If cleaning professionals need to improve their facilities’ indoor air quality, but are unsure of what equipment to use, an easy indicator are vacuums certified with the Carpet and Rug Institute’s Seal of Approval.

These vacuums meet stringent standards for soil removal, carpet fiber retention and dust containment. The last point is most critical for good IAQ. When dust and dirt escape a vacuum, they are released back into the air where they can be breathed by building occupants.

The Seal of Approval certification is broken into three ratings: Gold, Silver and Bronze. To earn a bronze or silver rating, vacuums must not release more than 100 micrograms of dust particles per cubic meter of air. Vacuums achieving a Gold rating cannot release more 35 micrograms per cubic meter of air emissions.