Contractors

Carpet/Upholstery Cleaning

Carpet and upholstery cleaners face many environmental risks during operations at jobsites and from solvents and cleaning chemicals used, transported, and stored. Mold can be created from improper moisture control or overwetting during upholstery cleaning. Improper handling, mixing, or disposal of chemicals can lead to claims for third-party bodily injury, property damage, cleanup, and disposal liability. Spills or releases of chemicals and wastewater can also occur during transport, resulting in liability for cleanup or natural resource damage. Equipment used in cleaning can emit harmful air emissions that can harm third parties.

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Environmental Exposures May Include:

Moisture Control and Mold
Chemical Releases
Chemical Storage
Waste Management and Disposal
Equipment Operations
Chemical Toxicity

Moisture Control and Mold

Improper moisture control can create the potential for mold growth. Overwetting carpets can cause moisture to become trapped below the carpet during cleaning operations and lead to mold development within the furniture’s material, which can result in the release of mold spores and mold metabolic products (microbial Volatile Organic Compounds or MVOCs) into indoor air. Exposure to mold spores can cause health hazards to building occupants. Claims for third-party bodily injury and property damage could result.

Chemical Releases

Releases of cleaners, solvents, or wastewater during transportation to and from jobsites, disposal facilities, or loading and unloading operations can create cleanup liability for soil and groundwater contamination. Releases that migrate into water sources can also create liability for natural resource damages.

Chemical Storage

Accidental spills and leaks of solvents and cleaners at the jobsite or the storage location may cause third-party exposures and cleanup. Stored chemical supplies are often concentrated, and leaks from incompatible or reactive containers may cause hazardous fumes. Some products are flammable and may result in a fire that spreads and releases other contained materials and produces hazardous vapors.

Waste Management and Disposal

Waste generators are responsible for the proper segregation and disposal of their wastes. Some cleaner and solvent wastes may be hazardous and require special disposal or recycling procedures. Wastewater from cleaning carpets or upholstery contains detergents, cleaners, sediments, and other contaminants. It may also require special handling and disposal. Improper disposal of wastes and wastewater can lead to environmental tort liability and cleanup costs.

Equipment Operations

Many carpet cleaners use truck-mounted carpet cleaning equipment. Propane gas, kerosene, gasoline, and fuel oil may fuel this equipment. Leaks of propane or other fuels can occur from tanks, loose fittings, worn parts, etc., causing potential ground and water contamination. Some equipment requires the truck to operate at high speed, which can overheat the catalytic converter and cause a fire. Additionally, the fuels are flammable and could catch on fire. A fire can produce toxic fumes, or contaminated run-off may be generated in fighting a fire. Furthermore, equipment engines produce carbon monoxide, which can enter enclosed spaces and cause carbon monoxide poisoning to occupants. Cleanup liability and claims for third-party bodily injury and property damage could result from truck-mounted carpet cleaning equipment operations.

Chemical Toxicity

Many chemicals used in carpet and upholstery cleaning contain various ingredients that may be toxic and health-threatening if touched or inhaled; this can also include green cleaning chemicals, especially if they are not used properly or are mishandled. These toxic chemicals may include perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene, butoxy ethanol, pesticides, phthalates, formaldehyde, acids, ammonia, naphthalene, phenols, and chlorine bleach. Cleaning chemicals can produce toxic fumes and should be kept from the skin. Fumes can be especially dangerous to children who may play on carpets and lay on upholstery after cleaning them. These chemicals can be hazardous to internal organs and the central nervous system.

Contractors Pollution Liability Can Provide Coverage For

Contracting operations completed “by or on behalf of” the insured

Contracting operations performed at a jobsite

Third-party claims for bodily injury and property damage

Third-party claims for cleanup

Defense of third-party claims

First-party emergency response costs

Non-owned disposal sites

Mold, legionella, bacteria, and fungi

Asbestos and lead

Sudden and accidental coverage for owned/leased locations

First and third-party transportation pollution liability

Loading and unloading

Crisis/publicity management

Claims Scenarios & Examples

A carpet cleaner had a rollover accident. Cleaning fluids, wastewater, and automotive fluids spilled into the street. Emergency response crews responded by diking and damming street gutters to prevent toxic fluids from entering storm drains. The carpet cleaner was liable for the emergency response costs.
A carpet cleaner parked their truck in a loading bay at the hotel. Using truck-mounted cleaning equipment, they started cleaning the hotel’s rugs. Fumes from the operating equipment entered the building’s air handling system. The hotel, including 225 guests and employees, had to be evacuated from the hotel and receive treatment for carbon monoxide poisoning, resulting in significant third-party bodily injury claims against the contractor.
A carpet cleaning company dumped their wastewater in a self-service car wash bay without the owner’s permission. A witness reported the disposal to the owner of the car wash. The carpet cleaner faced fines from the city and a civil suit from the car wash’s owner.
A child developed Kawasaki disease, which is a disease that causes inflammation in blood vessels throughout the body and typically affects babies or kids younger than 5. The residence where the child lived had recently had their carpets cleaned. The parents of the child sued the carpet cleaning company. While no cause and effect were able to be established between the disease and carpet cleaning, and the suit was eventually denied, the company accumulated significant defense costs.
A woman had professional carpet cleaning done at her home. Exposure to the carpet cleaning chemicals caused her to have an asthma attack and seizure. Improper dilution of the chemicals and ventilation of the room contributed to her medical emergency.
After losing his voice, a teacher began to experience other symptoms that came out of nowhere, including headaches, weight gain, fatigue, and low energy. The teacher filed a lawsuit claiming these symptoms were due to the shampoos and other cleaners used to clean the school carpets.

Final Consideration

As a contractor you can be faced with the cost to defend yourself against allegations or legal action from pollution related events, regardless if you are at fault or not. Having the proper insurance coverage in place will help fund the expenses incurred to investigate or defend against a claim or suit and provide you with environmental claims handling expertise.

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This environmental risk overview offers a general understanding of potential risks and may not reflect all risks associated with your business. Environmental Risk Professionals has compiled this overview for informational purposes only. This overview does not constitute legal opinion or advice, nor does it establish a consultant-client relationship. This overview is not intended to guide project parties in interpreting specific contracts or resolving disputes; such decisions may require consultation with counsel and depend on various factors. © 2025 Environmental Risk Professionals, LLC