My carpets needs to be cleaned. Bad.

The new puppy darts in front of me or my daughter goes screaming running from the new puppy and my coffee spills…every morning. It try for it to not happen but it does. The dog piddles way to much and I always catch him, in the middle of it. I guess I suck at this puppy training thing and my carpet is suffering because of it.

My carpets needs to be cleaned. Bad.

Being the green mom that I try so hard to be I’d like to clean my carpets with non-toxic cleaners but in my area this does not exist.  Trust me,  I’ve tried and called every single carpet cleaner two hours from my house. Do I need clean my carpet? I’ve considered this option.

My carpets need to be cleaned. Bad.

I have to share with you something I encountered today on my quest for non-toxic carpet cleaning. Something I believe many of us “greenies” run into daily if not hourly. A very pig headed, I’ve always done it this way, nothing is wrong with me and I’ve researched the chemicals and the government says they are safe, type of people.  Here is how my telephone conversation went:

” I’ve used your service before but do you now you a alternative to chemicals or do you still use chemicals during your carpet cleaning process?” OR something like this is what I said.

“Yes we use chemicals.” Chuckle. She chuckled at me like I was stupid. “Let me tell you what I tell everyone, I have two children. I’ve been doing this for 35 years and my one child has BLANK DEGREE and BLANK AWARD and my other child has BLANK DEGREE and BLANK TALENTS. They are fine and I’ve used chemicals for 35 years. You use chemicals to wash your clothes. You use chemicals to do your dishes and wipe your counter and you’re fine.”

My carpets need to be cleaned. Bad.

Deep breath. In through the nose out through the mouth. Let her finish. Okay…my turn. “Actually, no I don’t use chemicals to clean anything in my home, ever. I don’t use chemicals on my body. Besides the environmental impact I don’t believe that toxic chemicals are healthy for me or my family to breath and what you used 35 years ago do clean is probably not the same as what you use to clean with today, correct?”

Silence on the line. “Hello?” Did I scare her off?

“Oh. No they are the same BUT so and so researches them and they are safe.”

“Yes, I’m sure he does and the government says that when you mix this and this together you can sell it on the shelf or to you to clean my carpet but there are ZERO studies on how toxic and dangerous this is to my lungs and health, let alone my children. You see, my daughter has asthma and if you use chemicals I have to have her out of the home, open the windows and take some precautions. I assumed you did but I was hoping you had a safer more earth friendly option.”

My carpets need to be cleaned. Bad.

You see folks, not every area has earth friendly options. Not every person can choose chemical free cleaning. I want to. I’d choose to do this. How can I? Rent a machine and do it myself, I know. No, I need their suction, their hot, hot water and their experience for doing this.  I’ve done the own a Kirby and rent a machine thing…it doesn’t work as well. In my experience. So what’s a green mom to do? I’ll tell you what I wanted to do. What I wanted to say. Would that have really changed her mind? Her business? Her point of view? Nah. Everyday I run into something like this because for many going “green” is a new way of thinking. Besides…

My carpets need to be cleaned. Bad.