Wool Safe and related cleaning issues

[Jim Pemberton]

I'd like to have some discussion prior to MF regarding Wool Safe (which I think is poorly understood by most cleaners).

I'll ask Jim Smith and Scott Warrington to help out, as I think they have the best inside understanding of the program, and perhaps Ruth Travis, should she chose to join us here prior to her speaking at MF6.

Before Jim, Scott, and perhaps Ruth speak up, let me ask the group this:

1. Are you familiar with Wool Safe?
2. Do you use the same cleaners on wall to wall wool carpet as you do wool area rugs?
3. Do you look for the Wool Safe label on cleaning products that you buy?
4. Do you use oxidizers and reducers on wool carpet and rugs?

Add in any other comments regarding wool cleaning products and procedures you wish.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

The Aussies and Kiwis are standing back snickering at our fear of wool....

Bah bah...boo!

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Great point Lee.

You folks who are enjoying the beginning of summer right now are welcome to add your comments (and snickers)

 

[rhyde]

1. Are you familiar with Wool Safe?

vaguely

2. Do you use the same cleaners on wall to wall wool carpet as you do wool area rugs?

NO

3. Do you look for the Wool Safe label on cleaning products that you buy?

NO

4. Do you use oxidizers and reducers on wool carpet and rugs?

Yes but not every rug or carpet

 

[Ken Snow]

similar to Randy

1. vaguely to somewhat
2. no
3. hell no
4. of course, but not very often

 

[JamesBaileySmith]

I think it was back in 1991 that the Wool Secretary of Australia started a certification program called CAMPES. CAMPES stood for the Carpet Appearance Maintenance Program. They sold it to Wools of New Zealand in 1994 and the Wool Secretary primarily certifies garments. In 1998 WoolSafe formed itself into a British entity. It has written two standards for cleaning wool, WS1000 and WS2000. In 2002 Wools of New Zealand went out of business and its testing company, called Canesis, absorbed the rights to its logo.
The chemistry of cleaning wool carpets versus wool rug is the same; the methods vary. Wool is made of protein; protein is made of amino acids. I know of no acid that will damage wool; raw wool is washed in strong sulfuric acid to remove the cellulous. Why the BRITSH STANDARD set a minimum pH on detergents is a mystery. When they set a maximum pH of 8.0, it was based upon ammonium hydroxide, not the buffered alkalines used in today’s detergents.
Wool is a cationic fiber and chemical would respond to base dye; however, base dye sets in alkalines which can remove wool’s cuticles. Therefore, wool is primarily dyed with acid dye, but unlike nylon, this acid needs to remain on the fiber to maintain colorfastness. I have found that BRIDGEPOINT, MASTERBLEND and PROCHOICE all make dye stabilizer, CHEMSPEC makes a shampoo with the stabilizer built into the detergent. Wool can be thought as being amphoteric.
The WoolSafe logo is safest way to go on cleaning wool. They test for all sorts of things and their standards are high. The pH rule of 4.5 to 8.5 is junk science. At the time Wools of New Zealand allegedly made this rule, they approved CHEMSPEC FORMULA 90 LIQUID, into their accreditation program. Back then, LIQUID 90 had a pH of 13.5 which was less alkalinity than 25% of the self proclaimed ‘wool safe’ products that had a pH of 6.5. Few of us in the IICRC program could understand this; many still do not. If you can not use a WoolSafe product, then keep the pH as measured on the fiber low. The dye stabilizer on most wool reads 5.5 on a pH meter; they go as low as 2.5. Most wool will bleed when readings hit 6.5. You will need a flat surface pH meter to do this and tap water. Spray a fine mist on the faceyarn and agitate it with a clean bone scraper. Take 3 or 4 readings and use the last reading as your true reading. An exact pH is not necessary, only a range.
I believe wool is more stable to oxidizers than cellulosics; mild oxidizers and reducers should not be a problem; stronger ones could be. If a stain is responsive to either, I would pick the reducer.

 

[sweendogg]

Getting back to the question at hand..

Jim Smith great post btw.

1. Are you familiar with Wool Safe?
Because of my involvement with Aaron G. and other ruggies, I became aware an educated on woolsafe from the get go of our cleaning program and as a retailer with large collection of wool broadloom and area rugs, we got our introduction to woolsafe through the wools of New Zealand trade organization which we are apart of. We hope to become a woolsafe approved cleaning firm after I take a few classes for the CRS traing through the RIA.

2. Do you use the same cleaners on wall to wall wool carpet as you do wool area rugs? Because we full wash area rugs, we do try to use wool safe products but we can also get pretty aggresive since we know we can wash it all out.

