March: Spring Cleaning Is Just Around the Corner

Spring Cleaning Is Just Around the Corner

With Spring just around the corner, we would like to talk about some interesting tidbits about the benefits of having carpets in your home, providing that they are maintained regularly and properly. Ohio State University Entomology Extension says: “one of the most strongly allergenic materials found indoors is house dust, often heavily contaminated with skins of house dust mites. Dust mites may be a factor in 50 to 80% of asthmatics, as well as in countless cases of eczema, hay fever and other allergic ailments. One must control house dust mite levels.”

A report from the EPA acknowledges that carpeting and fabrics not cleaned and properly maintained have the potential to cause a variety of health problems. This report goes on to recommend that a family residence with 2 person / nonsmokers living in our type of climate have their carpets and upholstery cleaned between every 4-6 months to 1 year. The EPA recommends a family residence with young children be cleaned every 3 months. Why?

Carpeting is thought to act like a sink. Carpeting collects and filters many things from within the indoor environment. Where it was once thought that individuals with allergies or asthma should live in a home with no carpeting or upholstered furniture, it is now known that the carpeting and other fabrics act as a filter, trapping airborne particles the affect the allergic person. This is only true, however, if the carpet and upholstery are kept clean. Once the carpeting becomes full of contaminants, it starts to overflow. If this happens, it’s safer to be in the wilderness than in your own home!

In a recent study, the EPA also found that when a carpet has a wet, deep cleaning (truck mounted hot water extraction), the soil load in the carpet is drastically reduced and a gradual change in the indoor air quality begins to take place. The end result is that deep cleaning of carpets removes allergens and other soils from the air as well as from the carpets making individuals with allergies breath better.

Carpeting is the only floor covering product capable of containing particles and preventing them from becoming airborne. This is a real advantage for allergy prone person. Is it time to clean your carpets? Be sure to check out the current specials this month and then call our office to schedule your appointment or to let us know if you have any questions.