Caution - Do You Know the Dangers That Could Be Coming Out of Your Carpet Steam Cleaner
There are some very scary things going on right beneath our noses. Toxic chemicals have slowly infiltrated our houses without us even noticing. Some of the worst chemicals are the ones we pour in to our carpet steam cleaner. When cleaning a carpet we need to get as much cleaning action without too much soap residue. Most carpet cleaners do not have options to rinse with fresh water, so the soap solution needs to clean without leaving too much soap behind.
The carpet cleaning industry has turned to some of the most toxic chemicals often found in the dry cleaning industry to try and cure this problem. Chemicals like Perchlorethylene (PERC) and Naphthalene are prime examples of these chemicals.
Perchlorethylene
Perchlorethylene, better known as PERC, has been common in the dry cleaning industry for years and is known for its excellent degreasing properties without damaging the base material. The problem with PERC is that it is extremely toxic to not only to us, but also the environment. PERC is considered to be a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and is extremely damaging to both the kidneys and the liver. PERC is also a central nervous system depressant that can cause dizziness, loss or coordination, unconsciousness, and even possibly death in over exposure.
Naphthalene
Naphthalene is a common component in not only many carpet cleaning shampoos, but can also be found in moth balls and toilet bowl deodorizers. Naphthalene destroys the red blood cells ability to carry oxygen and also has been linked to liver and kidney damage. Common symptoms of overexposure to Naphthalene include: headaches, increased heart rate, convulsions, low urine output, yellowing of skin, and can even lead to coma.
With chemicals like these being released in to our air by our carpet steam cleaner, what can we possibly do to protect our health and our environment. Well, there are alternatives that are healthy and green which don