Think your carpet is clean? Think again.
It may not be evident to the naked eye, but carpets can house all sorts of dirt, bacteria, and allergens that can be harmful to your health. Carpets that are not well maintained can hold dust mites, molds, pet hair, dead skin cells, insect feces, and other particles deep-seated in their fibers.
Below are three of the possible health hazards that carpets can cause when they’re not well-maintained.
Danger #1: Weak Immune System
Everyday, the immune system fights unwanted toxins and bacteria to keep the body in great shape.
However, living in an unclean environment can cause stress levels to rise, which can affect immunity. When carpets remain dirty, you end up exposed to harmful bacteria and the immune system can go on overdrive, which can cause you to be more susceptible to diseases.
One of the most dangerous microbes that can thrive in dirty carpets are mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are made up of different types of molds. Exposure to mycotoxins can weaken the immune system and cause different health problems such as stomach infection, allergies, and respiratory diseases.
Danger #2: Skin Problems
Dirty carpets can cause skin problems such as athlete’s foot and trigger skin asthma.
Dirty carpets can cause athlete’s foot when you walk on them barefoot, because bacteria and fungi can come in contact with your feet through cuts, wounds, or openings on the skin. Meanwhile, dust and dirt coming from a filthy carpet can cause skin asthma attacks.
Danger # 3: Respiratory Problems
Molds can thrive in dirty carpets and attract bacteria and allergens. When inhaled, it can result to flu-like symptoms and other respiratory problems.
Dust mites thrive on bacteria and fungi, making dirty carpets the perfect breeding ground for them. When dust mites die and their carcasses remain on the carpets of the fiber, they can cause nose and eye irritation as well as rashes.
Dirty carpets can also trigger asthma attacks. Asthmatic patients usually have a negative reaction when exposed to environmental triggers like bacteria and toxins found in carpets.
How to Keep your Carpets Clean
Because carpets can house dirt, bacteria, and other harmful particles, it’s important to have it cleaned regularly.
Ideally, you should vacuum your carpets at least once a week. However, if your carpet receives a lot of foot traffic, you may need to clean it more frequently. Some experts suggest daily vacuuming of carpets receiving high traffic. Meanwhile, those in medium to light traffic areas can be vacuumed once or twice weekly.
In some cases, vacuuming will still not cut it in terms of eliminating deep-seated dirt within the carpet’s fibers. This is where professional carpet cleaning services come in. How often your carpet should be professionally cleaned depends on its location and the amount of foot traffic it receives. Some carpets need intensive cleaning every six months, while others only require it once every two years.
Carpets does more than accentuating a room, it can also impact your health. If you need more information on how to maintain your carpets, please get in touch with J&M. We offer different carpet care and restoration services that suit different needs and requirements.