The Host with the most
February 1st 2008

Beginning life in 1940s Racine, USA, the Host von Schrader carpet cleaning system today is "about as 'green' as you can get," according to UK MD,Mike Egerton. Brendan Coyne reports

The Host system uses a powerful vacuum and heavy duty counter-rotating brushes to remove dry soil from the carpet.

Importantly, says Egerton, the brushes get right to the base of the carpet, whereas vacuuming tends to remove only the top layer of dirt."Maintaining carpets with suction only vacuums is worse than useless carpets are a great localiser of soil and 1m2 of good quality carpet can hold 2Kgs of soil before it becomes apparent.And by that time you've started to damage the carpet by only removing the top layer and allowing the rest of it to fill up." Once as much of the dry soil (which makes up around 80 per cent of soilage) as possible has been removed, and the fibres are standing up, the remaining 20 per cent of sticky soilage (which either coats the fibres, or attracts and holds soil to it) needs to be tackled.

Which is where the Host Sponges come into play.

The sponges carry a mixture of water, detergents and wetting agents and a small amount of safe solvent deep into the carpet, absorb the sticky soil, and are then vacuumed up - leaving the carpet dry. According to Egerton, Host's research, which has been independently peer reviewed, shows that one clean using the system reduces dust mites by 78 per cent, cat allergen by 85 per cent, dust mite allergens by up to 89 per cent and up to 97 per cent of mould spores.

Although the company can't label it as 'organic carpet cleaning', Egerton says it's about "0.001 per cent away" from being able to do so and claims he is increasingly approached by carpet cleaners for its environmental credentials."It's probably about as green as you can get. Some of that is by chance but over the last couple of years it has been by design: In the last year WoolSafe has approved it under the Green Seal logo, and we have just been awarded the Carpet & Rug Association's Green Seal of approval in the States." Host has also redesigned the sponge tub packaging to make it as reusable as possible (a company in the USA even makes seats out of them), and Egerton says many users put the sponges on their compost heaps.

However, he says changing the market's perception the majority of which uses wet cleaning methods requires education. Similarly, the company places great emphasis on training and educating its own customers, running both open training days and events for large customers."We make a promise to train from cradle to grave: it's in our interest;we want people to keep on using the system effectively." Potential customers are also invited to attend the training days, which helps add around 150 new Host customers a year to the business, according to Egerton, who is also a WoolSafe accredited trainer."But it's not just about cleaning methods,we also show users what can't be cleaned, and how to explain why.We always say under promise and over deliver.That way their customers are always delighted." If you'd like to get a flavour of the Host system, the next training day is in May.Call Mike Egerton on the number on the right for details.

The von Schrader lowdown Alongside the Host sponges, detailed above,Mike Egerton says it was the Liberator and Freestyle machines that convinced him to head up the UK business."Until I'd seen the machines, I wasn't convinced it had the whole package. But Host invited me to have a look at them: they are the complete article, and it means the company, and its customers, are in control of their own destiny." He says at 130 cubic feet per minute, the machines are way above the industry standard in terms of suction power."But that's under no load, with filters they run at about 110, which is a crucial question to ask any vacuum manufacturer."The brushes counterrotate, getting soil up from the bottom of the carpet, and drawing it to the vacuum in the middle of the brushes.

The Liberator (pictured left) deliver's 'lawn mower' style cleaning, covering large areas – e.g. lobbies and hallways – at high speed. Because it is self propelled, it reduces operator fatigue.

For restoration and routine carpet cleaning, the Freestyle (far left) handles both spotting and stair cleaning, and is flexible for under furniture cleaning. Both units have various accessory and filter options.

More articles from Host Von Schrader: