Spills and spots are inevitable, but they do not have to be permanent. The right cleaning solutions can help keep the carpet in your facility or home looking its best. To identify superior performing cleaning products, CRI has developed the Seal of Approval (SOA) program for solutions. CRI worked with an independent laboratory to develop a testing program for evaluating carpet cleaning solutions. The SOA program was launched in 2004 to test cleaning solutions and other carpet cleaning equipment. CRI uses scientifically developed cleaning methods to identify which cleaning solutions work best.
The SOA program tests the following types of solutions:
- Pre-spray
- In-tank
- Encapsulate
- Pet Stain & Odor
- Spot Remover
Testing Criteria
SOA Test Criteria for Solutions
To earn the Seal of Approval certification, cleaning solutions are tested on the following criteria:
- Cleaning Effectiveness — ensures that the product meets SOA criteria for removing soil or stains
- Rate of Resoil — ensures that the product meets SOA criteria for minimizing resoiling of treated areas. Resoiling is the propensity of a cleaning solution residue to attract soil at an accelerated rate.
- pH — ensures that a product meets SOA criteria for pH. A more neutral pH ensures that carpet dyes and fibers are not adversely affected by the cleaning solution.
- Optical brighteners — ensures that a product meets SOA criteria for the absence of optical brighteners. The presence of optical brighteners can alter the color of the carpet.
- Colorfastness — ensures that a product meets SOA criteria for maintaining colorfastness. Colorfastness is the level to which a chemical residue contributes to color change when exposed to accelerated light.
- Odor (applies to Pet Stain & Odor solutions only) – ensures that a product meets SOA criteria for eliminating odor.
Test Methods
- SOA S-100 Preparation of Solution and Test Method for pH and Optical Brightner
- SOA S-101 (CF) Colorfastness Test Method
- SOA S-200 (CE) Test Method for Cleaning Effectiveness of Pre-Spray and In-Tank Solutions
- SOA S-201 (RS) Test Method for Resoiling of Pre-Spray and In-tank Solutions
- SOA S-300 (CE) Test Method for Cleaning Effectiveness of Encapsulate Solutions
- SOA S-301 (RS) Test Method for Resoiling of Encapsulate Solutions
- SOA S-400 (CE) Test Method for the Evaluation of Cleaning Effectiveness of Spot Remover and Pet Stain & Odor
- SOA S-401 (RS) Test Method for Resoiling of Spot Remover and Pet Stain & Odor Solutions
- SOA S-402 (O) Test Method for Evaluation of Odor Removal
- SOA Test Carpet Specifications