Did you know that several pounds of skin cells, dirt, and other contaminants can accumulate in your carpet in just one year? This can be a big problem for everyone, especially those with allergies. As we’ve discussed in previous blogs, dust mites thrive in environments with an excess of dust particles. Without the proper cleaning precautions, your carpet can become the perfect breeding ground and home for dust mites. That is why for this month's blog, we will be discussing proper care for your carpet to avoid dust allergies.

Dust Allergies

Before we dive into proper care for your carpet, let's review what a dust allergy is. Almost all dust allergies are caused by the micro particles contained in dust. These particles include mold, pet hair, dirt, pollen, and dust mites and their waste. When exposed, even the toughest person can experience sneezing, coughing, and a runny nose. In extreme cases, dust allergies can lead to even greater health risks such as chest pain and shortness of breath. Those with asthma are at an even greater risk, potentially having asthma attacks due to dust allergies. That is why it is extremely important for everyone to make sure that their homes are as dust free as possible! Take the first step to accomplishing this by keeping your carpet clean and maintained.

Carpet Cleaning Techniques

The best way to ensure your carpet is clean is with the proper cleaning and prevention techniques. As silly as it might sound, one of the best ways to keep your carpet clean is by simply taking off your shoes. The bottom of your shoes can bring in a variety of harmful particles from outside that ultimately find its way to your carpet. Simply taking off your shoes and storing shoes in one area, like a laundry room or hallway, can do a world of a difference for the dirt accumulation in your carpet. While removing your shoes may be unavoidable in some situations, your carpet will still get dirty even if taking off your shoes is a habit.

Vacuuming might seem like an easy job but there are many ways to improve its effectiveness. First, make sure to go over spots twice when you vacuum. Just like everything else, your vacuum isn’t perfect. Making sure to go over spots (at least) twice will give your vacuum the chance to remove more dirt from your carpet. Also, try to vacuum your carpet in various directions to stimulate the carpet and keep it nice and fluffy. Next, make a schedule for vacuuming separate from your normal cleaning routine. The accumulation of dirt and dust happens frequently, so it is a great idea to vacuum two or more times per week. This is especially important for those who are at high risk for their dust allergy. Lastly, make sure to monitor and change your bag often. This can sometimes be forgotten and will ultimately inhibit your vacuum’s ability to clean.

Deep Cleaning & Replacement

Most experts agree that deep cleaning your carpet twice a year is preferred and recommend. Whether it's a through a professional team or you rent the equipment to do it yourself, washing your carpet is relatively easy and comes with many benefits. Using steam, shampoo, or even both will help remove harmful dust and dirt particles that can get stuck in the fibers of your carpet. Plus, it brings your carpet back to life. For those who regularly suffer from dust allergies or experience chronic symptoms, this should be done more frequently, about once a quarter.

Even if you clean and care for your carpet regularly, there will come a time when it’s just time to replace it. Just like most things in life, carpet has an expiration date. This depends on how well it is kept, but sooner or later everyone must replace their carpet. On average, you should replace your carpet every 5-15 years tops. Areas with high traffic are most affected, but once you see your carpet fibers begin to fray or get matted down, it's time to replace it.

Conclusion

Carpet can be harmful for those with allergies, and even those without allergies, if the right precautions are not taken. Making sure that you utilize the correct vacuuming and cleaning techniques for your carpet will help you protect yourself and your family from the harmful effects of dust. If you want to learn more on how to protect yourself from dust, check out our previous blogs and our product the Dust Bender. We can help provide you with the equipment and tips you need to help eradicate dust from your office or home completely.