HOST® / Racine Industries Inc. began as the Rench Manufacturing Company in 1936. From the beginning, Racine Industries, Inc. manufactured carpet cleaning equipment and chemicals. The company was the first in the United States to produce synthetic detergents for carpet cleaning, rightfully recognizing that animal based soaps left a residue which contributed to rapid resoiling of the carpet.

In the late 1930's, Rench got involved with the Bigelow Sanford company in a patent pool that resulted in the first dry carpet cleaning powder. This dry 'powder' was developed in order to solve a problem that arose when water was used on wool carpet. The solvent-based clay powder was brushed into the carpet with a broom and vacuumed. The 'powder' absorbed the soil and held it until vacuumed out.

After years of work with this product, it became increasingly evident that it had its limitations. The biggest limitation was that it had to be applied with a brush or broom. This made cleaning large areas virtually impossible, and any machine action would raise clouds of dust, so it was necessary to redesign the product.

• In 1956, a new dry cleaner for carpets was introduced at the National Institute of Rug Cleaners in New York. This new product worked better than the original 'powder' and could be used with a machine. It was a combination of water, detergents, a safe solvent and 'sponges' that dissolved and absorbed the soil under control, and allowed for a thorough extraction at the time of cleaning. It was called HOST Dry Extraction Carpet Cleaner. Over the next 39 years, many innovations were added to the original concept.

• The HOST T6 machine for commercial cleaning in 1965

• PREP® Traffic Lane Booster in 1970 - The 20 day Carpet Maintenance Plan in 1972

• Improved formula and fragrance in 1978 - HOST School opens in 1978

• The HOST High Appearance Level Plan for Building Service Contractors in 1983

• CAMP®, the Computer Aided Maintenance Plan for Carpet in 1984

• The HOST Applicator for better cost control and gold brushes for residential carpet in 1987

• Black brushes for heavily soiled olefin and commercial carpet in 1989

• Zebra brushes for commercial carpet in 1989

• New improved formula and fragrance in 1991

• CAMCAP®, the Carpet Maintenance Cost Analysis Program in 1993

• HOST SJ for Special Jobs and the HOST spotZAPPER® in 1994

• The HOST extractorVAC Freestyle® and HOST EXTRA! For Restoration in 1995

• The HOST extractorVAC Liberator® in 1996

• The HOST Reliant in 1998

• New Applicator 2000

• Grout Cleaning Brushes 2004

• Aridex Dry Upholstery Cleaning 2004

The HOST® School Carpet Cleaning College was started as an educational and training program designed to help our customers use the HOST System more effectively and efficiently. Since 1978, we have held more than 1,290 classes in the U.S. and worldwide. We have expanded our facilities to include 5,800 square feet of classroom and training space. More than 20,000 students have attended from all over the country and world. The HOST School has traveled all over the U.S. and to England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Mexico, Canada and Argentina.

Associations HOST® belongs to:

• Commercial
• RIA - Association of Specialists in Cleaning and Restoration
• USGBC - United States Green Building Council
• BSCAI - Building Service Contractors Association International
• CRI - Carpet and Rug Institute
• IACET - International Association of Continuing Education and Training
• ISSA - International Sanitary Supply Association
• IEHA - International Executive Housekeepers Association
• Retail
• WFCA - World Floor Covering Association
• WFA - Wisconsin Floor Covering Association
• CFA - Chicago Floorcovering Association
• ARA - American Rental Association
• WRA - Wisconsin Rental Association