VANCOUVER, Wash. – June 28, 2010 – The American Home Furnishings Alliance (AHFA) recently updated its Woven and Knit Residential Upholstery Fabric Standards and Guidelines to include the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC). The newly revised standard contains a suggestion to contact “an IICRC Certified Firm that specializes in upholstery cleaning” when professional care is required. The changes went into effect immediately upon their adoption by the committee in May. Consumers eventually will be able to find this information on care and cleaning tags on sofas, chairs and other upholstered furniture.

“The IICRC prides itself on setting high standards for the cleaning, restoration and inspection industry,” explained Patrick Winters, president of IICRC. “Being included in AHFA’s standards and guidelines is one step closer to setting a uniform, standardized approach for upholstery cleaning, to the benefit of the industry and consumers.”

This revision is the result of a working partnership between the two organizations that started in 1998. Carey Vermeulen, a past president of IICRC and the owner of Indoor Air Management Canada, and Lonnie McDonald, co-founder of the Low Moisture Carpet Cleaners Association (LMCCA) and president of Textile Care Group Companies, have been instrumental in maintaining the partnership over the years. The partnership has included other milestones, including AHFA’s adoption of the IICRC S300, the Standard and Reference Guide for Upholstery Cleaning.

“The IICRC is a valued participant on the Joint Industry Fabric Standard Committee,” stated AHFA Vice President Bill Perdue. “Their contributions to this process have helped ensure that manufacturers have clear guidance on what to include on care and cleaning tags.”

For more information about the IICRC and IICRC certified firms, visit www.certifiedcleaners.org. For more information about the AHFA, visit http://www.ahfa.us/.