CRI Testing Program – Carpet Appearance Retention

Thus far, we’ve discussed CRI carpet extractor certification for soil removal and water containment. This week we will look at carpet appearance retention.

Over time, accumulating dust can wear down carpet fibers and diminish the appearance of a carpet. This test is designed to assess the impact of a particular machine design on carpet appearance. A cut-pile carpet is subjected to one year of simulated use, including extracting and walking.

Researchers compare before-and-after photographs to determine the amount of wear incurred using a technique called Spectrographic analysis. The extractor receives a passing grade if the degree of wear is judged to be equal to or less than one year of standard use.

Results from all three tests—soil removal, water containment and carpet appearance retention—are peer reviewed by experts in the field of maintenance and indoor air quality to assure their validity. If an extractor model passes all three tests, it receives the CRI Seal of Approval.