Allergies are among our favorite thing as a species to complain about. And why not? They are an easy target and rather adept at making everyone in their path miserable. Some people are lucky enough to suffer only from seasonal allergies, whereas others must contend with sneezing, coughing, stuffy sinuses, and watery eyes for most of the year. Regardless of where you fall on this spectrum, there is something that everyone who has ever experienced an attack of allergies should know—carpet makes it worse.
In fact, according to How Stuff Works, your carpet may contain 100 times more allergens than hard floors.
For anyone concerned about indoor air quality, hardwood flooring or vinyl flooring is by far the better way to go.
Unlike carpeted areas, dust mites, pollen, dander, bacteria, and other allergens cannot cling to hardwood. All it takes to keep your flooring pollutant free is a regular simple dust, mop, sweep, or vacuum.
“But hold on!” you might find yourself asking, “You can vacuum carpets, too?”
Indeed you can—and should! No matter the type of flooring you have, it should be regularly cleaned to keep it in good shape. However, even with regular vacuuming, aggressive dust mites can be so deeply impacted in the carpet that a vacuum can’t reach them. If you’re serious about carpet cleaning, there’s always the option of taking out a steam-cleaner, but that’s a chore most people would rather bypass. Bottom-line, carpet is ineffective for those with a dust allergy. Or any type of allergy.
Understand, we’re not claiming that hardwood or vinyl floors will make all the allergens in your house go away. Dust and allergens are unavoidable no matter what type of flooring you have. However, hardwood and vinyl floors are easier to clean and won’t trap allergens the way carpet does.
Now, you may hear carpet aficionados argue that carpet fibers do not impact allergies at all, claiming that allergens get caught in carpet fibers which keeps dust and pollen from circulating in the air. However, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America warns us that the slightest disturbance can send any settled allergens back into the air.
Also, it’s not just allergens that can get caught in carpet fibers. Anything from harmful smoke fumes to pet fur has the potential of being captured. The number of particles and chemicals that can become trapped within carpet are simply more numerous and harder to eradicate than with hardwood or vinyl flooring, and can exacerbate allergies or contribute to more serious conditions.
For people who suffer from severe allergies or asthma, getting rid of carpet is often a matter of health. But even if your allergies are on the mild side, exchanging carpet for hardwood still has innumerable benefits—not only for you, but for others in your household, and visiting friends and family.
Don’t know where to get started? Contact us! We’ll help you pick out the perfect flooring so you can start breathing easier.