When you look at it, it’s clean! No spills, no stains, no obvious dirt, so it’s all good with your carpet, right? Not quite. Have you ever thought about what’s really on your carpet, how it gets there and what possible effects it could have on your health? We’ll give you an idea.
Dust
No matter how often you vacuum, dust will always be present in your carpet. It accumulates every day with or without your activity in the house. Of course, the amount of it counts when it comes to its impact on your health. Extreme volume of dust trapped in the carpet can cause allergic reactions, skin irritation and insomnia. Because it lowers the air quality, it will affect your mood too, so you may feel down or more irritable.
Allergens
Dust is a common allergen, but apart from it, your carpet stores other substances that could cause allergic reactions – mould, pollen, pet dander. They could be very dangerous for people living with asthma or other respiratory conditions. Mould can also cause vision problems, chronic rhinitis and frequent headaches. It builds up in the carpet if you don’t ventilate the rooms appropriately or dry clothes inside. Pollen gets stuck to the fibres during spring and early summer when you open the windows. Pet dander shreds naturally from your furry friends and although vacuuming can help minimise the count, it does not eliminate it completely.
Dead Skin Cells
Ewww, gross! Yes, your carpet stores a ton of dead skin cells from you and everyone else who lives with you. And you breathe them in every day! They won’t do any direct harm to your health, but contribute to worsening the air quality and that makes breathing and sleeping more difficult. This in turn, leads to weakened immune system, mental health problems and a negative impact on your general wellbeing. Besides, when you think about it… it’s just yuck!
Food Leftovers
Tiny food crumbs and drops do get stuck on the carpet. Your vacuum cleaner, as powerful as it may be, won’t get them out fully. That means they will stay there until you have the carpet professionally cleaned with the appropriate products and equipment. Food leftovers attract all sorts of pests and contribute to the formation of mould in the carpet. They could also cause potential bacterial infections, which may be seriously harmful for babies and young children.
Chemicals
Most carpet treatments include heavy chemicals. With good ventilation and appropriate drying time after use, most of the residue can be eliminated. But not completely! Some of these solvents are toxic to animals and can be dangerous for people allergic to the chemicals. If your household has pets or known allergies you must let the carpet cleaners know. They could offer eco-friendly solutions or products with less harmful ingredients.
Oops, we didn’t mean to spook you with all that information, but perhaps now that you are more aware of what’s on your carpet you’ll get that carpet cleaning booking done as soon as possible. It’s not about getting more clients on our books. It’s about protecting and keeping more families healthy.