5 Ways Dirty Carpet Affects Your Health

Carpet does more than just warm up the space. It can also add a flair of style to any part of the home while boosting insulation. However, if you fail to clean your carpet regularly, it can quickly turn into a breeding ground for mold, fungi, mildews and dangerous bacteria. Worse, once your loved ones are exposed to these toxins, they will become sick. To keep your home free from toxins, you have to clean the carpets and rugs regularly. In today’s post, we are listing down ways dirty rugs and carpet can affect your health:

1. May Cause Asthma Attacks

Did you know that damp carpets are one of the main causes of asthma attacks in the home? That’s right, according to the Kuopio Regional Institute of Occupational Health study, damp carpets increase the risk of asthma attacks significantly. That’s because harmful organic compounds and microbes thrive in damp environments. A dry carpet literally gives these harmful microbes a home. This, in turn, increases the risk of bronchial asthma.

2. Allergies and Dust Mites

Dirty carpets also turn into a breeding ground for dust mites. Dust mites are nasty, microscopic critters that cause allergies and irritation. These creatures feed on dead skin cells, fungi and bacteria found in dirty carpets. When alive, these microscopic critters can cause sneezing, skin allergies, stuffy nose, and other discomforts. When they are dead, they are equally dangerous. Dust mites’ carcasses are inhaled by human beings, causing rashes and inflammation of the nasal passageways.

3. Respiratory Problems

Mold is made up of different fungal species that thrive in dark, dank environments. Dirty carpets happen to be one of the molds’ favorite places to thrive! Molds are dangerous to the health because allergens and bacteria live in the mold spores. And when airborne, mold spores are inhaled by human beings, via the respiratory system. Eventually, the respiratory system becomes inflamed because of these irritants.

4. Fungal Infection

Exposure to dirty carpets also causes a number of ailments caused by parasitic organisms. Foot traffic causes dust, fungi, mold spores and other harmful compounds to become airborne. When this happens, the irritants are inhaled, causing skin and respiratory irritations. But some microbes enter the body via small cuts on the foot. These microbes cause skin diseases including athletes foot, ringworm, and other fungal infections.

5. Mycotoxins Overgrowth

Perhaps the most dangerous microbes that thrive in dirty carpets are mycotoxins. Different types of mold species generate these mycotoxins. Exposure to mycotoxins can lead to stomach infections and weak immune system. In severe cases, mycotoxins exposure can lead to death.

A dirty carpet infested with mold may cause adverse health problems associated with mycotoxins exposure. Mycotoxins are also associated with various allergies and respiratory ailments.

Taking Care of Carpets and Rugs

To keep your carpets clean and microbe-free, make it a point to have it professionally cleaned once every 12 to 18 months. In between professional cleaning, remove debris from the carpet regularly. To do that, try vacuuming the carpets once every week. If vacuuming is not enough, clean the carpet using soapy water and hang to dry outside to kill harmful microbes.