For facilities striving to earn the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings, Operations and Maintenance or simply LEED:EBOM certification, green cleaning is a requirement. The guidelines for certification outline specific green carpet care criteria.

Vacuums must be certified by the Carpet and Rug Institutes Seal of Approval or older Green Label testing program. In addition, vacuums must operate at sound levels less than 70 decibels.

Carpet extractors used for deep cleaning must also achieve CRI’s Seal of Approval certification. If equipment is battery operated, gel batteries are preferred. Guidelines also state that machines must be “ergonomically designed to minimize vibration, noise and user fatigue.”

Cleaning professionals will need to keep a log of all equipment purchases and note repair and maintenance schedules.

Finally, carpet chemicals must meet either Green Seal or EcoLogo certification.