How Carpet Cleaning Can Help Control Your Allergies

Professionally Clean Carpets for Allergy Help

It’s that time of year again. Sneezing, wheezing, and itchy eyes. Allergy season seems to creep up earlier and earlier each year, bringing with it a host of unwanted side effects.

But here’s the thing many people don’t realise: Falling pollen counts don’t always mean the end of allergy issues. Indoor allergens can lurk in fibres of your carpeting, biding their time before springing the next round of headaches, coughs, and misery on unsuspecting homeowners.

Why Your Carpet Can Worsen Allergies, Even After Pollen Season Passes

Carpeting may be soft and cosy on bare feet, but it can cause problems for allergy sufferers. You see, carpets are basically giant fabric air filters for our homes. They trap things like:

• Dust
• Dirt
• Dander
• Mold
• Pollen

And over years of use, these allergens accumulate deep down where your vacuum can’t reach. Then, they seep back into the air you breathe and cause health issues like:

• Sneezing fits
• Wheezing
• Runny noses
• Itchy skin

Not fun! Plus, carpets tend to hold moistness. So if you ever deal with flooding or plumbing leaks, mold outbreaks in the underlying carpet padding can cause nasty allergic reactions and compromise air quality.

The bottom line: Your carpeting collects and stores allergens, exposing you to higher levels than what circulates outdoors. This in turn amps up allergy symptoms for sensitive individuals in the home.

Does the Carpet Material Impact Allergies at All?

On the surface, it may seem like all carpets pose allergy risks. But the fabric composition can play a role, however small, in how problematic the material becomes in the long run.

Broadly speaking, natural fibers tend to attract more allergens than synthetics. That’s because things like dust mites and mold spores thrive on organic surfaces.

Wool rugs, for instance, offer a veritable feast for microbes and bacteria. Tiny fibers allow dirt to burrow deep while the material itself soaks up wetness.

On the flip side, nylon carpeting resists absorbing liquids. Shorter, tighter weaves also prohibit contaminants from working down past the surface piles.

When shopping for new carpets, look for these allergy-friendly features:

• Synthetic fibers
• Low, tight piles
• Moisture resistance
• VOC-free adhesives

Choosing the right carpeting can help reduce load. But understand no carpet stays allergen-free without proper maintenance.

DIY Carpet Care Steps to Minimise Allergens Between Deep Cleanings

Regular cleaning every 6-12 months removes embedded allergens that accumulate despite weekly vacuuming. But you shouldn’t just ignore carpets until the next cleaning appointment!

Staying on top of buildup in high traffic areas can help minimise allergy triggers in the home. Here are some handy DIY maintenance tips:

Vacuum Daily Using HEPA Filtration

• Use a true HEPA vacuum cleaner, not one that just says “HEPA-like.”
• Empty dust cup after each use so particles have no chance to escape back into the air.
• Replace HEPA filters at recommended intervals to maintain suction and filtration efficiency.

Spot Clean Food Spills Promptly

• Blot liquids immediately before they seep down past carpet fibres.
• Mix mild dish detergent with water and blot some onto the spot.
• Cover with clean rag and weigh it down until spot dries completely.

Consider An In-Duct Air Purifier

• Installing an in-duct whole house air purifier helps capture irritants so they never settle into soft furnishings.
• Many down to 0.3 microns, trapping mold, pollen, pet dander and more.
• Look for a True HEPA rated air purifier.

Brush Pets On a Regular Basis + Other Pet Allergy Tips

• Use a rubber grooming brush or glove daily to lift loose hair from shedding pets.
• Bathing your pet once a week can also cut down on dander and allergenic proteins in the home.
• Consider keeping pets with long fur or hair out of carpeted rooms.

Being diligent to address accidentals spills, vacuum thoroughly, and capture pollutants circulating through the HVAC system all help reduce them in carpet fibers.

Why Professional Steam Cleaning Is Still Essential for Allergy Relief

Regular vacuuming combined with periodic spot cleaning keeps carpets looking their best in between professional cleanings. But to sanitise carpets and remove troves of allergens embedded over months or years requires powerful truck-mounted specialized equipment.

Here’s why hot water extraction method is so effective:

• Jets of 220°F water dislodge ground-in grit and permeate to the base of the carpet piles.
• The extreme heat kills dust mites and neutralises mold growth, bacteria, and breeding grounds.
• Powerful suction immediately extracts the dirty solution so no moisture gets left behind.

Many allergy and asthma sufferers understandably worry about using water to tidy carpets. But in the hands of a professional technician, deep carpet cleaning sanitises without risk of mold or excessive drying period.

The key things to avoid are home machines rented from grocery stores. These units often have disgustingly dirty tanks and sit idle for long stretches without maintenance while harboring harmful bacteria.

Work only with professional carpet cleaning services that use commercial-grade trucks and tools instead. Reputable providers thoroughly clean and maintain their machines after each use.

Give Your Carpets a Fresh Start!

As you ready the home for spring and summer, don’t neglect getting carpets professionally cleaned. Taking a proactive approach helps carpets become allies instead of enemies in your fight against seasonal allergies! Call a professional carpet cleaner to help.

Addressing these common allergic reaction triggers makes enjoying warmer weather much more pleasant for the whole family. Breathe easier and stop suffering needlessly this year with cleaner carpeting that looks great and keeps common allergens locked away where they can’t affect your indoor air quality.