Truth or Myth: Carpet Aggravates Allergies

When the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) recently surveyed 1,155 U.S. homeowners about their sentiments toward home health and flooring, it found that 75 percent believed carpet to be the least effective floor covering when it comes to reducing conditions that aggravate allergies.

According to the IICRC’s “You’d Be Floored” survey, one-third (33 percent) of respondents said that someone in their household suffers from indoor allergies. With allergy season fast approaching, the IICRC addresses a common misperception about carpet and allergies. Is the common belief that carpet aggravates allergies a fact or fiction?

“Homeowners, specifically, are often misled into believing that carpet itself aggravates allergies,” said IICRC technical advisor Jeff Bishop. Bishop explains that scientific studies demonstrate that just the opposite is true: “In addition to insulating, absorbing sound, and preventing slips and falls and associated injuries, carpet actually traps airborne allergens that can easily be vacuumed out, whereas other flooring allows irritants to be stirred up by normal traffic or sweeping and released into the breathing zone,” said Bishop. “It is airborne dust, not carpet, which is the culprit that triggers allergies.”

The “You’d Be Floored” survey also revealed that a majority -- eight out of 10 U.S. homeowners (81 percent) -- feel that their family’s health is directly related to the cleanliness of their floors. Among households with allergy sufferers, half (50 percent) agree that the type of flooring in the home can contribute to allergic reactions.

Additionally, three out of four homeowners surveyed (77 percent) vacuum their floors at least once per week. Those with children are more likely to vacuum several times per week - 47 percent among those with children and 32 percent among those without.

When it comes to restorative cleaning, nearly half the homeowners surveyed (49 percent) “deep clean” their carpet at least every six months, with 39 percent hiring a professional carpet cleaning service. While nearly half of those surveyed (45 percent) “deep clean” other hard surfaces in their home at least every six months, only seven percent hire a professional.

To ensure an effective reduction of allergens in the home, the IICRC recommends that homeowners increase vacuuming frequency and hire professional certified cleaners.

“To maintain the appearance of floor coverings, all flooring – not only carpet -- should be professionally cleaned to preserve finishes and durability, and to improve indoor air quality for family members,” said Bishop.

Complete survey findings may be viewed at http://www.certifiedcleaners.org/.

Additional Key Findings:

• Carpet is the most common floor covering in U.S. homes. The majority of U.S. homeowners use carpet in bedrooms (80 percent), living rooms (65 percent), offices/dens (68 percent) and family rooms (63 percent).
• The majority (52 percent) of survey participants indicated the primary advantage of carpet is that it’s comfortable. Forty-one percent say the biggest drawback is that it shows soil.
• Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of U.S. homeowners have rugs in their homes.
• Among homeowners who replaced their carpet, 49 percent did so because of wear while four in 10 (38 percent) replaced carpet due to soiling and staining issues.
• Half of U.S. homeowners (50 percent) say it’s extremely or very important to hire a professional cleaning service that is certified by a professional organization.

11 ways to make your home healthier

1. Clear the air.
   Take the smoke-free pledge. Choose not to smoke in your home and do not permit others to do so. Small children are especially vulnerable to the health effects of secondhand smoke. Choose to smoke outside, if you must smoke. Moving to another room or opening a window is not enough to protect your children.
2. Air quality.
   Listen to local forecasts for ozone, smog and particulate matter. When levels are high, limit your outdoor activities.
3. Rid your house of radon.
   Test the level of radon gas in your home with a radon test kit. If the test result is 4pCi/L or higher, takes steps to reduce radon.
4. Some household products are toxic.
   Use with caution! Look for alternatives to pesticides and household chemicals. If you must use them, always read the label and follow directions exactly. Always store them in high locked cabinets and in their original containers.
5. Check for carbon monoxide.
   Check that all potential sources of carbon monoxide, such as space heaters and wood stoves, are well-vented and in proper working order. Never idle the car or lawnmower in the garage, or use propane heaters in tents!
6. Water, water everywhere.
   Know the quality of your drinking water. If you have a private drinking water well, test it periodically.
7. Get the lead out.
   Avoid potential sources of lead. If your home was built before 1978, have your home tested for lead paint. When remodeling or doing home repairs, be careful that you do not create lead dust. Keep children visiting your home away from lead hazards.
8. Keep mercury from rising.
   Limit your intake of specific types of fish with high levels of mercury. Have a mercury-free home-find alternatives to mercury thermometers or mercury used for cultural or spiritual practices.
9. Too much sun is not much fun.
   Cover up, use SPF 15 or higher sun screen, and stay out of the midday sun to avoid damaging UV rays. Talk about the weather. Make a plan for temperature extremes-keep food, fluids and clothing stocked for extreme cold or heat, think of public places to go to escape the extreme temperatures, and identify who you can call for help if you need it.
10. Wash your hands of it.
    Keep the dirt outside. Remove shoes at the door. Wash your hands to keep dirt that might be contaminated with lead, and pesticides off you and your kids.
11. Call Pro Steamer for your carpet, upholstery, tile, and air duct cleaning needs! 623-0993
    

How Often Should You Have Your Carpets Cleaned?

Think about the places you have visited today. The mall. The office. The grocery store. A restaurant. Walking across the street or a parking lot. Entering a public restroom. Imagine the stuff you walk on during your everyday jaunts. Things both seen and unseen. And then the last place you go at the end of the day is home. You come in and walk on the carpet and everything you've encountered during the day is deposited there.

