The Carpet and Rug Institute Unveils New Carpet Cleaning Testing Program, Announces Initial Seal of Approval Products
"Sets High Bar for Carpet Cleaning Products"

Contact: CRI Communications Department, 706.428.2103

Dalton, GA (November 16, 2004) - The Carpet and Rug Institute has launched a new Seal of Approval program designed to recognize superior carpet cleaning products that pass stringent tests administered by an independent, accredited laboratory. Since August, three products have been awarded the Seal of Approval.

"The CRI Seal of Approval signifies to customers that they can trust that when used in accordance with the manufacturers instructions the product will do an effective job of removing certain stains or soil from carpet or rugs without any damage to their appearance or performance. It sets a high bar for carpet cleaners, said Werner Braun, CRI president.

Braun noted that tests have revealed that many carpet cleaning products are not as effective as water at removing stains and soils. Also, some products have been found to increase the rate of resoiling, which means the area cleaned attracts new dirt at an accelerated rate. Also, some soil and spot remover products can affect the color appearance and performance of a carpet or rug.

Spot Chomp Is First Product to Pass the Test

The first product to receive the CRI Seal of Approval is Spot Chomp, a spot remover made by Environmental Solution International, Batavia, Illinois. According to Kent Pullen, a spokesperson for Environmental Solution International, the Seal of Approval really separates effective products from those that dont get the job done. Thats why we wanted to be the first on board to get this distinction.

The other two companies who have received the Seal of Approval are: Chemical Specialties Manufacturing Company, of Baltimore, and Milliken Company, of Spartanburg, South Carolina. Chemical Specialties Manufacturing has the first pre-spray to pass the testing in Chemspec-ECOgent Carpet Cleaner and Pre-spray, while Millikens spot cleaner Capture Carpet and Rug Dry Cleaner with soil release pre-mist has also earned certification.

Products Must Meet Stringent Testing Criteria

Seal of Approval testing is administered by Professional Testing Laboratory, Inc. of Dalton. An experienced panel of technicians tests the performance of two kinds of products: spot removers and pre-spray/in-tank solutions, which may be used in residential, commercial or institutional settings.

Carpet cleaning products are designed to be applied to carpet in order to safely and easily remove spots or stains. The testing programs parameters include efficacy, resoiling, pH, optical brighteners, and colorfastness to light. The independent testing labs technicians compared the products performance against that of water in all categories. The Seal of Approval is only awarded to those cleaning products with superior performance in all of the testing categories.

The product must be applied and the spot cleaned in accordance with carpet manufacturers instructions. Staining agents used for the testing include mustard, catsup, black coffee (hot), grape juice, permanent marker, chocolate syrup, dirty motor oil and synthetic soil.

To evaluate the spot removal efficacy, technicians utilize the gray scale for staining according to the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) Evaluation procedure 2. Three independent trained technicians rate the products efficacy, and those ratings are then averaged to the nearest 0.1.

The propensity of cleaning product residue to attract soil at an accelerated rate is measured by first applying the product to a control sample carpet. The carpet sample is then subjected to accelerated soiling using AATCC synthetic soil in accordance with ASTM D-6540. The differential soil level between the cleaned sample and control sample is rated instrumentally and by a panel using the AATCC gray scale for color change. Products which are extremely acidic or alkaline have been known to adversely affect dyes and certain fibers. Products with a more neutral pH are generally considered more effective to use when cleaning carpets or rugs. CRI recommends cleaners with a pH between 4 and 10.

The presence of optical brighteners in carpet cleaning products also has been known to adversely affect fiber color, appearance and long-term performance. CRI recommends that consumers choose products without optical brighteners.

The final tests measures any color change in the carpet. Cleaning product residues present that accumulate on pile yarn floor coverings have been known to adversely affect dyes and accelerate color change. The level to which a product residue contributes to color change is determined by exposing a treated standard test carpet with an untreated control sample to accelerated light in accordance with AATCC Test Method 16. Accelerated color change in the treated carpet is considered unacceptable.

"The carpet industry has enthusiastically supported this new Seal of Approval Program. The launch of this program carries the hope that it will help with customer satisfaction for both the cleaning chemicals industry and the carpet industry. The bottom line is that this is a win-win-win situation for the cleaning chemicals industry, the carpet industry and the consumers of their products, said Braun.

Products that have passed the testing criteria for the cleaning products will be listed on the CRI website.