Sneezing and sniffling more than usual? Is it allergy season again already? Perhaps it is. Or maybe the problem is closer to home than what happens once we get beyond the winter respite from plant pollen and mold spores. It could be the allergens that have collected in your carpet.
Carpet cleaning comes in handy by ridding your living space of all of these allergy-inducing particles. You can contact a carpet cleaner near you for immediate help with improving the breathability of any room’s air.
What causes allergies?
The most common causes of allergic rationtions both mild and debilitating include:
- Pollen
- Pet Dander
- Dust Mites
- Mold
There is an almost limitless amount of substances that human beings can have allergic reactions to. But in terms of what is most likely to make the average person’s allergies flare up or cause an asthmatic reaction, we are dealing with common airborne irritants.
These substances are not inherently dangerous, but they can trigger overreactions to sensitive immune systems. In an attempt to purge these benign things from your body, you may start to sneeze, your nose will run, or your eyes will water.
More severe reactions like rashes, hives, and swelling can be visually alarming. But the most extreme allergic reactions will cause the throat to swell, which can lead to asphyxiation. And every one of these symptoms can be extremely minor or horribly debilitating.
What allergens are in your carpet?
Every single one of the common allergens listed above is often present to some degree or another in the average carpet. How is that possible? Carpet fibers act just like any other fabric, collecting the substances they come in contact with. And there can be a lot on the human foot.
Even if you are in the habit of taking off your shoes, everything that is floating through the air eventually comes to rest on the ground. And though surfaces may be cleaner as a result of leaving dirty shoes outdoors, feet and socks are going to track in certain substances as well.
And in the case of pets, there is nothing for them to take off when they enter a home. Whatever has collected on their feet and fur is going to be transferred to the carpet. Even if a pet is kept indoors, the dander and oils that form on them naturally come off on what they touch.
How do you remove allergens from a carpet?
On hard surfaces, many of the main allergens can easily be dusted off. But where does that dust go? Even if most of it can be swept into a container and disposed of, smaller particles will float up into the air, only to fall back down onto a surface and recoat it.
Vacuuming will take care of some small particulates on both hard surfaces and fabric. But suction is not always enough to separate allergens from the fibers of the carpet fabric. Carpets may require a Sherman Oaks carpet cleaning service to fully remove allergens.
Carpet cleaning separates allergens from the carpet fibers through a washing process rather than relying solely on suction. Just like how you wouldn’t shake out your shirt or vacuum it to get it clean, a rug is not going to be restored to a state of freshness with occasional vacuuming.
Closing Thoughts
Allergy season always seems to sneak up on us. Especially if you are having allergic reactions outside of the classic window for severe pollen and other wild airborne allergens. That’s because most common allergens are always out there, slowly collecting until every breath is giving you some sort of adverse reaction.
No matter what time of year it is, if you are having trouble with allergies, a carpet cleaner may be able to help. Carpets are one of the largest depositories for allergens, so a clean carpet can significantly reduce the amount of sneezing, itching, watery eyes, and difficulty breathing.