When one looks at future trends for the cleaning industry, cleaning to protect health is near the top of the list. Without question, indoor environmental quality issues will continue to drive the development and design of cleaning methods and equipment.

The centerpiece of all cleaning equipment is the vacuum cleaner. When floors are vacuumed on a regular basis, there is a measurable reduction in pollutants in any indoor environment.

Reducing dust particulates also produces a healthier indoor environment, since bacteria, mold, and other microbiological material attach to dust particles and can become airborne.

Because vacuum quality is relevant to health, it only makes sense that there should be certain standards. Numerous organizations and rating criteria have turned up to help distributors and end users make wise purchasing decisions.

Testing, Testing
One of the most popular and recognized testing organizations is the Consumers Union, which publishes Consumer Reports magazine. Consumers Union is a non-profit organization, with a testing and research center in Yonkers, N.Y. Consumer Reports tests and evaluates vacuum cleaners periodically throughout the year. Its testing, however, is limited to consumer models only, not commercial vacuums.

The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI), a trade association for the carpet, rug, and textile industries, has established a voluntary Green Label testing program for vacuum cleaners to gauge their effectiveness in cleaning carpet surfaces.

CRI submits vacuum cleaners to Professional Testing Labs, an independent laboratory in Dalton, Ga. For CRI Green Label certification, vacuum cleaners must pass standards of criteria in soil removal, dust containment and carpet appearance retention.

Strict protocols are observed in each area of testing. For soil removal, the vacuum cleaner must be able to remove 36 percent of the sandy soil being tested within four passes, moving at a computer-controlled rate of 1.8 feet per second, from a 400-square-foot strip of carpet. The amount of soil removed is determined by weighing each piece of carpet before and after vacuuming.

To pass the dust containment test, the vacuum cleaner is used for 10 minutes and cannot release more than 100 micrograms of fine road dust particles per cubic meter of air. Particulate counts are taken in the indoor testing area before and after testing take place.

The carpet appearance is evaluated after 200 passes of the vacuum cleaner over a sample area. The evaluation is done by means of comparing before-and-after photos to evaluate any change in texture, color, and overall appearance of the test carpet.

Vacuum cleaners are not tested against one another in establishing ratings, but only on an individual test/fail basis in relation to the CRI Green Label standards. For a list of vacuum cleaners that have met Green Label standards, visit the CRI website at www.carpet-rug.com.

Several carpet and rug manufacturers have expressed interest in the CRI testing programs, since they are concerned with how carpets perform. The carpet industry is beginning to understand that proper vacuuming with efficient equipment coupled with periodic deep cleaning, such as hot water extraction, all add to a carpet’s life and performance.

Carpets that are vacuumed frequently last longer and look better, and allow for a healthier indoor environment — and increased customer satisfaction. This fact is not lost on manufacturers of carpet and is being incorporated into their overall marketing strategy.

ASTM International is a non-profit organization that provides a global forum for the development and publication of voluntary consensus standards for materials, systems, products and services.

ASTM International, short for the American Society for Testing and Materials, provides testing standards, and has one of the most extensive testing programs on vacuum cleaners.

ASTM 608 test protocols on vacuum cleaners are related to such areas as soil removal and emissions. ASTM test standards relate to a number of different types of vacuum cleaners, including uprights, canisters and backpacks.

Recent efforts have included establishing ASTM standards for domestic wet extractors, which are used on carpet as well as hard surface floors, such as sheet vinyl and vinyl composition tile.

Testing Variance
ASTM testing protocols vary from CRI and Consumer Reports, and, like most product evaluations, are subject to interpretation. For example, CRI uses four passes of a vacuum to remove the test soil in a given area, with computer controlled movement, and one ASTM test uses 16 passes. ASTM, CRI, and Consumer Reports all use different types of dust or soil for testing with variations in amount, type, and particulate size.

The Vacuum Cleaner Manufacturers Association (VCMA) doesn’t recognize, support or endorse the CRI testing program, but it does recognize the ASTM testing standards, and has supported their development over the past several years. For more information, the VCMA can be contacted at their website.

Glen Franklin is the owner of Franklin Floor Care in Snohomish, Wash., and is a certified hard surface inspector, consultant and trainer in the floor-care industry. Email questions or comments.




POSTED ON: 4/1/2003