On wool broadloom, I found that heat is not really all that important and lower heat works as well on most soiling on wool carpet but we do use wool safe products that are easy to rinse out and only get as aggresive as we need to.. Of couse this is similar to any cleaning situation. no need to bring a cannon to a water pistle fight.

3. Do you look for the Wool Safe label on cleaning products that you buy? Most of the products we use for wool are in the Masterblend line and are woolsafe approved. There are products out there that are safe for wool that are not woolsafe approved because some companies choose not to fork out the money to have their products certified.

4. Do you use oxidizers and reducers on wool carpet and rugs?
Oxidizers and reducers are tools in your toolbox and even on wool they have there place. used sparingly and in the correct sitaution can really save alotof work . Used incorrectly and congradulations on your new rug purchase.

 

[Jose Smith]

Good post, Cousin. But a question in regards to your last statement, "I believe wool is more stable to oxidizers than cellulosics".

I understand that oxidizers are safer (more stable) for the wool fiber than they are for the plant fiber, but is the same true for the dyes?


Jose Smith

 

[Jose Smith]

Are you familiar with WoolSafe?

Yes. I have been familiar the International Wool Secretariat, Wools of New Zealand and now WoolSafe.

Do you use the same cleaners on wall to wall wool carpet as you do wool area rugs?

No. Not even close.

Do you look for the WoolSafe logo on cleaning products that you buy?

Never.

Do you use oxidizers and reducers on wool carpet & rugs.

Sometimes I will use a reducer on a wool carpet. I will only use an oxidizer on wool carpet as a last resort. Never an oxidizer on a wool rug but sometimes will use a reducer, although I can't think of many reasons why I'd need to.

Jose Smith

 

[The Great Oz]

1. Are you familiar with Wool Safe?
Yes. I liked the WoNZ program better though, at least as it was run in the US. It seemed to be more about education than being a profit center for certain individuals.

2. Do you use the same cleaners on wall to wall wool carpet as you do wool area rugs?
Sometimes, but we can use stronger products in the Moore washer since the rinse is so efficient, and the detergent does not spend a lot of time in contact with the rug.

3. Do you look for the Wool Safe label on cleaning products that you buy?
We're comfortable with the products we use, but if one turned up with a Woolsafe logo one day it would be OK.

4. Do you use oxidizers and reducers on wool carpet and rugs?
For certain dyebleed removal processes, but never as a normal part of the cleaning process. The oxy-everything guys do a lot of damage.

Add in any other comments regarding wool cleaning products and procedures you wish.
Higher pH products can be used on wool if contact time is limited and the pH neutralized. Sometimes the greater good is served by getting a grungy rug clean enough to use even if there is some deleterious long-term effect on the fiber.

 

[rhyde]

Yes, wool exhibits amphoteric properties but you sure wouldn’t want to keep anything amphoteric strong acid or alkaline …

Wool isn’t consistent or static it is always in a state of entropy. While it’s resistant to acids as it ages Its molecular structure changes processing, dying, cleaning, light, heat, humidity, soils and age constantly alter wools properties. Below it’s isoelectric range 5-7 wool looses elasticity hydrogen bonds altered and salt linkages are compromised as is the mordant salts of many acid dyes systems particularly natural dyes and old wool is and a greater risk of deterioration and color loss shifting from strong acids.

-As far as pH I think the pH rule of 4.5 to 8.5 is somewhat irrelevant because pH doesn’t give the power hydrogen its Ion... acid dissociation constant in solution.

-The use of Reducer & oxidizer always damage/alter the properties usually on molecular level often impossible for a cleaner to gauge

 

[Jimbo]

1. Are you familiar with Wool Safe?
Yes, I am familiar with it...my 'Woolsafe Certified Cleaner' is the designation I am most proud of...

2. Do you use the same cleaners on wall to wall wool carpet as you do wool area rugs?

Usually not.

3. Do you look for the Wool Safe label on cleaning products that you buy?

Yes...I appreciate both Materblend and Prochem for taking the time and resources needed to gain the 'WoolSafe' label on various products.


4. Do you use oxidizers and reducers on wool carpet and rugs?

On occasions...but not on a regular basis...same with enzyme cleaning agents...only occasional use in the most demanding jobs...and only for a very limited time frame.

 

[hogjowl]

Here is South Bama, I only have one customer with wall to wall wool carpeting, and that particular customer is a hunnerd years old, and made a bazillion bucks farming back before Al Gore caused Global Warming. I clean her carpets about once every two years and have always used whatever 8 to 9.5 pH cleaner I have on hand.

