How many of people understand what Indoor Air Quality means to us? In our industry (Carpet Cleaning) indoor air quality is a hot topic, should we start taking notice of the subject or simply 'sweep it under the carpet?' IAQ has been used in the past to worry people into removing carpets and soft furnishings in favour of hard floors, in our opinion this is a mistake, common sense suggests that allergen, skin cells, dust and many other particles are re introduced into the atmosphere when the surface of the hard floor is disturbed.
For the more sensitive of us, avoiding dust mites and dust mite excrement is important, dust mites can be found almost anywhere, in your mattress, carpets, hard floors, sofa and armchairs.
Carpet in particular can be regarded as a large filter, it will actually hold particles until we vacuum or clean the fibres, this is far better than trying to control indoor air quality when a hard floor is present.
Why are Dust Mites such a problem? here are some answers.
We can't see them.
They feed on our dead skin, taking residence in our homes.
Dust mite excrement can be inhaled easily, passing through our natural filters causing irritation.
Eighty percent of people that suffer from breathing allergies ARE allergic to mite feces.
Over the last two decades we have been unwittingly creating the perfect environment for mites, the installation of double glazing and central heating systems make are home an extremely attractive place for mites to live, but what can we do to counteract the mite problem? Open windows more often let the outdoor air in.
Vacuum regularly using a vacuum cleaner that has a HEPA filter, this needs to filter down to at least seven microns.
Employ a professional carpet cleaner, most homes will need cleaning between 6-18 months, this will not only extend the life of carpets but will also ensure good air quality.