There are several products available for carpet cleaning. These products range from mild to strong, and have varied combinations of different ingredients. Some of these cleaning products have harmful chemicals.

Most cleaning chemicals are relatively safe to use, however it would be judicious to wear gloves and goggles while using them. It is important to remember that some chemical combinations are so risky that you should not use them. And there is one class of chemicals that are safe to the user but harmful to the environment, which should be a consideration, especially around children and pets.

Guidelines on safety mention certain chemicals as very unsafe and prohibited from use. Nonetheless, some of these chemicals find their way into cleaning products. A few of these prohibited chemicals are hydrofluoric acid, nitrilotriacetate / nitrilotriacetic acid, perchloroethylene / tetrachloroethylene and tributyl tin.

Then there are certain chemicals that are rated as usable but require extreme care and caution when used. The use of chemicals like butane, isobutane, or propane (aerosol propellants), ethanolamine, glycol ethers such as butoxyethanol, quaternary ammonium chloride, sodium bisulfate, sodium carbonate and sodium hydroxide may pose a health risk to the user.

The guidelines published by the government classify some chemicals as substances to be avoided if possible because of their potential harm to the environment. These are dibutyl phthalate CFC-22 and HCFC-141 both of which are illegal for janitorial use. A few other chemicals of this type are nonyl phenol ethoxylate and octyl phenol ethoxylate.

It makes practical sense to read the product labels carefully and follow the directions it gives for safe use. Use of protective gear should not be taken lightly. Use goggles to protect your eyes from corrosive chemicals. When using products containing glycol ethers or ethanolamines it is advisable to wear gloves as some chemicals tend to get absorbed through the skin. One should always avoid mixing different cleaning products. This can lead to unknown chemical reactions that may turn out to be harmful.