(1) Green Seal of Approval

Green Seal is an independent, non-profit organization that uses science-based programs to empower consumers, purchasers and companies to create a more sustainable world. As of July 15, 2010;-- Washington D.C. based non-profit Green Seal, the premier independent eco-label in the United States, is excited to announce that ALL of  the HOST Dry Carpet Cleaning products meet the new criteria of GS-37 Green Seal's environmental standard for institutional and industrial cleaners. The products meet Green Seal's strict performance, environmental and packaging requirements, including a plant audit. The fifth edition of GS-37 released August/2010, tightened the restrictions regarding volatile organic compounds and reproductive toxins, and prohibited phthalates and chemicals related to causing asthma. This updated standard goes further than any national cleaning product standard in protecting human health and the environment. Products certified under the new GS-37 standard are amoung the greenest cleaning products available on the market. Visit the Green Seal website, at www.greenseal.org.

   

**Does not cause eutrophication (proliferation of plant life, expecially algae, in part due to high phosphorous levels, which reduces the dissolved oxygen content and often causes the extinction of other organisms)  

 
**Many times wet extraction carpet cleaners have been fined by dumping their waste water in the sewer rather than in a water treatment dumping site. Chemicals found in carpet cleaning were found to cause eutrophication. Chemicals causing eutrophication have been banned recently; sadly, these chemicals may still be used by some carpet cleaners due to having their products stored over years.  

(2) Biodegradability--Bio-Preferred Certified         

The HOST system was the only carpet cleaning system that received the USDA Bio-based Certification because it requires no special disposal and can be composted in a garden. Bio-based products are beneficial because they are renewable resources in place of petroleum-based products. See www.biopreferred.gov

What is Bio-based product?

"Bio-based industrial products are produced from renewable plant and animal sources and are generally presumed to be more environmentally friendly than their petroleum based counterparts. They are usually biodegradable and can be returned to the earth at the end of their useful life or recycled and used again. Basically, being made from a bio-based resource means that the resource is renewable. A nonrenewable resource is one that when used up, is gone and that's it. A renewable resource is one that can be replenished and, therefore, is a better environmental choice. Bio-based products are generally better for the environment to produce and use.

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The USDA was required by the Farm Bill to designate items made from Biobased products for our government's procurement preference. This designation program is called the Federal Biobased Preferred Procurement Program (FB4P).  In order to fit into  the FB4P program, a product must:

* Be commercially available at a reasonable cost and within a reasonable time.

* Have performance data and MSDA supplied.
* Be tested for Biobased content by the USDA or a recognized third party using  the same test method.
* Meet minimum Bio-based content requirements as defined by the designated item/category description.
* Have determined its environmental and public health benefits and life cycle costs.

Environmental scores summarize cradle-to-grave performance with respect to global warming, acidification, eutrophication, fossil fuel depletion, indoor air quality, habitat alteration, ozone depletion, smog, human toxicity, ecological toxicity; criteria air pollutants and water intake. Economic performance scores summarize performance with respect to fist costs and discounted future costs. These scores, determined by the analysis, help differentiate products in purchasing decisions.

As part of the USDA's efforts to expand its Bio-based Item categories and include carpet cleaning products, HOST has completed all the necessary testing and prerequisites-requisites. When 'carpet' cleaners are officially admitted to the Federal Register as an Item, HOST will be on the list that federal purchasers must, by law, consider in preference to other products." Geoff Greeley. Racine Industries. Bulletin, August, 2006. 

(3) Water Conservation                
The HOST Dry Carpet Cleaning system deep cleans carpets with 97% less water than typical water extractors (steam cleaning) and the actual water saved in any building using HOST is 100%. To compare using a wet extractor cleaning method for 15,000 sq. ft. of commercial carpeting, the amount of water used is about 750 gallons!  In another example using the wet extraction method - 10 homeowners with a medium size carpet cleaning job, would use approximately 500 gallons of water! With HOST, not only would all of this water be saved, but by using the HOST Dry Carpet Cleaning system would not burden local water treatment facilities with waste-water.

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Why waste water on cleaning? For example, if the US cleaned all of its carpet just once with HOST instead of hot water extraction, the US would save enough water to supply all of Chicago with drinking water for twelve years! And saving water is important. But so is saving money. Water itself might not cost much, but the hidden costs add up. Using HOST will eliminate hidden costs such as:

-Using the air conditioning and fans to dry carpet and floors

-Dehumidifying buildings
-Treating waste-water
-Slip and fall liability
-Mold or microbe remediation
-Health costs due to poor Indoor Air Quality
-Heating water for cleaning

As part of California's water conservation efforts, California's Department of Water Resources and Integrated Water Reuse Management Center recommended that hotels,motels and restaurants "switch from wet or steam carpet cleaning methods to dry powder methods."

