To perform the study, Airmid Healthgroup created different chambers in which new and used carpet were installed. In addition, one chamber contained a hard-surface floor. Each section of the carpet was individu-ally laid under controlled temperature, rel-ative humidity and air changes per hour. The new carpet was contaminated by in-troducing aerosolized house dust mite and cat allergens into the chambers. “The introduction of allergen test dust was not necessary for the used carpet,” ac-cording to Vivienne Mahon, Ph.D., from Airmid Healthgroup, one of the researchers involved with the study, “because they con-tained ‘natural’ levels of house dust mite and cat allergens.” After this, the researchers then created “room disturbance” in the chambers, with the goal of making the now-settled con-taminants airborne. Finally, airborne contaminant counts were taken in all of the chambers. These were the findings: ● The types of floor coverings and even the different types of carpeting do have a significant impact on airborne particulate concentrations. ● In general, these airborne concen-trations “were lower with carpet as opposed to the hard surface floors.” ● One carpet, a 100 percent nylon, medium-pile broadloom carpet, con-sistently performed best in trapping contaminants. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), nylon is the most popular fiber used as the face fiber in com-mercial carpet in the U.S. As to the validity of the findings, while the study was carried out under test conditions (such as controlled temperature, relative hu-midity and air changes per hour), “they rep-licated those found in real-world setting,” said Mahon. proper cleaning. This is because the researchers also con-cluded that should the carpet become saturated with contaminants, the positive benefits reported will be reduced. For proper cleaning, regular vacuuming with high-performance, high-quality, air-filtered vacuum cleaners is the first step to remove dry top-surface soils. However, to remove soils that have been pounded deeper into carpet fibers, the researchers recommended the use of hot-water extraction. As opposed to using cold water, hot-wa-ter extraction, according to the researchers, was able to more thoroughly clean carpet and remove deeply embedded soils and contaminants, helping to prevent them from becoming airborne. The study indicated that proprietary hot-water extraction cleaning — which typically refers to heating water/solution to 212-degrees F when using portable extrac-tors — is highly effective at reducing aller-gen levels in carpet. Who’s Right? In a sense, both Wosnack and Braun are right in their beliefs and conclusions. Braun rightly believes that carpet prevents contaminants from becoming airborne. And Wosnack is right that, unless they are properly cleaned and maintained, there is a possibility that carpet will be-come saturated and foot traffic and other disturbances will cause dust and allergens to be released. However, ultimately the conclusion of the study is that carpet does help protect hu-man health and indoor air quality … it sim-ply has to be properly maintained. *Eileen Wosnack, “ Tear up That Old Un-healthy Carpet and Paint Your Floor. (The Spirit of Interior Design: Greening Your Home with Style),” Natural Life , November 1, 2009. One More Crucial Finding This debate is not over without discussing one further finding. According to the report, carpeting can help protect health and indoor air quality; however, that is dependent on regular and FREE INFO: Reader Service 203 or CMMOnline.com/freeinfo www.CMMOnline.com 27
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