Carpet Cleaning

Improving Indoor Air Quality With Carpet Cleaning

Carpets are a beautiful and practical flooring option, but they trap dirt and grime over time. Regular cleaning removes these contaminants, improving your home’s air quality and reducing your family’s risk of allergies and respiratory problems.Carpet Cleaning

For small stains, try dampening the spot with lukewarm water and applying a solution of equal parts vinegar and baking soda. Let the stain soak for ten to fifteen minutes and blot again. For professional help, contact Carpet Cleaning Lehi.

Dirt is one of the biggest culprits when it comes to carpet cleaning. Regular dirt accumulation dulls carpet and can create a musty, stale indoor environment. Besides causing a poor aesthetic, this dirty indoor air can also affect your family’s health. Dirty carpets can be a breeding ground for microbes like bacteria, yeast and mold. These microbes can cause respiratory illness, particularly for children and the elderly.

Regular vacuuming does remove some surface dirt, but a lot of it gets trapped in the carpet fibres, where it can’t be reached by home vacuum cleaners. This deep dirt can be abrasive and grind away at carpet fibres, causing them to wear out more quickly.

The abrasive nature of this deep dirt can also cause stains, especially when mixed with moisture. These stains may be difficult to get rid of with household items such as baking soda or vinegar. Professional carpet cleaning, using methods such as hot carbonating extraction, can remove even the most stubborn of stains and prevent them from returning.

Dirt can clog the pores of your carpet fibres, restricting air circulation and causing them to wear out more quickly. Regular cleaning keeps your carpets looking and smelling fresh, while extending their life.

A Dirty Carpet Can Cause Allergies

Dust mite droppings, flakes of dead skin, pet allergens and mould can all be trapped in your carpet. These can then be released back into the air, irritating sensitive family members and triggering allergy symptoms such as a runny nose or eye irritation. Regular carpet cleaning can help to reduce these allergens, improving your family’s quality of life and reducing the need for medication such as allergy shots or inhalers.

Taking steps to reduce the amount of dirt and grime in your carpet, such as enforcing a “no shoes” rule inside, putting down entryway mats, and placing towels by doors for wiping muddy feet, can go a long way to keeping your carpet clean. However, sometimes even the most diligent efforts can result in a carpet that looks and smells bad. If this happens, then it’s time to call the pros.

Allergens

Allergies can wreak havoc on anyone’s quality of life. They are debilitating for many people with respiratory conditions like asthma and allergic rhinitis. The culprits behind these uncomfortable reactions are often airborne allergens such as pet dander, mold spores, pollen, and dust mites. These contaminants can be trapped by your carpets, where they can remain for months and cause ongoing problems unless properly addressed.

Fortunately, regular carpet cleaning can help mitigate these issues. Carpets act as giant filters, trapping allergens and preventing them from circulating in the air. However, if these allergens accumulate over time or are not fully removed, walking on the carpets can disturb them and release them back into the air, exacerbating allergy symptoms for those sensitive to them.

The solution is to routinely clean your carpets and other surfaces in your home. Vacuuming regularly with a HEPA filter can significantly reduce the amount of airborne allergens, as can applying an allergen-reducing treatment after vacuuming. Regular professional carpet cleaning can also help improve indoor air quality by eliminating deep-seated allergens and pollutants that can affect your breathing.

One of the most effective ways to eliminate allergens is to implement a no-shoe policy, requiring family members and guests to remove their shoes before entering your home. This can significantly reduce the number of allergens introduced to your carpets and other surfaces, especially in high-traffic areas where dirt and pollen tends to accumulate.

Another way to minimize the amount of allergens in your carpets is to wash them frequently with eco-friendly and hypoallergenic products that do not contain harsh chemicals or strong fragrances. Steam and low-moisture cleaning methods can effectively eliminate allergens and prevent them from becoming airborne, improving the comfort of your living environment for those sensitive to them. In addition, it is important to have your ducts cleaned on a regular basis, as dirty ducts circulate more dust and allergens throughout your home. This is the best way to create a healthy living space for those affected by allergies, and help prevent them from reoccurring in the future.