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Water Aware Tips for Hotels & Motels (PDF)              Water Aware Tips for Restaurants (PDF)
 

Individual Cities Implement Water Reduction Strategies to include the use of Dry Carpet Cleaning methods:



-The City of San Clemente's "Local Implementation Program" dealing with water conservation and pollution instructs industrial consumers of water to "reduce use of water or use dry methods" (see Section IC4).

City of San Clemente Local Implementation Program (PDF)



-The City of Santa Barbara asks businesses to save water by "Switch[ing] from 'wet' carpet cleaning methods, such as steam cleaning, to 'dry' or 'spot cleaning' (powder methods)."

City of Santa Barbara Water Conservation Program


(4) Energy Conservation            
"Many environmental organizations recognize that it takes quite a bit of energy to heat water extraction methods. In an effort to lower costs and energy use, such organizations are supporting cleaning systems that do not use water. With HOST there is:
-NO water to heat                    -NO need for air conditioners to dry carpet
-NO need to use blowers          -NO need for dehumidifiers to remove moisture" (Racine Industries)

(5) Prevents Mold and Mildew/Removes Mold Spores     
The HOST system does not leave carpets wet with waste-water that can leave a breeding environment for molds, mildew, fungus, bacteria, and odors. HOST removes dander, mold spores, mite allergens while cleaning.

***Please NOTE: DID You Know? Products or equipment that advertise they remove dust mites and mold from the environment are under the jurisdiction of the EPA and must be made in an EPA registered facility. HOST machines are manufactured in an EPA registered facility, EPA Establishment Number 074202-WI-001

(6) Triples lifespan of Carpeting
Cleaning and proper maintenance --vacuuming regularly-- of carpet can keep carpeting looking fresh, clean, and presentable past its life expectancy also benefits our environment. Here's why:

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Did you know that discarded carpet remnants, that are dumped into the American landfills, adds up to 10 million pounds per day? (Paul Hawken, Lovins and Lovins, Natural Capitalism, 1999.) As of 1999, 95% of carpeting is petrochemical-based, which out-gases in homes/businesses. When dumped into the landfill, the carpet rots, out-gases and is toxic to the environment for years. As the carpet industry moves toward responsible environmental consciousness, consumers can help to slow down the largest amount of trash--carpet-- in the landfills by proper cleaning and maintenance. 

(7) Indoor Air Quality and Safety - Please see our page on Indoor Air Quality.
 
(8) Material Safety Data Sheet Information
For Host chemical makeup: In accordance with Consumer Products Safety Commission and Federal Hazardous Substances Act regulations, HOST is not an eye irritant nor a primary skin irritant and is nontoxic by oral ingestion or by inhalation. HOST is not a WHMIS Control Product. HOST leaves no dyes, contains no heavy metals, does not become airborne and has low VOC's. Please see the MSDS for HOST.

(9) LEED-EB POINTS               
The US Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System "is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings."The HOST system may contribute to earning:

-Energy and Atmosphere credits (up to 2 credits) by optimizing energy performance and by sustaining building operations and maintenance through proper staff education.

-Materials and Resources credits (up to 4 credits) by optimizing the use of IAQ complliant products and by implemeting the use of sustainable cleaning products and materials.

-Indoor Environmetal Quality credits (up to 3 credits) by optimizing practices that prevent the development of IEQ problems, by including green cleaning of entryways and by the use of cleaning products with a low environmental impact.

"Host Dry Carpet Cleaner is also approved by the Florida School Plant Managers Association (FSPMA) for carpet cleaning products based on performance, safety, and environmental criteria."

(10) *Woolsafe Certified
"The Woolsafe Organization is an international certifying body focused on carpet cleaning and maintenance products for wool and wool blend carpets. Its purpose is to indicate that products have been tested and approved as being suitable for these carpets. Products are tested on a range of characteristics in two categories:

1) defensive tests, and 2) performance tests. Woolsafe Approved means that the product is effective, has low resoiling characteristics, is low in alkalinity, has no bleaching agents, no optical brighteners, is nonflammable, nonhazardous, environmentally responsible and has clear and concise use of directions". (Racine industries, 2006)