So shoot me.

 

[Ron K]

1, I don't think it's much better than IICRC
2, No
3,Not really
4, If needed

The reason for the first answer is if you go to the WONZ web site you'll see some people on there that just sent money in to get listed on there site. No class just fill out an application. At least that's what was said to me a while ago. I don't know how it is now. Is it really meant to help Cleaners or Consumers or is it just a way to get money. I think I did call them once and ask for a recommendation for a vacuum and they said Suction Only....WTF I've never seen a good quality carpet worn out by Over Vacuuming. Now I'm not saying some POS vacuum's are safe but recommend something not suction only.

 

[LisaWagnerCRS]

I think there needs to be a distinction here between wool being cleaned in the home, versus in a plant, with regard to wool oriental rugs.

Yes you can use higher pH solutions, with limited time and full rinsing (like Randy mentioned), in a plant setting. But accumulated residue over time in a rug surfaced cleaned in the home can create migration of the dyes. Maybe not the first cleaning, but I've handled enough "but it never bled on me before" emergency calls from cleaners doing in-home to say you are taking a risk if you are not careful. High alkanility can also create yellowing of the wool.

There certainly do need to be some guidelines - but as we all know, there is always rules to bend.

I went through the NOWZ course - I learned some interesting things about wool. I learned nothing about effectively cleaning wool rugs. It was just another regulatory hoop to jump for another marketing tag to leverage. Interesting but no real take-aways except a label to carry around, which is good if you know how to market.

So - to your questions:

1) yes, I've heard of it
2) N/A (don't do wall-to-wall)
3) not if the rug needs a really good cleaning
4) yes, depending on the rug

I'm always curious when an organization comes in to tell operations (rug plants) that suddenly they need to use different solutions to be "correct." They've been washing with simple solutions for hundreds of years... suddenly has it been being done wrong?

Seems to me, it's a way to get a fee to put your solutions through hurdles, to present a product that may not clean better than what you are using now (and not having problems with).

If they can do their testing in-plant, and show better performance, I'd be interested. But wool safe in my experience in my workshops is great only if the rug is not really dirty. Like many green products - sounds great in theory, but if it doesn't clean well are you still happy?

Good post - thanks Jim P!
Lisa

 

[harryhides]

1. Are you familiar with Wool Safe? - Yes

2. Do you use the same cleaners on wall to wall wool carpet as you do wool area rugs? - No

3. Do you look for the Wool Safe label on cleaning products that you buy? - No

4. Do you use oxidizers and reducers on wool carpet and rugs? - On occasion, where appropriate.

In just the same way that we have seen the Global Warming "scientists" suppress real science with political or money driven agendas, we have seen many such programs created in recent times. True science requires -

Peer review along with consistently repeatable testing that reproduces the same results on a consistent basis in order to prove the validity of the proposed theory. When Woolsafe, the CRI or the Green Seal folks can meet this bar then and only then will their labels or approvals mean anything.
Until such a time as real testing is performed by following the principles of the "scientific method", the best we have is the collective wisdom of thousands of practitioners over hundreds of years with the desired results on a predicable and consistent basis.

 

[roro]

Yes
No
No
Yes

Dr Eric Brown may be the guy to talk to. He is the Woolsafe guru. Even though they are quite dated I still give my guys his books to read as their starter for training.



roro

 

[leesenter]

1) Yes and have been certified for years
2) no--w2w we use Ecogent or a Woolsafe product Area rugs are washed in a Moore machine using shampoo
3) Yes its part of our systems and we always rinse with a textile rinse also-takes away that wet dog look
4) Oxidizers mayb on fringes, reducers are more likely.

Oxidizers on wool we'll use household peroxide or a peroxide gel that can be immediately skimmed back off.
Reducers we'll use with relative confidence.

As a carpet inspector that does a fair amount of wool inspections the biggest problem I see is colour loss using household spotting products.
As for this fella that says to not use suction only--on wool berbers if you get fuzzing and the customer uses a Dyson with its brush on I will fail the carpet for maintenance related issues caused by the vacuum if the specs of the carpet manufacturer follow the Wools of New Zealand standard of care.
A lot of the wool wovens brought in and made here also recommend dry powder cleaning, this must be followed in most cases because the 5-6 layers of backing will shrink right up in no time if overwetted. Its funny how often it happens but no one ever posts about it here!! The viscose highlight yarns shrink too.
On another note I am relatively certain that Woolsafe advises (at least they used to) to use no rotary action of any kind on loop pile wool.

 

[Ron K]

Leesenter, What Wool safe product do you use in the Moore machine?