Have you been struggling with recurring allergic reactions in your house? If you are, this article can be handy. As we will be discussing how to get rid of carpet allergies? So take notes!
It is definitely worth making sure your environment is allergy-free. You have all the right to keep your house cleansed from all possible allergies. Now we approach the gist of this post. Believe it or not, the majority of your household stuff can be the cause behind your recurring allergic reactions. Yes, as bizarre as it may sound, the flooring of your house is a significant contributor to keeping your allergies alive.
In this post, you will learn about how carpets are the impostors of spreading allergens. And how to get rid of carpet allergies.
Are Allergies Even a Concern?
About 30% of the total world population is susceptible to allergic rhinitis. Also, allergies do not originate from birth. So you are not immune to them. Though being allergic might not sound like much of a concern, but that’s only true as long as you don’t have it.
Allergic reactions range from mild to severe intensity. The discomfort and pain alone caused by allergic reactions is too much to bear. If you’re allergic, the last thing you wish to do is to trigger your allergy.
If you’ve ever seen a person with a peanut allergy avoid snickers, you know what we mean. Lastly, some allergies can develop into life-threatening conditions taking the person into the ER. So with that said, we agree allergies are no joke.
How Carpets are Even the Impostors? How to Get Rid of Carpet Allergies?
Carpets probably stand the tallest in the household equipment hierarchy. However, they provide a mesmerizing look to your space. Carpets are not overrated by any means. The cozy and comforting feeling provided by room rugs is priceless. There’s little or no question about the significance of carpets in our homes. Try removing the carpet from your living room for a day, and your subconscious will retaliate so severely.
Having stated the obvious, is it possible that your precious carpet is deceiving you? What if your room rug is the reason behind your unending allergies? It very well can be the reason.
Carpets have for long been associated with increased allergies and asthma cases. Although we have seen some contradictory debates on that point, it still makes a lot of sense. It turns out carpets, and other floor rugs provide perfect shelters for all kinds of allergens.
According to research, an average household carpet hosts up to 200,000 unique types of bacteria. That is way more than what a middle toilet seat contains. The fabric of carpet and rugs is thick, and the fibers tend to trap allergens like pollen and dust. Carpet fibers hold a lot of bacterial microbes and allergens.
Not just that, every time you walk or dust your carpet, it releases tons of allergic particles in the environment. Furthermore, the fabric and the glue used at the base of the carpet can cause allergies to many people.
Yeah, carpets are very much the impostors when it comes to making your house allergy trigger zone. We shall now work on the worry of how to get rid of carpet allergies? Cause, after all, we cannot just make carpets obsolete from our home’s.
Carpet Allergies Types and Risks and How to Get Rid of Carpet Allergies?
Carpet allergies are not unique; allergies caused by carpets are commonplace. Carpets mostly hold allergens like pet dander, dust, and pollen.
Allergens that your carpet is probably sheltering:
- Pollen
- Molds
- Pet dander
- Dust mites
- Allergic asthma
- Dust
The risks associated with all these allergies can span from mild to severe. Allergies like pollen and pet dander can cause flu and runny nose. Additionally, common symptoms include itchiness, watery eyes, sneezing and coughing.
Carpet Allergies – How to Detect?
If your allergies get worse indoors, then you need to perform a thorough check of what’s triggering them. Carpets can hold many allergens, but it is tricky to detect that as most pollen and dust particles causing allergies are minimal. It is hard to see allergens on the carpet with your naked eye. Still, you can detect molds and bacterial hotspots easily. Fungal molds usually develop on Spots where food and drinks are spilt. These molds and microbes cause decolorization, and their presence is easily detectable.
Instead, what you can do is try removing all floor rugs and carpets for a while. If the allergic reactions persist, then carpets are probably not to blame. There is no proper way to find if your carpet carries any allergies, but hit and trial can help. Eradicate the carpets or perform thorough washing. If the allergic reactions are reduced, you can conclude that the carpets were causing the allergies.
How to Get Rid of Carpet Allergies?
To begin with, how to get rid of carpet allergies, you must understand a few things. Firstly, don’t infer that carpets are catastrophic for allergic people, as that’s just not true. Carpets and floor rugs serve as useful household stuff providing elegance to your home. To avoid allergies, you don’t have to throw out all the floor rugs from your house simply. Instead, you can make sure that your carpet stays free from allergens with the proper techniques and protocols.
The problem is to get rid of all the allergens from the depths of your carpet. Attempts at cleaning the carpet eventually end up further polluting your environment. All floor rugs are not the same and demand different cleaning scenarios. Additionally, vacuuming your carpet or rug is not always an efficient means of getting rid of allergens.
As it’s tough to remove allergens stuck deep in the fabric.
Shortly we will be listing down all the techniques to take out allergens from your carpet and rugs. But first, let us state the obvious. When asking the question of how to get rid of carpet allergies? These actions cannot be compromised.
Maintaining Cleanliness
To get rid of carpet allergies, the overall cleanliness of your house is of the utmost importance. Most allergens make their way into your home with visitors. When we go out, allergens like pollen and dust stick to our clothes and shoes. Once back in the house, the carpet works perfectly to absorb these allergens.
A general rule of thumb to follow for limiting carpet allergies is to keep your house clean. Make sure to regularly dust and clean all entrances to your home. Also, if you live in an urban area, it is better to keep your house’s windows closed. Urban cities have twice as many pollutant levels in the air as their rural counterparts.
