Photo courtesy of Green Clean Organics.

It’s been said that there are two things in life that are inevitable: death and taxes. There’s one more … all carpets and upholstery will get dirty over time. Carpets and rugs take a lot of abuse from kids and pets, careless dinner guests, muddy shoes, dropped popsicles … the list goes on and on.

It’s also inevitable that carpets have to be cleaned, or at least they should be for the sake of cleanliness and overall hygiene. Like other cleaners, professional carpet cleaning solutions may contain toxic ingredients that are not safe for small children and pets and may contribute to poor indoor air quality.

Some carpet cleaning solutions (especially spot removers) used by carpet cleaning companies can be particularly dangerous because they contain chemical solvents similar to those used by dry cleaners. These nasty chemicals dissolve dirt without soap and water, but give off strong, almost toxic odors. Other potentially harmful ingredients in carpet cleaning solutions include other compounds that produce lots of fumes (like formaldehyde), acids, pesticides, disinfectants, lye (sodium hydroxide), artificial fragrances and many others.

Luckily, with more awareness on going “green” in an effort to protect our health and our environment, advances have been made to make cleaning chemicals not only safer, but often more effective than traditional toxic solutions. Organic cleaning products also give off little to zero chemical odors.

There are many cleaning products on the market today that claim to be “natural, safe and effective,” but buyer beware — not all these products are what they claim to be.

When on the search for safe and effective organic cleaning products, look for the Green Seal label. Green Seal is a nonprofit organization that uses science-based methods to test organic products to ensure they are not only safe, but effective. Products with the Green Seal have been put up to some pretty stringent quality standards.

For more than 20 years, Green Seal has made it possible for consumers to easily identify goods and services that are healthier and greener. According to the EPA, Green Seal-certified cleaning products can reduce hazardous material consumption through their concentrated, non-toxic formulas. Green Seal is also cited by nearly half the states in the U.S. through legislation and regulatory guidance, more than any other eco-labeling program.

Hiring a professional carpet cleaner with the Green Seal certification ensures your carpets and upholstery are fresh and clean without using caustic cleaning solutions, toxic odors or residues or allergens.

For more information about local cleaning services that have the Green Seal certification, visit www.gcocleaning.com.

Thanks to advances in chemical technology and a wide-reaching movement toward a more environmentally friendly way of life, it is now possible to have the best of both worlds — clean carpets and healthy bodies.