Health Risks That Come With A Dirty Carpet
That cosy carpet, with its lush fibres cushioning every step you take, can be a cocktail of bacteria and viruses that puts your family members at risk. This is especially during those months of the year when it seems everyone is falling ill- like during the infamous flu season. Certainly, there’s plenty of medication available to deal with the different flare-ups, but wouldn’t it be better to protect yourself from getting ill in the first place? Pathogens that spread amongst your household members, those that are brought in from the outdoors by guests- they reduce the quality of life. No one likes falling sick. Lingering pathogens in the carpet, allergens and pollutants that have accumulated in the material- they lead to different health conditions.
While the carpet acts like a massive air filter, sifting out dust and other particles and holding them within the fibres, they also provide room for bacteria. As the food particles left strewn all over the carpet continue decomposing, they also attract different insects and rodents. These deposit their body waste in the carpet as they go about feeding on the food particles. There are also those that are brought from parks, public areas, restrooms and other environments, where they are transported on the shoes and clothes of people walking in your home. Pets as well contribute to this, bringing in gunk from their outdoor escapades- running around in the backyard, wading through piles of gunk, and occasionally going to the bin- the germs picked along the way and carried on their paws and furry bodies can wind up being deposited on your carpet. From E. coli to Salmonella, Campylobacter and even the troublesome strains like MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) which may have even brought home from the local gym or locker room- these may be residing in your carpet. Those cases where you accidentally drop a tasty snack and pick it up because of the ‘5-second rule’ can be endangering your health. It will already be contaminated, and you end up putting these pathogens into your system. Kids, who are fond of touching the surfaces around them and putting their hands directly into their mouths, are at a higher risk.
Cases of athlete’s foot being spread to family members where people walk around barefoot on the carpet are also common. This contagious infection is an annoying skin condition whose spread will be facilitated by the fungi-infested carpet. The fungi infects one through cuts and breaks on the skin. Some pathogens can survive for long in the carpet, such as the Norwalk virus, also known as the Norovirus, which can live in the fibres of your carpet for over a month. When the fibres are disturbed- which happens when people walk on the carpet, the pathogens get airborne, affecting the residents in the building.
Allergies and pollutants in the carpet
While the carpet does a good job of filtering the air, trapping dust particles, fur and dander and locking them within the fibres- this is not permanent. There is also dust mite waste that will be in the carpet. The faecal residue from the microscopic creatures is one of the main causes of indoor allergies. As the concentration of these substances increases, the hold on them weakens, and they will be easily released back into the airspace when the fibres of the carpet are disturbed. This adds to the concentration of indoor allergens, leading to issues ranging from sneezing, coughing, a runny and stuffy nose, to eye irritation, and asthma attacks being triggered. Those who already have existing respiratory conditions- like bronchitis have their conditions getting worsened.
Cases where there is mould growth in the carpet raise the issue of spores. The fungal spores are allergens, worsening quality of indoor air. Cladosporium, Alternaria, Geotrichum, Rhizopus and Asperigillus- they will put the health of your loved ones at risk. With mould and mildew developing in your carpet, there will be more issues to worry about. Some species of the fungi produce mycotoxins, which can affect body organs- like the liver and even entire systems, including the central nervous system. The fungi also stain the carpet, forming patches all of all sorts of colours- grey, pink, green and even purple spots that clash with the rest of the carpet. Fungal growth is attributed to moisture remaining in the carpet for long such as occurs as a result of overwetting during the DIY carpet cleaning jobs. This can be avoided by having the task handled by the professionals.
There are cases where smoke is an issue. It can be as a result of persons smoking cigarettes in the building, where the particles get absorbed by the carpet, or there may have been a recent fire incident in the house and the billowing smoke was retained by the lush carpet pile. With smoke, not only is the odour annoying, but the substance itself poses health risks that worsen with prolonged exposure. You won’t want to live in a space where you’re consistently grappling with carcinogens. An in-depth carpet cleaning is needed to get rid of them.
Protect Your Loved Ones With Expert Carpet Cleaning Services
No one wants their carpet becoming a health hazard. With proper care, things will be prevented from taking this turn- hence the need for scheduling regular carpet cleaning sessions, done by a professional company. Different approaches are used to tackle the allergens, pathogens and pollutant problems. These range from bactericidal solutions that are sprayed directly onto the lush fibres, killing the microbes crawling around, to systems such as hot water extraction where the temperatures of water will destroy those pathogen habitats. These are then flushed out of the carpet with the rest of the dirt and pollutants, leaving your unit fresh and healthy. Safe products are used, which are pet- and kid- friendly as well, that way you can rest assured that the little ones are safe. With a clean and vibrant carpet, your quality of life improves greatly. In addition to getting rid of the health risks, it brightens up the interior space, improving the mood of the room. This creates an ambience that you can comfortably relax in.