Chem-Dry, the world's leading carpet and upholstery cleaning service with a network serving over 11,000 homes and businesses a day across 55 countries, announced the rollout of a specialized Sanitizing Service that targets areas of homes and workplaces most prone to viruses, bacteria and germs.

As the Healthy Home Authority^®, Chem-Dry has been making homes and workplaces cleaner, healthier and safer for more than 25 years by combining its proprietary Hot Carbonating Extraction process with an EPA-registered, hospital-grade sanitizer for use on surfaces such as carpets, upholstery, rugs, tile/stone and wood floors, and granite countertops. The new Sanitizing Service for homes and workspaces will focus on applying a professional sanitizer to surfaces most vulnerable to the transmission of viruses, bacteria and germs including:

• Homes:
• High Contact Areas: Door handles, cabinet knobs-pulls, chair handles, chair backs, countertops, light switches, refrigerator door handles, sink faucets, sink handles, stair rails, tabletops, toilet handles, etc.
• Low Contact Areas: Flooring (i.e., carpet, LVT, VCT, wood, tile and stone), upholstery, furniture, rugs, etc.
• Commercial Locations:
• High Contact Areas: Chair handles, chair backs, desktops, door handles, light switches, lobby doors, elevator buttons, computer keyboards, computer mouse, desk phones, tables, stair rails, bathroom stalls, doors, sink faucets, handles, paper towel dispensers, water fountains, vending machines, printers, etc.
• Low Contact Areas: Flooring (i.e., carpet, LVT, VCT, wood, tile and stone), upholstery, furniture, rugs, etc.

"Coming through the COVID-19 pandemic, the way people think about the health and safety of their indoor environments will never be the same," said Ed Quinlan, President of Chem-Dry, part of the BELFOR Franchise Group family of brands. "Chem-Dry has a long-standing reputation for creating cleaner, healthier spaces through our proprietary cleaning and sanitizing services. Our objective in introducing a sanitizing-centric service is to provide peace of mind to families and employers regarding the safety of where they're spending major portions of their time as they settle into the new normal." 

To ensure the safest experience possible, Chem-Dry technicians are following strict safety guidelines and best practices with guidance from the CDC, including:

• Wearing medical gloves, shoe covers and facial coverings (when appropriate)
• Cleaning & applying hospital-grade sanitizer to equipment between jobs
• Observing safe physical distancing
• Implementing contactless transactions whenever possible

The Chem-Dry protocols follow CDC guidelines and recommendations for home cleaning to help stop the spread of viruses, bacteria, and germs, including the use of a hospital-grade sanitizer that is registered with the EPA.  Based on lab testing, its sanitizer eliminates 99.9% of bacteria and viruses from hard non-porous surfaces like tile, stone, wood, laminates and vinyl and is approved by the EPA for use against SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19. In addition to the rollout of the new Sanitizing Service, for a limited time, Chem-Dry customers who purchase a Healthy Home Cleaning Package can receive a professional free wipe-down of high touch points such as door knobs, handrails, faucets, light switches and more using the company's hospital-grade sanitizer.

Chem-Dry creates cleaner, healthier indoor environments with its proprietary equipment and solutions for carpet, upholstery, granite countertops and hard floor surfaces, such as wood, tile and laminates. In further testing of its processes, a study by a leading independent laboratory concluded that the Chem-Dry Hot Carbonating Extraction cleaning method removes 98% of common household allergens from carpets and upholstery and 89% of airborne bacteria when combined with a sanitizer, helping to improve indoor air quality. Chem-Dry has a national partnership with the Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA), working to raise awareness and provide education on the importance of indoor air quality in maintaining the health and safety of homes and businesses.

Founded in 1977, Chem-Dry is the world's leading carpet and upholstery cleaning service with a network spanning over 55 countries and serving over 11,000 homes and businesses a day worldwide. Its green-certified core cleaning solution and proprietary Hot Carbonating Extraction cleaning process provide a deeper clean, allow surfaces to dry faster, and leave homes and workplaces healthier. In addition to being ranked the number one carpet cleaning franchise by Entrepreneur magazine for 31 consecutive years and ranked among the top 10 concepts in the magazine's list of Top Home-Based Franchises for 19 consecutive years, Chem-Dry has been ranked as the world's Best House & Office Franchise in the 2018 Global Franchise Awards. For more information about Chem-Dry and to find a local operator, visit www.chemdry.com, or for more information on franchise opportunities, visit www.chemdryfranchise.com. Chem-Dry is a member of the BELFOR Franchise Group family of brands.