Carpetland Carpet One Floor & Home plans to end unsightly grout with PH-neutralizing technology

With all of the grout and tile sealers available today, you would think soiled grout and tile would be a thing of the past.  But too often, homeowners complain that their tile floors and walls are becoming eyesores.

“They want a cleaner that lets them see a difference,” says Ben Lanich, manager of Carpetland Carpet One Floor & Home in Cincinnati. “And they really need the grout surrounding their tile to be stain-proof from the time it is installed forward.”

Carpetland intends to provide both solutions by now offering Grout Once additive and other sealers and cleaners from Van Hearron Inc. Unlike other sealant manufacturers, this company uses alkali -seeking and reactive technology, which neutralizes PH and stops stains and bacteria in their tracks. These low-Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) products seek out and neutralize alkali, then react with it to form a permanent seal. Read the rest of this entry »

Do nanotechnology and antimicrobial agents pose risks for my children?

Q. I am trying to select a cork or hardwood floor that is safe for my children to sit, crawl and play on. Some that I have looked at are finished with nanotechnology, and some contain antimicrobial agents.

Are you aware of any dangers posed by any of these?

A. A floor that is prefinished at the factory, instead of onsite in your home, poses less immediate impact on your indoor-air quality because the finish is cured before it enters your house.  The risk of exposure, therefore, is usually at the factory. But there are questions being raised about the safety of nanoparticle finishes and antimicrobial agents like Triclosan, as finishes wear off over time.

Nanotechnology is a relatively new technology that involves the infusion of microscopic particles onto a product. Early research indicates that nanoparticles might have toxic properties. In addition, because of their extremely small size, concerns are being raised that nanoparticles might be able to penetrate the defenses of cells in the human body, carrying chemicals with them.

The potential long-term effects of Triclosan – a bacteria killer used in Microban and many consumer products including toothpaste – have led the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to reconsider their previous approval of Triclosan. Both agencies have called for more review of the chemical in light of studies that show it alters hormone regulation in animals and might contribute to making bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics.

Both of these issues – in addition to concerns about chemical fumes that compromise indoor-air quality – are prompting flooring manufacturers to add products with more natural finishes. Natural Interiors® Design Center — Buddy’s Flooring America in Beavercreek, OH, for example, carries several hardwood flooring lines with natural oil, low-VOC, waterbased, UV-cured factory finishes. And Schumacher & Co. Custom Hardwood Floors, which does onsite finishing of cork and hardwood for Carpetland and its other sister companies, has recently launched a finishing program that includes natural oil and other less-toxic finishes.

While you should also look for indoor-air quality certifications like GREENGUARD or FloorScore – these are designed to measure Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) emitted from products and do not address unknowns about nanoparticles or antimicrobials. ©

Nancy Kibbee is technical adviser for the Natural Interiors® Design Center and editor at www.naturalinteriors.com