Toxic Carpet Cleaner Ingredients To Steer Clear Of

While you might be vacuuming your carpets on a regular basis to remove dirt and dust, these fibers can be difficult to really get clean compared to hard flooring and tile. As such, you might have considered commercial carpet cleaners to help eliminate dirt and odors that vacuuming alone cannot tackle. If you don't choose the right ingredients, though, you could unintentionally be adding toxic chemicals to your home. These can pose the risk of both skin and respiratory issues for you and your family. Some of the most notorious toxic carpet cleaner ingredients include 2-butoxyethanol, naphthalene, and perchloroethylene. 

The liquid 2-butoxyethanol can possibly cause skin and eye irritation, as well as breathing problems. This solvent is used in a variety of cleaning products, such as liquid carpet cleaners, glass cleaners, and degreasers. Naphthalene is another toxic ingredient to steer clear of, due to its risk of liver, eye, and neurological damage.

Perchloroethylene is a toxic chemical that's most commonly used in dry cleaning, but it also shows up in some brands of carpet cleaners. The good news is that, in December 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a mandatory phasing out of this chemical in all household products and most workplace products within three years. However, until it is completely off the market, you should check product labels carefully to make sure they don't contain perchloroethylene.

While there are safer carpet cleaning alternatives available on the market, you also don't have to necessarily rely on commercial products to get your carpet clean. First, you might consider using baking soda to help deodorize your carpets. Baking soda is non-toxic and can directly neutralize odors rather than covering them up with synthetic fragrances you might find in a commercial cleaning agent. It can also be used on liquid spills. Simply sprinkle it onto your carpet and leave it for 15 minutes before vacuuming. Keep pets and children away from the area until you've completely cleaned up the baking soda.

While baking soda is worth using on fresh carpet spills, you may need something stronger once liquids have dried on your carpets. This is where white vinegar may help, as the acid can lift stains and also strip funky odors from your rugs. To clean stains on light-colored carpets, combine 1 pint of white vinegar with 1 pint of warm water in a bucket, or combine equal parts water and vinegar in a spray bottle. Apply a small amount of the solution to the stain, and then blot it with a clean paper towel or cloth. Allow it to air dry, and then repeat if you still see signs of the stain. 

As a caveat, you should not use white vinegar or any other acidic product on bright or dark-colored carpets, as these might create stains. While the vinegar solution may not have a pleasant scent compared with commercial products to added fragrances, you can be safe knowing white vinegar is not toxic.