There are sprays available that help you control pet dander and are extremely effective when it comes to cleaning high traffic areas on the carpet. You can use allergen sprays for a better cleaning.
Vacuuming
Concerning cleaning carpet allergies, there is no more efficient and convenient technique than to vacuum. Make a routine of vacuuming at least three times a week, taking into account your living conditions. Any manual form of cleaning can’t beat the massive suction power provided by most modern vacuum cleaners. Stating all that, we still have to consider a few things.
All vacuum cleaners are not the same. Some vacuums have a poor filtering capacity and end up spreading allergens instead of trapping them. This is a seriously undesirable scenario that can be avoided by using a reputed vacuum.
If you happen to have pets at home, you must ensure that your vacuum is competent to pick up pet hair and dander. Pets are a significant cause of allergies for so many people. And it is wise to have your carpet well cleaned from pet sheds.
Ensure that your vacuum uses a HEPA certified filter. HEPA filters are guaranteed to trap 99.7% of allergens and dust particles. Furthermore, turn off the rotational brush if your vacuum has one while cleaning for allergens. Rotational has its benefits; they often end up scattering all the dirt and pollutant particles.
If you are looking for a vacuum with HEPA filtration then here is our recommendation. Check our Shark NV352. It is an excellent choice for an upright vacuum cleaner. Click here for complete review of Shark NV352.
Walk Barefoot on Carpets
Walking on carpets with shoes and slippers provides a breeding ground for allergies and bacteria. As when you go outside or even as far as the backyard your shoes collect a lot of dust and allergen particles. Then if you walk with these shoes on carpet or floor rugs, the fabric will contain a lot of the dust particles. Over time the carpet will become saturated with allergens. So much so that you will find it unbearable to stand a minute in your own house without sneezing.
Apart from that, this will reduce the need to clean your carpet daily.
To conclude, walking barefoot on carpets is a minimal step you can take to reduce allergens in your rugs.
Using a Carpet Washer
Employing a carpet washer as a carpet cleaner for allergy is also a good option. Using suitable carpet washers can provide you with an allergy-free carpet. Carpet washers work quite a lot like washing machines. However, it would be best if you assured that you select the optimum carpet washer.
Always look for carpet washers certified as asthma and allergy-friendly. The carpet washer certification standard is an excellent standard for testing whether a carpet washer is allergy-friendly. With carpet washers, you get a more thorough cleaning of your rugs. These washers are even able to remove the fungal molds formed on your carpet.
One point to note is that carpet washers are not very convenient and aren’t sustainable for frequent use. So we recommend you find a reliable cleaning service provider instead of buying a washer yourself. This will also aid you in cutting back on time and money spent. Also, carpet washing is done yearly or every six months would be sufficient.
Prefer Wool Carpets
Wool carpets are probably the most allergy-friendly carpet type. Easy to clean wool carpets are ideal for allergic and asthma patients. Unlike other carpets, wool rugs do not spread allergens into the environment. On the contrary, the hypoallergenic properties work to absorb smoke and chemicals from your house.
Wool carpets are also unwelcoming to bacteria and mold. This makes this material ideal to have in the form of your carpet and rugs. Besides, you can regularly vacuum wool carpets. See if it is okay to vacuum wool carpets?
How to get rid of dust mites? This is one of the most pondered questions on the internet in this domain. Thanks to wool carpets, you don’t need to worry a dime about dust mites. The unique wool fibers have a coil-like configuration which makes it hard for dust mites to survive.
Reduce Humidity of the Room
Humid environments provide the ideal conditions for bacterial growth. Dust mites and fungal molds procreate in damp conditions. However, these microbial organisms are a significant cause of various allergic reactions. If you live in a tropical region, you must have probably suffered from allergy. Or in monsoon season for Asian areas when precipitation and humidity are the highest accordingly.
A little effort to keep humidity out of your room can go a long way. Using a ventilation system can ensure that your space remains dry. Humidity is caused by the high concentration of water droplets in the air. Most air conditioners and air filters work efficiently to remove moisture from your environment. If you do not have a ventilation system, there’s still a lot you can do. For example, avoid leaving wet clothes inside your house or taking hot showers in summertime.
Use an Air Filtration System
This might not sound like the best carpet allergy solution. Although indirectly but using an air filtration system is very useful for reducing allergies from your carpet. The air filter is a crucial component of a functional HVAC system. Air purifiers clean your home’s air of any unwanted pollutant or allergens. Good quality air filters are capable of filtering all kinds of allergens, either pet dander or pollen.
How does an air filter help in inquiring about how to get rid of carpet allergies? Well, 80% of the allergens present on your carpet came through outside air. Especially dust particles and pollen are present in concentrated quantities in the air. With an air filter, these pollutants won’t be able to enter your house. Having good air quality inside your home is crucial for allergic people.
Bottom line
Carpets are priceless, representing so much good in our bedrooms and living rooms. The presence of carpets in your house has a satisfying psychological effect on you. Undoubtedly carpets provide comfort and make our homes more welcoming, as they should be.
However, carpet allergies can present themselves as a severe obstacle for you to benefit from these great household essentials. But it is not rational to just dispose of all your carpets, never to use one again. You can do so much to get rid of carpet allergies without depriving your house of floor rugs.
There is no one carpet allergy solution that we could recommend to you. When answering how to get rid of carpet allergies? Adhering to a combination of these measures is the most efficient for keeping allergies away.
We hope this article provided you with concrete and practical tips to remove allergens from your carpet.
