Regular Carpet Cleaning Fights Allergens
Sweeping, wiping, dusting, vacuuming—it seems like there’s always something to be done. Cleaning your home can be a chore, which is all the more reason to get help doing it! Getting your carpet cleaned takes a load off your shoulders, but did you know it has health benefits, too? In this article, we’ll go over how regular carpet cleaning fights allergens and what you need to do to get all the benefits.
How Carpets Trap Allergens
If you have allergies, you know that a few little particles can mean a world of itching, sniffling, and sneezing. Allergens are tiny particles small enough to float through the air. Many allergens come from outside, while some originate in your home itself. They can track inside on surfaces like shoes, float into your windows, or circulate into your home through ventilation.
Here are some of the most common indoor and outdoor allergens:
- Pet dander from cats and dogs
- Dust mites
- Dirt
- Pollen
- Smoke (from stoves or the environment)
- Mold spores and mildew
When allergens make their way inside, they tend to hang around—literally. These little guys can hang around in the air, waiting to make your eyes water. You might notice buildups of dust on your bookshelves or even yellow pollen during the summertime. When air circulates in the room, they can get kicked right back up into the air.
Carpet actually filters allergens out of the air and traps them. The tiny fibers that make up your carpet are experts at hanging on to these small particles and stopping them from floating back up. That means if your carpet is clean, it can actually keep your air cleaner, too!
Keep the Carpet!
The myth used to be that the best way to deal with indoor allergies was to simply get rid of the carpet altogether. There are 40 million people in the United States living with indoor allergies—that’s a lot of carpet to tear up! The reality is well-maintained carpet is actually one of the best options for people with allergies. Not only does it trap allergens and keep them out of the air (and out of your face), but it means less exposure when dusting and sweeping.
How Carpet Cleaning Helps
So, if your carpet is full of trapped allergens, how do you get them out? The obvious answer might be to vacuum. While vacuuming does help, it doesn’t go far enough. First, vacuums often release a portion of what they suck up back into the air. Things like pet dander and dust can end up right back in the air, especially if you don’t have a good filter.
Second, some allergens can’t be vacuumed at all. For instance, mold spores and mildew are really good at hanging on tight. These allergens get stuck in carpet fibers and won’t be so easily sucked up by a standard vacuum. Instead, they need to be thoroughly washed out. It’s important to dry the carpet thoroughly after washing to make sure that the mildew disappears completely—which is why professional cleaning, rather than shampooing—is the best option.
Professional carpet cleaning goes well beyond vacuuming and actually, well, cleans the carpet. This ensures that everything from mold to dust mites are cleaned out and won’t get thrown back out into your home. Cleaning is so effective, it can remove about 98% of common allergens.
How Often Should You Clean?
So, how often do you need to clean a carpet to get the allergy-fighting benefit?
In general, you should get your carpet cleaned professionally at least twice a year. If you suffer from indoor allergies, you might do it more often—once every 3 to 4 months—to get the optimum effect. Make sure to get a cleaning in the peak or towards the end of the allergy season. Vacuum in between cleanings to keep your air as clean as possible.
Summing Things Up
Most people don’t realize that just having carpet can help alleviate allergies. By trapping common allergies like pollen and pet dander, your carpet acts as a filter and keeps your air cleaner. But all filters need to be cleaned sometime. Regular carpet cleaning fights allergens—and keeps your family healthy and happy.
Ready for the benefits of a clean carpet? Make an appointment for professional carpet cleaning today!
