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Has anyone heard anything about the dangers of carpet cleaning as it pertains to formaldehyde? Had an elderly gentleman call me last week concerned about the HWE cleaner his complex uses. He said his research had found that excess moisture and extreme heat cause carpets to release formaldehyde into the air. He said the people (also elderly?) in his complex seem to get sick the week after their carpet is cleaned and he attributes it to this formaldehyde. He liked what he read about our process online and questioned me further about it. I was just curious what others have heard or know about this. Cody? Dave Dilts? I did a quick search and found this info, which says it is not a big concern.
http://www.checnet.org/healthehouse/chemicals/chemicals-detail.asp?Main_ID=346
Think the old guy may be reading too much into things, but don’t want to discard his findings just yet.
This sounds similar to the Katrina trailer issue the Feds are having.
Formaldehyde is a nasty chemical released commonly from plywood or particle board…especially when heated.
He may have a home that has particle board or plywood sub-floor that might have been heated by the HWE process or by nature, since it is now warming up most places. In newer construction, it is very common for the wood to release formaldehyde to atmosphere and cause tearing, etc…
I have been to some storage barns with fresh plywood and could not stay inside for more than a few seconds due to tearing and choking from the excess formaldehyde. It eventually is released and then no problem.
Once the curing process is complete and the wood aired out…the problem is relieved. Reheating the wood might …maybe drive off some more, but I would guess a minimal amount.
It is very closely related to formalin that was / may still be used for embalming/tissue preservation. We all smelled it years ago in Biology class as we were dissecting a frog or cat…not used much any more for that I am sure..it is bad stuff.
Hope this helps…Just my best guess, not being there.
We’re going next Wed to give an estimate for cleaning the complex. Talked to manager today. She said carpet is glued down to subfloor (concrete?) as there is no pad. Per the link I provided, they say glue has formaldehyde too. Could be that. I personally think they are reading into it too much, but I am no expert. Either way, I may get a good job out of it. If HWE does cause the release formaldehyde, just one more reason I’m happy I’m not a HWE guy.
Careful grasshopper….let your senses guide you, as well as some good common sense (which does not exist). The formaldehyde is volatile and will eventually be gone. You could always take the credit…
Best wishes.
Dave
Hey Dave I went to a trailer today to do two rooms, there was a strange odor, the customer pointed out some brown spots along the walls. I sprayed 101 and brushed then extracted and wow what an odor!
To quote Dave
“Formaldehyde is a nasty chemical released commonly from plywood or particle board…especially when heated.”As chance would have it her neighbor is a retired Carpet Cleaner who I know very well. I went over and asked him what he thought and bingo he confirmed your statement Dave. Both of us advised her to have a carpenter come in and pull the carpet back and inspect the sub floors.
I told her we would not be back in the future as the carpets at the very least need to be replaced.
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