Reducing indoor air pollution

The inside of your house is a microclimate, and everything inside it impacts everything else there. Your carpet fibres can hold substances such as allergens, bacteria and mould spores, so it's important to clean it.

Carpets can even be known to have traces of lead or faeces that have been walked through. Every time you walk through your house, this is released into the air. By cleaning your carpet, you create cleaner air for your family.

Environmental considerations when cleaning carpets

Chemicals

Many cleaning products use harsh chemicals that can be harmful to the environment. If not used or disposed of correctly, they can contaminate and harm the local area. Luckily, there are things you can do to reduce the impact of the chemicals that you use to clean your carpet.

For one, make sure that you don't dispose of chemicals or used water in street drains, as they often discharge water into the environment.

When buying carpet cleaning chemicals, you can also choose environmentally conscious brands. These will often have been made in greener ways and will have a minimal impact on the environment. However, you should still be careful when using them.

Water consumption

One of the key components of cleaning is water. It's important when washing away dirt and cleaning products. However, as a natural resource, it's important to preserve it as much as possible. To do this, ensure that you don't leave things like taps or hoses running unnecessarily. This will prevent waste, while still allowing you to use a vital resource.

Energy consumption

If you're using machinery, this will consume electricity. Because of this, you should be mindful about how you use it. Turn off appliances when they aren't in use to reduce the amount of energy that you are using. Whenever possible, turn things off fully and don't leave them on standby. You could also consider using renewable energy to power your tools.

When possible, cleaning things like rugs outside will help make the most of natural ventilation, so you won't need to use electrical forms of ventilation.

Professional cleaners know best

Carpet cleaning businesses are required to know all the environmental regulations surrounding carpet care, whether it's using chemicals safely or disposing of waste responsibly. The National Carpet Cleaning Association (NCCA) has a directory of accredited carpet cleaners who are all insured and trained.

Search our directory for carpet cleaners in your area.