Childhood Asthma Study from The Carpet and Rug Institute

April 28th, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Childhood Asthma Study Published in The New England Journal of Medicine Concludes: No Difference in Allergen Levels in Carpeted vs. Uncarpeted HomesDalton, Georgia, April 15, 2011 - A major study of inner city children with asthma concludes that positive environmental interventions in the children’s homes, such as improved cleaning and the elimination of tobacco smoke, will result in a lessening of the children’s asthma-related symptoms and an increase in their symptom-free days. Further, the Inner-City Asthma Study found no difference in the improvement experienced by children who lived in homes with carpet versus children from homes with other types of flooring. In addition, no difference was found in the levels of allergens measured in carpeted homes compared to homes with hard surface floors.

An article describing the study, titled, “Results of a Home-Based Environmental Intervention among Urban Children with Asthma,” is published on the website of The New England Journal of Medicine. Based on years of research and independent testing, the carpet industry has long maintained that carpet does not contribute to allergy symptoms or poor indoor air quality. However, this is the first peer-reviewed study confirming the industry’s position from a prestigious medical journal.

The study followed 937 children from seven major U.S. cities over the course of a year. Of the participants, more than 50% of the children, aged 5-11 years, had positive skin tests to three or more allergen groups. Other common elements of the group were that they were from families whose incomes were at or close to the poverty level, as well as these factors: Cockroaches were reported in 58% of homes, wall-to-wall carpeting in the child’s bedroom in 55%, a smoker in 48%, mice or rats in 40%, and furry pets in 28%.

At the outset of the study, researchers sought to remove carpet from the children’s bedrooms, but factors such as rental agreements kept them from it. Still, family members were instructed to remove the carpet from their children’s bedrooms wherever possible.

Family members were given HEPA-filter vacuum cleaners and cleaning products and educated about various allergens and how to remove them from the home. Children’s beds were encased in dust-mite-blocking covers, and professional pest exterminators were called in where needed.

The study found that children in the intervention group missed fewer days of school, slept through the night more, and made fewer trips to the emergency room. Contrary to researchers’ expectations, children with carpet in their bedrooms improved as much and did just as well as children who had hard surface floors.

The interventions also produced marked declines in the measured levels of allergens in the home. Again, in contrast to predictions, no difference in allergen reduction was found between homes with carpets and those without carpeting.

The Inner City Asthma Study was sponsored in part by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Center for Research Resources of the National Institutes of Health. According to published disclosure statements, none of the researchers or institutions were affiliated with or sponsored by any representative of the carpet industry.

The findings of the Inner City Asthma Study refute the widely-held notion that patients with asthma and/or allergies must remove their carpet, and according to Carpet and Rug Institute President Werner Braun, the study confirms the carpet industry’s assertion that clean, dry carpet is a healthy flooring choice for everyone, including children and adults with asthma and allergies. “CRI’s position is based on a body of sponsored as well as independent research, but the Inner City study is significant in that it comes from the medical community,” Braun said.

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About our green carpet and upholstery cleaning products

September 30th, 2010

We are one of a few carpet and upholstery cleaning companies in St. Louis that use green cleaning products. The cleaning products we use for pre-treating carpet and upholstery are green certified and as effective as most regular products we have ever used.   The product we use for rinsing the carpet and upholstery is green seal certified, completely detergent free, and made to rinse the carpet or upholstery of any cleaning residue. Both of these products are very safe for our customers and their pets. They also have very little or no odor. For protecting your carpets and furniture we use two different protectors. One is a green protector that is certified with the EPA in their design for the environment program. The other is a traditional protector. We do use a wide range of spot and stain removers that are not green certified and may be needed in certain circumstances including pet odor removal. Precise Carpet Cleaning is one of a few companies in the St. Louis Mo. area that is an Approved Service Provider for the Carpet and Rug Institute, a Certified Firm with the IICRC, and uses green certified cleaning products. There’s even less in St. Charles Mo. All of this is to ensure the absolute best cleaning experience while using the safest products available.

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What to expect from Precise Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning

November 20th, 2009

For all the services we provide we send two experienced and certified technicians.  Most of the time we use a large truck-mounted steam cleaning machine.  This type of system is what carpet manufacturers recommend and helps dry the carpet in about 2 to 4 hours.  The system (which includes the equipment and products) we use is certified by the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) to be the best system available.  Along with our truck-mounted unit we can use a high powered portable machine that uses electricity and is also certified with the CRI.  This machine is needed when we are unable to use our tuck-mounted unit or if a customer requests us to use a portable machine.

What to expect when having Precise clean your carpets.

For carpet we use our truck-mounted steam cleaning system.  (our high powered portable unit is used when needed or when requested)  The first thing we do is place corner guards around each corner throughout your home so we don’t damage any walls when we bring our hoses in.  Then we bring our hoses in from our van.  We include pre-treating the entire carpet with whatever  products are needed and its all done with 200 degree or hotter water.  Then we use a rinsing agent to rinse the cleaning product and soils entirely from the carpet.  Next, we can apply a carpet protector that will take an additional hour to dry bringing the dry time to 3 to 5 hours.   After spraying the scotchgard we rake the carpet to improve appearance and to be sure the scotchgard is applied evenly.

What to expect when having Precise clean your upholstery.

For Upholstery we use our truck-mounted steam cleaning system.  (our high powered portable unit is used when needed or when requested)  The first thing we do is place corner guards around each corner throughout your home so we don’t damage any walls when we bring our hoses in.  Then we bring our hoses in from our van.  We include pre-treating the entire upholstery with whatever products are needed and its all done with 200 degree or hotter water.  Then we use a rinsing agent to rinse the cleaning product and soils entirely from the fabric.  Next, we can apply fabric protector that will take an additional hour to dry bringing the dry time to 3 to 5 hours.

What to expect when having Precise clean you ceramic tile.

For ceramic tile we use our truck-mounted steam cleaning system.  The first thing we do is place corner guards around each corner throughout your home so we don’t damage any walls when we bring our hoses in.  Then we bring our hoses in from our van.  We include pre-treating the entire tile with whatever products are needed and its all done with 200 degree or hotter water.  Next we scrub the grout lines to ensure complete removal of soils.  Then we rinse the cleaning product and soils entirely from the tile and grout.   Next, we seal the grout with a premium grout sealer.   The tile takes a couple hours to dry.

What to expect when having Precise clean you air ducts.

For air ducts we use our truck-mounted steam cleaning system.  The first thing we do is place corner guards around each corner throughout your home so we don’t damage any walls when we bring our hoses in. Then we bring our hoses in from our van. Next we hook up an electric rotating brush to the end of our large vacuum hose. Then we send the unit from each register or return air vent to the furnace and back.  As it cleans the ducts we are removing the dust and debris completely out of the house through our hose system to a waste tank in our van.  Because of the system we use we don’t have to cut access holes in you air duct system. This service will go along way at reducing the dust and allergen levels in you home or business.

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