Indoor Air Quality and your Carpets

Preventative Measures Will Help Control Allergens
Some people with asthma and allergies have the misperception that they should avoid carpet in their homes. Carpet is made from the same materials, such as polyester, olefin and nylon fibers, found in other fabrics and clothing. Most people would not associate carpet with improved indoor air quality, but it does have a positive effect by reducing allergens like dust, dirt, pollen, dust mites, and pet dander from circulating in the air. Gravity causes allergens to fall to the floor where these contaminants become embedded into the carpet fibers.David Beal and Subrato Chandra of the Florida Solar Energy Center conducted a study on homes across the U.S., what they found was that preventive measures and good cleaning habits are vital to controlling allergens. Reducing the amounts of dirt, dust and allergens that build up in carpets is the first preventative measure that people with asthma and allergies should take. The use of floor mats, area rugs and runners in high traffic areas and at each doorway helps capture contaminants before it is embedded into the carpet fibers. It takes a significant amount of vacuum power to remove particles trapped in the carpet fibers. Experimenting with different sizes and textures of floor mats and area rugs will help determine what works best in each environment. Rugs should be large enough that an adult can take several footsteps to ensure that the particulate matter is captured as it is knocked loose from their shoes. The study also found that homes that had twice a week vacuuming schedules with a good quality vacuum, equipped with HEPA filters rather than bag filtration, had lower levels of contaminants and allergens. It is important to vacuum area rugs every few days because they will collect a significant amount of soil. Having your carpets cleaned professionally twice a year further reduces those microscopic contaminants and allergens that wreak havoc on your health and your home.

Author: T. English at Enviro Steam Carpet Care visit our website www.envirosteam.com