Indoor Air Pollution

Despite their many advantages, carpets can contribute to sub-par indoor air quality. That’s because they trap dirt, dust, pet dander and other pollutants that can re-emit into the air when disturbed. This can irritate people with allergies, asthma and other respiratory conditions. Regular carpet cleaning helps keep these irritants from circulating, creating a healthier environment for family members to enjoy.

The most commonly known contaminant that can be found in carpets is Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). These chemicals are emitted into the air when certain types of carpet materials decompose, such as those made from polyurethane or polyester. These VOCs can be inhaled or absorbed through the skin. When inhaled, they can cause a variety of health problems including irritation to the nose, eyes and throat as well as headaches and nausea.

It’s important to note that when VOCs are emitted from carpet, they are not immediately eliminated. Instead, they can remain in the air for days or even weeks. During that time, they can have significant impacts on perceived IAQ.

Researchers have also studied the impact of carpet on particulate matter (PM). PM refers to a wide range of chemical and physical substances that can be divided into two categories: aerosols and particulates. These include dust, dander, spores and other microorganisms. It’s estimated that the average indoor air contains 5 times more particulates than outdoor air.

When indoor air is polluted, it usually infiltrates a building through forced air ducts and gets circulated throughout the space. Most of that air then settles on horizontal surfaces, the biggest being carpets. Depending on the surface, it may remain there until it is either cleaned or it gets re-dispersed into the air. That’s why it’s so important to clean your indoor carpet regularly and thoroughly. Professional cleaners use advanced equipment and specialized cleaning solutions to eliminate dust mites, allergens, mold spores, VOCs and other contaminants from your indoor spaces. They can also help protect your carpet fibers from stains and improve the overall look of your home or business. A clean, fresh-smelling living or working space is always a welcome sight!

Longevity

Whether installed wall-to-wall in rooms or serving as cozy area rugs, carpets provide comfort underfoot and add visual appeal to any home or business. However, they can also accumulate dirt particles that reduce their lifespan by wearing down fibers or causing permanent staining. Achieving the full life expectancy of your carpets is therefore highly dependent on regular cleaning and maintenance. Local carpet cleaners offer a wide range of services designed to ensure that your carpets stay visibly fresh and free from harmful microbes.

The average lifespan of a quality commercial carpet is 10 to 30 years. However, their longevity depends on a number of factors, including the frequency of cleaning and the use to which they are put. The expertise of local carpet cleaners and their knowledge of various maintenance techniques and methods can help facility managers develop a schedule for carpet cleaning that maximizes its lifespan.

Dirty carpets not only degrade their appearance, but they can also contribute to a number of health problems. From allergies and asthma to respiratory conditions, dirty carpets are often a breeding ground for harmful pathogens. By eliminating these pathogens, professional carpet cleaning helps to improve indoor air quality and create a healthier environment for people living in the space.

Aside from being a preventive measure against illness, carpets should also be cleaned to minimize their risk of becoming breeding grounds for mildew and mold. Combined with proper ventilation and air conditioning, regular cleaning and dry times can help to prevent the formation of these dangerous microbes and promote a clean, healthy indoor environment.

Carpets that are not properly cared for can start to show signs of aging and wear down much sooner than those that receive regularly maintained services. This is because dirt particles act as abrasive and wear down carpet fibers, leaving them rough and matted. By removing these damaging particles, cleaning helps to preserve carpet texture and appearance and significantly prolongs its lifespan. Aside from routine vacuuming, a carpet should be professionally cleaned every 6 to 12 months for maximum durability. Professional cleaners utilize state-of-the-art equipment and specialized cleaning solutions that eliminate dirt and allergens from deep within carpet fibers, leaving them visibly fresh and free of microscopic contaminants.