Three Carpet Cleaning Tips For Allergy Sufferers
Posted on: 9 June 2015
If you're allergic to pet dander, pollen or mold spores, having your carpet cleaned regularly can go a long way towards keeping your symptoms at bay, since it removes these allergens from your home. To get the most out of each carpet cleaning session, make sure you follow these tips:
Use a hypo-allergenic shampoo.
When you shampoo a carpet, the shampoo and water are squirted onto the carpet before being sucked up again. A small amount of moisture remains on the carpet, and within this moisture is some of the shampoo. If you're allergic to some components in the shampoo, this could trigger a reaction when you're breathing in the evaporating moisture or walking across the newly cleaned carpet. Thus, it's important to choose a carpet shampoo that is labeled "hypoallergenic."
If you're having your carpet professionally cleaned, tell the technician you're allergic to many cleaning products. Many companies carry all-natural or hypoallergenic shampoos that are safer for allergy sufferers. If you're highly sensitive, you or your carpet cleaning technician may wish to wash the carpet with just hot water -- it's still pretty effective at removing grime.
Make sure the carpet dries out as quickly as possible.
If you let moisture linger in the carpet, mold or mildew may start to grow, doing more harm than good. Whether you clean your carpet yourself or have it done professionally, make sure you do it on a nice day, so you can open the windows and ventilate the room. Make sure the pollen count is low on the day you clean your carpets, too, or opening your windows may do more harm than good. Place box fans in the windows, pointed outward, to exhaust the moist air out of your home and keep too much of the outdoor air from making its way inside.
Don't walk across the carpet while it's damp.
It can be challenging to stay off your carpet for the entire 1 - 2 days it takes to dry, but as an allergy sufferer, you really must follow this guideline. Any dust, danger, or pollen on your feet or shoes will stick to the moist carpet, and may blow off later when the carpet dries, triggering your allergies. If you really must walk across the damp carpet, wash your feet just beforehand.
For most people, having carpets cleaned once every year is enough. However, if you're very prone to allergies and live in an area where pollen and mold are common issues, you may want to have your carpet cleaned twice a year, or even every 3 months. Follow the tips above every time, and your sneezes should stay under control. To find out more about carpet cleaning, contact a business like Tennessee Cleaning.
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