8 Dirty Secrets Your Carpet May Be Keeping from You

A study published in Scientific Reports found that carpeted homes had a greater variety of insects than non-carpeted homes. The researchers theorized, however, that most of these insects didn’t actually live in the carpeting. Instead, once inside the home, many became caught in the carpet pile and perished, turning the carpeting into into a plush bug cemetery. 

Solution: Vacuum at least weekly to remove bugs, and patch up any rips or gaps around windows and doors to help keep bugs out to begin with.

On average, you shed 1.5 million skin flakes each day. Multiply that by the number of people living in your home, and then consider that those flakes have to go somewhere—and that "somewhere" is generally down to the floor, where the flakes wedge between carpet fibers. While that’s gross enough, the real problem is that those flakes become dinner for dust mites, and dust mite waste is one of the most common causes of indoor allergies.

Solution: Vacuum regularly, and keep your carpet dry, because dust mites are most comfortable when the humidity is high.

Spring is in the air, and that means pollen is everywhere—including on your carpets. Actually, pollen is a year-round problem in many areas, and the dusty stuff easily enters your home through open windows and doors as well as on your clothing. That’s a problem, because pollen is a common cause of hay fever and asthma flare-ups. 

Solution: Vacuum your carpets at least once a week, and more often if you tend to keep windows open or have an allergy sufferer at home.

According to microbiologist Dr. Philip Tierno of NYU Langone Medical Center, carpet can contain a shocking 200,000 bacteria per square inch. That’s more than your toilet seat! While most of these germs are harmless, others, including E. coli, salmonella, and staphylococcus, can cause digestive upset, skin infections, respiratory illness, or allergic reactions.

Solution: Give your carpets a thorough, deep steam cleaning at least once per year.

Your carpet can hold a whole lot of dirt. In fact, there are potentially several pounds of it spread throughout the house. Most of that dirt is tracked in on shoes or on the feet and fur of pets, although some blows in through open doors and windows, or comes down the fireplace. Once dirt gets in the carpet, it creates stains and can increase populations of bacteria, mold, and bugs. 

Solution: Put doormats at all entrances to your home so family and visitors can wipe dirt off their shoes, and vacuum weekly.

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