CRI's Seal of Approval program<br>launches with space technology

Testing requirements for carpet cleaning machines are beginning to look more like rocket science. With the aid of special x-ray fluorescence technology developed with the help of NASA scientists, the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) has brought a new level of cleaning to its recently launched Seal of Approval program.

The NASA-enhanced technology, called XRF, measures precise amounts of soil removed by a carpet extractor. To gain the Seal of Approval, extractors cannot leavel more than tracea mounts of residual water. The standard also takes into consideration the amount of wear and tear. A CRI technical committee sets the standards for the program and an independent laboratory administers the tests.