Cleaning for health – allergens in our carpets

With autumn well and truly here, I thought I’d take this opportunity to discuss the importance of cleaning for health.

According to Asthma UK (2017) 5.4 million people in the UK are currently receiving treatment for asthma. 1.1 million children (1 in 11 children) and 4.3 million adults (1 in 12 adults) suffer with asthma.  There are many reasons why someone might develop asthma. And there are some very common triggers in the environment such as pollen, smoke, dust mites, pet dander and central heating.  There is no cure for asthma but generally it is considered a manageable condition.

The picture above, courtesy of Asthma UK shows where the common triggers are in the home.

While it is impossible to get rid of all of the allergens present in your home, regular vacuuming of your carpets, upholstery, curtains, blinds and mattresses can reduce the effect of these triggers on sufferers.  Keeping floor coverings fresh is particularly important as their fibres hold particles that can contaminate the air quality inside our homes, and, just like any other filter they become less effective at their job when they are full.  That’s why regular vacuuming and cleaning/dusting is essential. Please make sure to use a good quality vaccum cleaner, either one with a HEPA filter on it or one which uses good quality bags that won’t allow dust back into the atmosphere.

Also, did you know it’s the droppings of the dust mite that causes the problem.  These tiny creatures live in the dust that builds up in our homes in carpets, bedding, soft toys, cushions, curtains, and blinds and in the environments in which we live and work? They’re invisible to the naked eye and according to Asthma UK ninety per cent of people with asthma are sensitive to them and according to the NHS dust mites are a major trigger.

Children’s health

Did you know that children’s respiratory system can be easily affected by dust, pollutants and dust mites?  And, even if they haven’t been diagnosed with asthma, young children tend to spend a lot of time on the floor.

Moving house soon, or just moved house?

Don’t forget if you are moving house you should get your carpets professionally cleaned before moving in and especially if the previous owner’s had pets.

Central heating

And now that we are all turning up the dials on our central heating systems this is an ideal breeding ground for dust mites. It  makes sense then that we should clean for our health. Regular cleaning of your carpets and soft furnishings by a trained and insured carpet and upholstery cleaning professional will reduce the amount of allergens in your home, improve the air quality and is key to a healthy environment for you and your family.

Redkite carpet and upholstery cleaning is a professional cleaning company providing a range of cleaning services including; carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, rug cleaning, leather sofa cleaning, curtain cleaning, mattress cleaning and we also strip, clean and seal hard floors.  Our professional equipment reaches deep into the pile and soft furnishing eliminating dust mites and bacteria. For a full range of our services please see our website.

How often should I get have my soft furnishing professionally cleaned?

Shaw Industries, one of the world’s largest carpet manufacturers, recommend that carpets are professionally cleaned every 12 to 18 months using the hot water extraction. Not all carpets can be wet cleaned and so we also use a low moisture cleaning process.  The IICRC have published a guide entitled 7 Strategies for Reducing Asthma Triggers which you may find helpful. The IICRC is an international organization that certifies individuals within the inspection, cleaning and restoration industries. Redkite carpet and upholstery cleaning is trained by and are members of the IICRC here in the UK.