Using products with optical brighteners on a carpet may make it look great initially, but the damage it causes appears well afterwards, long after the carpet cleaner has taken your money.
Optical brighteners are highly specialised dyes that absorb invisible ultraviolet light and re-emit it as visible light, making the carpet appear brighter than it really is. They are used in some carpet cleaning products or by carpet cleaners who don’t realise (or don’t care) that their use can permanently cause the carpet to turn yellow. Since these are dyes, there is no way to undo the damage.
Carpet manufacturers don’t approve of carpet cleaning chemicals containing optical brighteners and neither do we! Unfortunately, most people don’t realise that household, over-the-counter carpet and upholstery spot removers are loaded with optical brighteners. Below we’ve laid out the reasons why MasterClean Carpet Care, as an ethical and professional carpet cleaning company, does not use optical brighteners and why you should avoid them too.
1. They don’t actually clean
When applied to an area of soiled carpet, optical brighteners will make the carpet look clean, but all that has really changed is how the light is reflected. The area appears brighter, so you think it is clean.
This also means that the soiled area can no longer be cleaned, because the optical brightener dye has created a barrier, preventing any possibility for professional removal of the original spot.
Future professional carpet cleaning will also not look as good, as the area dyed by the optical brighteners will not match the rest of the carpet. This will become even more noticeable after professional cleaning.
2. They alter your carpet’s colour
Optical brighteners are a clear dye. Once they’re on your carpet, they cannot be removed and over time they break down and turn yellow, leaving an ugly, discoloured patch on your carpet.
If used excessively on coloured carpets, optical brighteners can alter the colour balance of the carpet, making it appear bluish or overly bright in certain lighting.
Further, optical brighteners may not be as stable as other colourants, which could lead to fading or colour changes in carpets over time.
3. They can diminish the durability of your carpet
The long-term effects of optical brighteners on carpet fibres are largely unknown although it is thought to cause damage to wool carpets and is advised not to be used by most carpet manufacturers as it could void the warranty. It’s possible there could be interactions between the brighteners and the fibres that might affect the structural integrity or longevity of the carpet over time.
4. They may cause allergic reactions
Some individuals might be sensitive or allergic to optical brighteners. Direct contact with carpets containing these agents could potentially lead to skin irritation or allergic reactions. There are concerns that the stilbenes used in optical brighteners are structurally similar to chemicals used to manufacture hormones for pregnant women. Optical brightener is also mentioned on a number of asthma websites as a chemical to be avoided.
5. They’re not great for the environment
Optical brighteners can be released into the environment through washing or cleaning processes, potentially contributing to the pollution of water bodies.
Some optical brighteners are restricted or banned in certain regions due to environmental and health concerns.
They pose a potential hazard to aquatic life as they aren’t readily biodegradable. Non-biodegradable materials can stick around for hundreds of years, polluting the environment and leaching toxic chemicals into the soil and water.
At MasterClean Carpet Care, we use non-toxic pet and kid-friendly chemicals for cleaning. It takes specialist knowledge to understand the right kind of cleaning chemicals that are best suited to a variety of fabrics and materials.
We provide excellent service and results our customers can depend upon, over and over again. Our highly trained carpet cleaning professionals know all there is to know about cleaning and protecting carpets! Check out our glowing 5-star reviews and find out why MasterClean Carpet Care is trusted by homeowners and real estate agents alike.
