Executive Housekeeping Today - January 2009 - (Page 4)

CRI SOA (continued from previous page) environment, CRI partners with nationally-recognized Green certifiers, such as Canada’s Ecologo™ and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Design for the Environment™ program. Vacuums, Extractors, and Cleaning Systems—Clean Science, NASA Approved Designing Dirt: It’s in the Bag How do you design dirt? Different organizations offer different formulations, but the AATCC dirt mix used by the independent laboratories that perform CRI Seal of Approval testing contains: peat moss, kaolin, carbon black, mineral oil, and Portland cement dust, among other things. The XRF testing compound contains zinc oxide, iron, yttrium, zirconium, and strontium—elements commonly found in soil with physical properties that behave like the particles found in real dirt. In fact, testers collected bags from vacuums all over the U.S., and found that, under an electron microscope, the XRF formula dirt was identical to real dirt in terms of its distribution on the fibers. High-performance vacuum cleaners, extractors, and cleaning systems have significant impact on improved indoor air quality. They also help keep carpet looking good over a longer period of time, which increases a facility’s return on their carpet investment. Seal of Approval testing uses X-Ray fluoroscopy to measure the precise amount of dirt vacuums, extractors, and cleaning systems remove. Originally developed to help NASA authenticate the components of hardware used in the Space Shuttle, X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) technology is more accurate than the standard testing methods that measure carpet soil by weighing the samples before and after they are cleaned. Using the XRF analyzer, laboratory staff can identify the different compounds in the soil, and measure the concentrations of each compound in the carpet before and after the carpet is cleaned. The chemicals in the “designer” soil compound become excited by the XRF energy and emit signatures that can be identified and measured in very small amounts. XRF testing is “a great technological leap ahead for the flooring and floor care industry,” says Gary Asbury, President of Dalton, Georgia-based Professional Testing Laboratories, which worked to adapt the NASA technology for use in carpet. In addition to removing dirt, Seal of Approval extractors and cleaning systems must also remove most of the moisture involved in a wet cleaning process, without harming the carpet pile. The solu- tions used with a cleaning system must pass the solutions cleaning protocols already described. Based on their performance, successful Seal of Approval vacuums, extractors, and cleaning systems receive Bronze, Silver, or Gold level certifications. In response to the Seal of Approval’s scientific methodology, several major carpet manufacturers have tied their warranties to the use of CRI SOA products and service providers, and the International Executive Housekeepers Association recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with CRI to promote the use of SOA products. The bottom line is, the CRI Seal of Approval means products and processes that are thoroughly tested and proven to work effectively to remove stains and soil without adversely affecting the appearance or the performance of the carpet are a wise investment for commercial and institutional purchasers. u Werner Braun is President of the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI), the national trade association representing manufacturers that produce floor covering materials. For more information, visit www.carpet-rug.org. 4 Executive Housekeeping Today/January 2009 http://www.carpet-rug.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Executive Housekeeping Today - January 2009

Executive Housekeeping Today - January 2009 Contents Executive Corner Start With the Seal: CRI Seal of Approval Offers Proven Effectiveness 2008 IHW Celebrations! Frugal Housekeeper What’s in Your Janitor Closet? Feature Article Let the “Recognition Games” Begin! The Green Scene Product Highlights New Members Joint IEHA/ISSA Members REH/CEH Members Advertisers' Index Calendar of Events Inside IEHA What IEHA Has Done For Me

Executive Housekeeping Today - January 2009

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.