Dust Mites and Mold in your carpets. Most of us love our carpets: they keep our feet warm during those dreadful winter months; we relax on them in front of our fire-places; our babies frolic around on them...
Little do we know just how unhealthy they could be:
Most carpets are made from synthetic fibres, and not well seated fibres at that. These micro fibres will - due to their static nature - attract all kinds of pollutant particles: from dry pet saliva to all the city-street surface particles, unseen by our eyes. These fibres become airborne with our activities, and we inhale them deeply, blissfully unaware.
"Nothing a good vacuum cleaning job won't fix", you might remark. However, if we would to think on a microscopic level for an instance; shrink ourselves right down to the level of each carpet fibre being the size of a tree...ooh, you will have nightmares dear reader: dust mites the size of tigers, dry rocks of bodily fluids carried in by your pets and your slick city shoes; all deeply embedded into the core of the carpet. Most vacuum cleaners simply skim the top 2% or so. And to add: ever smelled that dusty smell after a vacuum cleaning session? Yep, all that grizzly micro contents of your carpet have simply been lifted and made airborne by the 'good 'ol cleaner' in your hands; the filtration system simply not good enough.
Carpets are especially bad for the little ones crawling around on them, and more even so for asthmatics.
Then what are we to do?
Wall to wall carpets are a bad idea (even non-synthetic ones: they all trap debris over months to years). Solid flooring in the shape of sustainable wood, bamboo, tiles (or laminate, synthetic yet again - last option) is a good idea; with underfloor heating to break the winter cold (underfloor heating is more effective than other forms of central heating). Loose natural cotton and or bamboo carpets can be strategically placed, but with a condition: CLEAN REGULARLY.
And if it's simply out of the question to remove carpets due to financial reasons (believe me, I understand: the Credit Crunch is here to stay); then at least invest in a proper vacuum cleaner (names are not important, the working is). A strong machine = a better clean (but unfortunately also eats electricity). Get one with a HEPA/S filtration system. It is also important to regularly clean the vacuum cleaner (with a mask in a draft away from your breathing). You'll think me a health nut; but as soon as you really look into the matter - study that grey dust that falls from the HEPA filter - you will understand my concern. The loose mats can be cleaned in the same way, or beaten like a pinãda; and left to air out in the sun (the UV rays of the sun kills most dust mites and fungi).
After the vacuum session, leave the house open to air out for a while.
Next post: asthma made simple...
Little do we know just how unhealthy they could be:
Most carpets are made from synthetic fibres, and not well seated fibres at that. These micro fibres will - due to their static nature - attract all kinds of pollutant particles: from dry pet saliva to all the city-street surface particles, unseen by our eyes. These fibres become airborne with our activities, and we inhale them deeply, blissfully unaware.
"Nothing a good vacuum cleaning job won't fix", you might remark. However, if we would to think on a microscopic level for an instance; shrink ourselves right down to the level of each carpet fibre being the size of a tree...ooh, you will have nightmares dear reader: dust mites the size of tigers, dry rocks of bodily fluids carried in by your pets and your slick city shoes; all deeply embedded into the core of the carpet. Most vacuum cleaners simply skim the top 2% or so. And to add: ever smelled that dusty smell after a vacuum cleaning session? Yep, all that grizzly micro contents of your carpet have simply been lifted and made airborne by the 'good 'ol cleaner' in your hands; the filtration system simply not good enough.
Carpets are especially bad for the little ones crawling around on them, and more even so for asthmatics.
Then what are we to do?
Wall to wall carpets are a bad idea (even non-synthetic ones: they all trap debris over months to years). Solid flooring in the shape of sustainable wood, bamboo, tiles (or laminate, synthetic yet again - last option) is a good idea; with underfloor heating to break the winter cold (underfloor heating is more effective than other forms of central heating). Loose natural cotton and or bamboo carpets can be strategically placed, but with a condition: CLEAN REGULARLY.
And if it's simply out of the question to remove carpets due to financial reasons (believe me, I understand: the Credit Crunch is here to stay); then at least invest in a proper vacuum cleaner (names are not important, the working is). A strong machine = a better clean (but unfortunately also eats electricity). Get one with a HEPA/S filtration system. It is also important to regularly clean the vacuum cleaner (with a mask in a draft away from your breathing). You'll think me a health nut; but as soon as you really look into the matter - study that grey dust that falls from the HEPA filter - you will understand my concern. The loose mats can be cleaned in the same way, or beaten like a pinãda; and left to air out in the sun (the UV rays of the sun kills most dust mites and fungi).
After the vacuum session, leave the house open to air out for a while.
Next post: asthma made simple...
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