A north Winnipeg-based cleaning business recently introduced a new environmentally-friendly system that it boasts uses no harmful  solvents and a fraction of the water of rival systems.

CleanEnviro by J-M Technologies, located at 1230 Main St. in the North End, opened for business Sept. 8. It specializes in in-home Persian Rug and upholstery cleaning.

Owner Jean-Marc Huot said what sets his business apart from other cleaning companies is that it uses no harmful or volatile chemicals.

Huot, who has worked in the cleaning industry for more than a decade, said his system is a hybrid of the best cleaning technologies currently available.

The only real trade secret, according to Huot, is the actual cleaning solution that he uses.

"That I will be keeping to myself," he said, laughing.

Huot said he thought the time was right for a more environmentally-friendly cleaning business in the city based on consumer demand.
Unlike most dry-cleaning systems, CleanEnviro doesn’t use petroleum-based products or chemical solvents such as hydrocarbon, perchloroethylene or glycol ether.

"Most volatile chemicals clean through evaporation which is the essence of dry-cleaning," Huot said.  "We’re using no volatile solvents that harm the environment."

CleanEnviro, which has a business office in Southdale, uses a fraction of water compared to other cleaning systems, according to Huot.

"My system is using about one gallon of water for seven to 10 upholstered chairs," he said. "Other systems would use about 20 gallons.

"When cleaning a rug, sofa or other upholstery that takes a day to dry, think of the bacteria that has started during those 24 hours. With our system a nine-by-12-foot rug is completely dry within a couple of hours."

Margaret Friesen, co-founder of Chemical Sensitivities Manitoba, a group created in 1998, said removing volatile chemicals from any business practice is a smart step.

"No question we like to see businesses that are not using volatile chemicals. It is a responsible move," she said. "We’re always in favor of individuals and businesses being more responsible."

Huot said most of the feedback he’s received so far has been positive.

"We’ve had super results from people thus far and people have been honestly surprised by the finished product," he said.
For more information call 489-2433.

rob.brown@canstarnews.com