Dirty Carpet Affecting Home and Health

Aug 13
07:59

2012

Ma. Theresa Galan

Ma. Theresa Galan

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The dirt you see is not the problem. The deep down dirt is what can be the problem causing a variety of health issues.

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Carpeting can actually improve indoor air quality,Dirty Carpet Affecting Home and Health Articles if properly maintained. This because your carpet is much more than a pretty soft floor covering. It is the largest air filter in your home, holding soil, allergens, bacteria, pollens, chemicals and other contaminants that would otherwise become airborne.

Dr. Michael Berry, Ph. D. is former director of the EPA Environmental Criteria and Assessment Office. In his book, "Protecting the Built Environment: Carpet Cleaning for Health", Berry says that most indoor cleaning problems are related to dirty carpets, but this problem can be solved through proper maintenance and restoration. He compared carpets to a sink that collects pollutants of all kinds from indoors and out. As the sink gets filled up (the carpet gets polluted), it stores more and more soil, dust, and contaminants. When the sink gets full, it needs to be emptied. This is why proper carpet cleaning is a necessity.

You've heard the hype about indoor air being more polluted than the outdoor air. Well, it's true. The main reason is because indoor air is trapped. Rarely does it get completely replaced. Outdoor air on the other hand gets blown away and new, cleaner air replaces it. Trapped indoor air gets pollutants in it from your carpet. You walk them in and they get lodged in your carpet. Then, when someone walks over them they get re-dispersed into your air and you and your family breathe them in. You can even see that when you look at a stream of sunlight and see all the dust floating around. You breathe the air over and over and that's what makes the indoor air more polluted than the outdoor air.

If a carpet is not cleaned on a regular basis, it can become a breeding ground for bio-pollutants, says Berry. It is crucial to regularly empty the sink and make sure that your carpets are cleaned properly. Most people clean their carpets because they look dirty, although by the time you can see the dirt in the carpet, it is probably filthy. Proper vacuuming is helpful. The best vacuum, regardless of price, only picks 15% of the actual soil. The rest is left to collect all types of bacteria, allergens, and pollutants. Rarely do people clean their carpets in an effort to protect their health, Berry says, but cleaning carpet regularly will improve the indoor air quality of your home or business.

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