How Often Should I Get My Carpets Cleaned? (See Answer!)
Frequently used carpet should be professionally cleaned by a qualified technician at least annually – perhaps a little longer interval for infrequently used carpet and even sooner for carpet in homes occupied by respiratory sensitive or allergic persons; or in homes with indoor pets. Take a moment to review the following chart outlining the suggested frequency of carpet cleaning. This data is based on the IICRC Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Carpet Cleaning.
Do you suffer from allergies or asthma?
We have been led to believe that hard surface floors are better for those of us suffering from chronic allergies and asthma. In fact, by removing carpet, we are removing a powerful ally in the fight for cleaner air! Studies have shown that carpet effectively traps allergens from floating in the air and polluting our indoor air quality. For more information on the health benefits of installing carpet, check out the Fact Sheet for Asthma & Allergy Heathcare.
Installing carpet is a great way to reduce the amount of dust in the air in your home or office and to greatly improve your indoor air quality. Carpet traps dust, dirt, allergens and bacteria particles in high traffic areas. These allergens are trapped until removal through regular maintenance and cleaning. By regularly cleaning your carpets, you dispose of trapped allergens and bacteria and prevent re-pollution of your indoor air. Check out more information about how carpet traps harmful allergens here.
Studies in Sweden Show Carpet Doesn’t Worsen Allergies
There were intensive discussions and reports in Sweden in the seventies claiming that carpet was the source of harmful contaminants, resulting in allergic reactions. As a result, Swedish consumers and public building officials severely reduced the use of carpet. Carpet’s share of the total floor covering market in Sweden dropped from 40& in the mid-seventies to only 2% in 1992.
Based on historical figures published by the Swedish Statistical Central Bureau in the early nineties, Professors Roshan L. Shishoo and Alf Borjesson, Swedish Institute of Fibre and Polymer Research, published an article for Carpet and Floorcovering Review, pointing out that while the use of carpet in Sweden had steadily decreased since 1975, the occurances of allergic reactions in the general public had increased. Professors Shishoo and Borjesson argue that the removal and decline of carpet useage did not mean improved conditions for allergic patients. On the contrary, they missed the advantages of carpet such as comfort, insulation, and noise reduction.