Comparison of the Energy, Time and Water Usage Required for Maintaining Carpets and Hard Floors

The energy, time and water usage required for cleaning carpets and hard floors (solid vinyls, wood and wood laminates) in commercial buildings are compared. The electrical energy requirements for both types of flooring are similar for areas with heavier traffic volumes. For all other areas, carpets require slightly more electrical energy, but less human energy, water and time to clean than hard floors. The greatest difference is in the consumption of water, with hard floors requiring up to 40 times more than carpet, depending on the amount of traffic. This work has shown that maintaining carpets has a lower overall environmental impact than maintaining hard floors.