Then. . .the children come home and play around on the floor with the dog or watch T.V. Just imagine some of the stuff that's in your carpet: Bacteria, Fungus, Chemicals, Air Pollutants, Car Exhaust, Tobacco Smoke, Pollens, Grease, Grime, Pet Stains, Soot, Tar, Pet Dander, Pet Hair, and much more! These all combine to produce odors and a general unhealthy appearance to your carpet. It's enough to make you sick!

That's why it is so important to keep our carpets regularly cleaned and maintained. Imagine if you only mopped your floors once a year. The same contaminants that are tracked onto your vinyl floors are also embedded in your carpeting.

How often you clean your carpet depends on a number of different factors. You must consider how many people are in your home, if you have kids, if you have pets and whether or not smokers are in your home. For example, if you have a house with two adults, you should clean your carpet every six to twelve months. If those two people are smokers, you should clean it every four months. If you have children or pets in your home, you should clean it at least every 6 months and if you have kids and pets, you better make it every three months.

The above numbers are just a general guideline. They are based on average environmental and living conditions. Your cleaning interval will vary. You must remember that carpet is designed to hide soil and can hold its own weight in dirt. If you are noticing soil and dark areas on your carpet it is very dirty and you should have it cleaned immediately. The longer you wait, the more damage you do to your carpets and rugs so call a carpet cleaner today.

Are you thinking it's time to get your carpet cleaned? Call Pro Steamer at 623-0993 to schedule your appointment!

WHAT IS HIGH VOLUME EXTRACTION?

The term "High-Volume Extraction" refers to a unique carpet cleaning process that utilizes both a high flow of water volume, heat, and air volume (vacuum) to remove a large volume of soil without leaving any detergent residue.

A BREAKTHROUGH

This represents a breakthrough in carpet cleaning technology. Pro Steamer integrates this new “High Volume” extraction technology into every carpet cleaning jobs.

HOW IT WORKS: High Volume Extraction utilizes more water than other professional systems to truly deep clean to the base of the carpet fiber. We then quickly recover 94% of the dirty water with a super-powerful vacuum system, leaving the carpet residue free and super-clean!

MORE WATER = BETTER! Water flow is THE most critical factor in removing suspended soil from the carpet. Think about going into the shower and sudsing up your hair with a rich lather of shampoo. Now imagine rinsing it with a quart of water. It’s tough to get all the shampoo out, right? Now pour 5 gallons over your head! Which one is going to leave your hair cleaner? Of course rinsing with 5 gallons!

It’s the same idea with your carpets. The more water that’s used to rinse under controlled conditions, the cleaner your carpets will be!

THE HIGH VOLUME EXTRACTION DIFFERENCE

High Volume Extraction removes more soil than other systems because it uses super-heated 220° water flowing quickly under intense pressure to flush away dirt. Then a powerful vacuum system recovers 94% of the water. Many commercial cleaning machines only recover 40-50%; this leaves your carpets too wet or they just spread the dirt around.

Here are some interesting facts

• It is surprising that carpet cleaning often is poorly planned and assigned to inexperienced individuals. Janitors or weekend carpet cleaners usually do NOT have any formal training or industry certifications to clean your carpets.
  
• At Pro Steamer we strive to further our education by attending industry certification schools. You would not allow a weekend dentist with mail order credentials work on your teeth, right? Same thing.
  
• Some owners of cleaning companies buy the lowest priced equipment and cleaning products to save money. This means that your carpets could be subjected to rapid resoiling, color changes, and fiber deterioration or delamination if you have them clean your carpets. This leads to premature wear, damage, and replacement.
  
• Another important factor is your home’s Indoor air Quality.
  The use of the best available cleaning solutions and equipment, along with trained, knowledgeable technicians is essential to doing a GREAT job for you.
  

Vacuums That Get The Job Done

Upright vacuums are still best overall for deep-cleaning carpets and are lower priced and easier to store than canisters. For most consumers, Consumer Reports found that the Kenmore (Sears) Progressive 35922, $350, which is quiet and excellent on carpets, the Kenmore (Sears) Progressive 36932, $350, which is a bagless option, and the Eureka Boss Smart Vac 4870, $150, which is inexpensive and impressive on bare floors, are the best choices. All three of these models are designated CR Best Buys. Canisters are a great option for consumers who are in the market for a vacuum that cleans bare floors, stairs, drapes, and upholstery. Canisters are more stable on stairs and flexible around and under furniture than uprights. Consumer Reports found that the CR Best Buy Kenmore Progressive 27514, $300, offers fine pet-hair performance and the CR Best Buy Hoover WindTunnel Bagless S3765-040, $250, offers higher airflow for tools.


How to Choose


Prioritize Cleaning – Uprights are still better overall on carpets, but canisters remain best for cleaning bare floors, stairs, drapes, and upholstery.


Be Picky About Features – If allergies or respiratory problems are an issue, uprights and canisters with a bag hold more dirt and spread less dust when emptied than bagless vacuums. Manual pile-height adjustments allow users to raise or lower brushes for carpets and bare floors, and a brush on/off switch helps prevent scattering dirt and debris.


Choose A Cord For Bigger Jobs – While cordless sweepers ran up to 49 minutes per charge, most small cordless vacuums lasted from six to 15 minutes per charge, which is fine for small spills but a cord frees you from the time factor. The full report on vacuums is available in the October 2008 issue of Consumer Reports, which is available wherever magazines are sold. The full story is also available online at http://www.consumerreports.org/.