Is Your Carpet Killing You

Many people experience health problems that seem mysterious or of unknown origin. They don’t understand why they feel tired, have a constant headache or sore throat, or may have difficulty breathing. Itchy skin or even a fever may point to unexpected sources of infection in your home or office carpet area. If your carpeting has not been professionally cleaned in the past year, you should contact an expert company that can do a good job of removing toxic substances from your rugs and carpets.

Asphalt
Asphalt driveways are common, but walking on them and then wearing the same shoes in the house can track particles from the driveway throughout your home or office floors. Asphalt is a toxic substance that is hazardous to human health. Barefoot family members or crawling babies are exposed to substances like this that can cause long-term health problems.

Pesticides and Herbicides
Grass, flowers, and trees that are treated with pesticides and herbicides, along with fungicides and fertilizers, leave a residue on the ground that can be picked up by shoes or kids’ toys and brought into the house, where it gets embedded in the carpeted areas. These products are known human hazards and in higher concentrations may lead to health problems, especially among young children, pregnant women, and the elderly or those with compromised immune systems.

Fleas and Ticks
Carpets that are not thoroughly cleaned on a regular basis can become home to migrating insects like fleas, ticks, ants, and even bedbugs. Human parasites like body or head lice and carriers of scabies can burrow into the carpet fibers and eventually attach to human hosts or in the case of fleas and ticks, bite frequently. Some tick bites may lead to Lyme disease.

Bacteria and Viruses
Without adequate carpet cleaning, bacteria and viruses can breed in the fibers and actually make babies or some adults sick. This is especially true when a chronically ill household member coughs or sneezes repeatedly, sending millions of contaminated droplets into the air where they fall to the carpet and are absorbed.

Dirt and Grease
Outdoor dirt and grease may find their way into indoor carpeting where they crumble deep into the layers of fabric, only to be picked up unknowingly by bare hands, feet, and knees or other exposed skin areas. Some soils contain unwholesome elements like lead, that can cause health issues for young children.

Pollen and Foliage Particles.
Anyone who spends time outside during pollen season is likely to carry particles inside where they shuffle off of clothing and shoes and fall into the carpeted area. These are invisible to the naked eye, and only a detailed carpet cleaning job can find and destroy them. People with seasonal allergies may experience difficult symptoms that on occasion become serious or severe, sometimes leading to asthma.

Vomit, Feces, and Blood
When a family member or pet is injured or sick, it’s not unusual for vomit, feces, or blood to drip into the carpet and be difficult to scrub out. Even when the remnants of these substances cannot be seen, particles may still be ingrained into the carpeting and able to be absorbed by human contact, potentially spreading germs and contamination that can make people sick.

Animal dander
Many people are allergic to animal fur or dander. Professional carpet cleaners know how to remove it and reduce the side effects to residents of the home.

Decayed food and beverages.
Following a spill of food or beverages, most of us feel that a quick clean-up will take care of the problem. Unfortunately, tiny amounts of these items can be hard to reach with regular cleaning, leaving them to decay and build up a germ colony that can come in contact with members of the household.

So if all of these substances are so toxic how can you clean them while keeping yourself safe? The first step it to make sure that you are wearing the proper safety equipment. Depending on the severity of the situation you may want to invest in a tyvek suit which will help to keep the toxic materials away from your skin. The second step is to open windows to increase ventilation. Many of the cleaning products that we use can be just as harmful as the materials that we are seeking to clean. Because of this it is essential that ventilation is increased.  However ultimately letting the pro’s take care of it is the best option if your budget allows.

To keep your home or office safe and clean, get a free estimate for a professional carpet cleaning service that will give you peace of mind.

By:  Vincent Stokes 

Tags: health, Health Issues, Home carpet

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