The Air You Breathe: Impact of Carpets on Indoor Air Quality

The air you breathe is a big part of your life. It doesn’t matter if you live in a small apartment or a sprawling estate, the quality of the air you breathe impacts your health and how well you feel every day. The carpets on which we spend so much time sitting, walking, working and playing have an impact on our indoor air quality as well – one that can be detrimental to our health! As such, it’s important to understand what happens when we clean carpets – especially since this process can leave behind harmful chemicals that are then breathed by those inhabiting the space.

Carpets Capture Pet Dander

One of the biggest impacts that carpets have on indoor air quality is their ability to capture pet dander. Pet dander is tiny flakes of skin that animals shed, and it’s a known asthma trigger.

Carpets Capture Dust

Dust is made up of all sorts of things, including dead skin cells, fabric fibers, pollen, soil, insects and other debris. These substances are quite dangerous to those who suffer from allergies or asthma because they can lead to respiratory problems like coughing, sneezing and wheezing.

Carpets Trap Allergens

Another way that carpets impact indoor air quality is by trapping allergens within the fibers where they become trapped and can’t escape. This leads to increased exposure and it makes the allergen more potent in a way that’s actually quite dangerous for many people.

Carpets Trap Bacteria, Fungi and Mites

Unclean carpets contain bacteria, fungi and mites – which is yet another reason why they impact your indoor air quality. The presence of these organisms means that harmful chemicals can be produced, which may make those with allergies or asthma quite ill.

So what does all of this mean?

Even though your carpet may LOOK clean, it may be kicking up a lot of unseen irritants that can impact your indoor air quality.

By regularly cleaning your carpets, you can extract all of those items you don’t want in your air. If you’d like to learn more about carpet cleaning in your home, get in touch or schedule your appointment today!