Do carpets affect allergies

Allergies and Carpets - Not What you Think!

We often hear a common thought, 'I'm getting rid of my carpet because I'm worried about allergies.' Now, granted, we are carpet cleaners, and, therefore, we love cleaning carpets and prefer you don't get rid of them. But this thought process may not be well-founded. There are some circumstances where getting rid of carpeting is the best choice. Many times, though, this is based on a lack of understanding on how carpets really work and can benefit a home.

You carpet is a filter. Does that make you uncomfortable? Many feel that way. But really, should it? Your furnace has a filter. When you changed it last what did it look like? Probably filthy and dusty. Did you conclude that there was something wrong with your furnace or the filter itself? Did you feel that because the filter was dirty there was something wrong with it? Of course not! We know that the filter was doing exactly what it was supposed to do, trap allergens and dust. You either replaced it or cleaned it. How does this relate to carpets?

Carpets act like filters in your home. When air moves over or through your carpets, the fibers catch and hold dust, hair, pollen, dander, dirt, etc. Is this bad? No. Think about it. If you had hard floors would there be any less dust? Obviously not. Where would this dust go? Well, every time your furnace or A/C would turn on, or even when doors open and close or people and pets move it causes air to move. With nothing to hold the soil and allergens, they get airborne easily and can find their way into us. Carpets prevent this from happening. They can actually make your indoor air quality (IAQ) better!

There is a big condition on this, though! Think back to your furnace. What do you do when the filter is full? You change or clean it. Most filters are designed to be replaced with new, clean ones. Your carpet is not designed to be changed every few months. It is up to you to clean it. This is done quite efficiently by giving it a thorough, regular vacuuming. Also included in this would be a deep steam cleaning to remove oils and deep down soil that vacuuming can't reach. Unfortunately, many disregard these vital steps and blame the carpet when really they simply aren't maintaining it. This is not simply conjecture, or opinion. Check out this link and the .pdf on it:

www.carpet-rug.org/residential-customers/health-and-enviroment/index.cfm

So don't be too quick to get rid of your carpet. Really consider the pros and cons of