Can Carpet Cause Breathing Problems?

Can Carpet Cause Breathing Problems? Environments ranging from industrial settings to the comforts of your home have factors to consider before settling on flooring type. While some prefer the traditional hardwood floors, most houses have carpets adorning the ground. A lot of Singaporeans use carpets in their dwellings, and there is an increase in rug sales over the years.

However, this type of flooring is not well-suited for everyone. Why?

This is because carpets have their own environment, and they contain dust and organisms not seen by the naked eye. You can regularly clean your carpets, change your air filters and spray air fresheners but still be unable to avoid extreme allergic reactions.

If you’re healthy and still experiencing sneezing and coughing fits randomly, it’s time to look down. The guilty party is most likely the carpet under your nose. Read on – Can Carpet Cause Breathing Problems?

Breathing Problems – Carpets are the Culprit

You probably walk around your home confident about its cleanliness and take pride in your pristine, fuzzy rugs. However, that isn’t always the case. Although they keep any room welcoming and elegant, carpets nurture a plethora of organisms that can give you adverse reactions.

They contain irritants such as spores, dust mites, insect feces, and bacteria that are the culprit of your breathing problems. The growth of molds is also inevitable and can further promote allergen growth. When inhaled, even in small amounts, it can trigger asthma attacks.

Dust mites are also another factor, and they grow in abundance in carpeted environments. Dirty carpets are especially prone to them. Once they die, their remains hang in the carpets and cause nose and eye irritations.

The hairy fibers of your floorings can also trap animal dander. Trapped pet hair shavings can not only aggravate allergies but cause severe breathing difficulties.

Since carpets are made from synthetic products, they contain harmful chemicals that make their way into your home. In addition, paddings and adhesives used to keep the rugs in place can even decrease air quality.

Carpet fresheners and other cleaning products also do more harm than good. They accumulate and later combine to become toxic and harmful substances, especially those with weak immune systems.

One of the most common breathing problems can be diagnosed as allergies – and carpets are one of its main reasons.

Carpet Allergies

Allergies don’t discriminate; they won’t even consider whether your carpets are old or new. Due to your rug’s fuzzy composition, each strand holds allergens and various contaminants. This can kick-start your body’s allergic reactions and even make them worse.

You may find your allergies acting up, especially in a place that uses thickly carpeted floorings. The symptoms may include sneezing, runny nose, coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing in general.

Aside from dust mites and other microscopic organisms, carpets also accumulate aggravating proteins. These proteins are very harmful to people who have hypersensitive immune systems.

Other Health Risks

A study states that carpets generally trap allergy-invoking substances. However, these allergens can easily be spread by the most little movements. Thus, they still serve as a hazard not only for sick people but for physically healthy ones. Aside from respiratory problems, carpets old and new can also trigger a lot of other health risks. These are:

• Mite Infestations – Dust mites are mostly harmless, but their remains are not. Their carcasses can enter your skin, especially if your feet have cuts or open wounds causing infections.
  
• Skin Complications – Carpets are the optimum environment for a huge diversity of bacteria can grow on – including those causing skin inflammation. Skin rashes, eczema, and athlete’s foot may be some of the results of unclean rugs, especially if you walk barefoot. If they are inhaled, they can cause respiratory issues that can become severe.
  
• Weak Immune System – Carpets are not only a breeding ground for bad bacteria, but they also collect toxins promoting unclean environments. This makes your immune system work overtime because a dirty environment makes you more susceptible. Not only do you have to worry about yourself, but toddlers and children are also exposed to greater risks.
  
• Stomach Ailments – Moldy bread is immediately thrown in the bin, but moldy carpets often go unnoticed. As such, a damp carpet with molds and mycotoxins can induce severe stomach illnesses and complications. These complications may require long-term antibiotics or even worse diarrhea. Salmonella can also occur, especially as it is a foodborne disease.
  
• Mental Anguish – Carpets can cause physical illnesses and even be a source of mental health complications. Flea infestation, constant allergic reactions, and breathing problems are factors that can cause much stress.

How to Keep Your Carpets Clean

We have already established that carpets can cause breathing problems, but it is also important to minimize their risks. Here are some practices that can help you avoid or diminish the likelihood of carpet-related ailments:

• If possible, choose high-quality hardwood floorings, especially if you have a history of respiratory illnesses. Hard-surfaced floorings have lesser chances of accumulating various irritants and are more convenient to clean.
  
• Avoid placing carpets in places that are always wet, such as bathrooms and kitchens. This ensures that the area remains dry and mold cannot accumulate due to the non-damp environment.
  
• Vacuum your carpets more than once a week and use a device with a built-in high-efficiency particulate air filter. This type of filter ensures that the dirt hiding in your carpets is not only disturbed but efficiently removed. HEPA filters also ensure that the dust and other particles do not come back into the air.
  
• Get your rugs sanitized by professionals and experts in the field every six months. Although you clean them regularly, professionals have their way of expertly ensuring cleanliness on another level. Plus, they usually use cleaners and devices wholly dedicated to deep cleansing.

Can Carpet Cause Breathing Problems? – Conclusion

Carpets, whether old or newly installed, can be the main instigator for your breathing difficulties. Not only that, but they can also cause other health risks that can be prevented by proper disinfection.