What You Never Knew About Carpet Cleaning And IAQ

WHAT YOU NEVER KNEW ABOUT CARPET CLEANING.

Most people reading this article are casually "interested" in getting their carpet professionally cleaned. I mean, does anyone really NOT want fresh clean carpets? It's the expense and scheduling and fuss that we don't like. It's like going to the dentist; everyone wants strong, white teeth, but we hate actually going to the dentist. The reason most people start thinking about getting their carpet cleaned is because of those nasty ugly "traffic lanes" in the hall and living room that embarrass you every time you entertain, or because Johnny Jr. spilled his Kool-Aid right in the middle of the bedroom, or because Johnny Sr. spilled his coffee in the living room or because Fifi "spilled" something "else" in the hall. Which are all legitimate reasons to clean your carpet, but did you know there is a better reason to get your carpet cleaned? Most major carpet manufacturers warranties require professional steam cleaning every 18 months, and recommend getting a professional cleaning once a year. But did you know that the EPA recommends following the manufacturers instructions for proper carpet maintenance as one way to combat indoor air quality issues? (www.epa.gov)

Here's why.

Did you know that the EPA has estimated that most indoor air is many times more polluted than outdoor air? Did you know that the average American spends 90% of his time breathing that polluted indoor air?

Obviously someone needs to step outside and take the dog on a walk! Perhaps even a run or a jog. But beyond that, what can you do to improve the indoor air quality at your home?

Lets start with a few of the reasons indoor air quality (IAQ) can get so bad.

1. Cooking and cleaning releases chemicals and odors into the atmosphere of your home. These collect in the soft surfaces and fabrics of your home over a period of time, raising the levels of contamination more than you might think.
2. Smoking. No explanation necessary! Obviously, smoking is a personal choice, but we all accept the fact that it dramatically contaminates the air quality of an enclosed building. (by the way, you'd probably be surprised at how effectively we can eliminate smoke odors)
3. Tracking in "stuff" from the great outdoors. You would be amazed at the variety and magnitude of stuff that hitch-hikes into your home on the bottom of your feet, your children's feet, and your dogs feet, as well as in your clothes and hair. Pollen, tar, grease, mud, sand, exhaust smoke, bacteria, fungus, pesticides, herbicides and a dozen other chemicals and pollutants all find their way into your home, where you statistically spend 90% of your time.
4. Having pets in your home complicates the task of keeping your house clean. Dog or cat hair (as well as humans) is oily by nature. Our bodies produce oil and disperse it in our hair to help protect it and us from the elements. Some have more oil than others, and certain skin conditions can aggravate the problem beyond natural levels. The point is, that the oil transfers from the fur or hair onto whatever surface the pets are lounging or playing on. These oils then attract and retain all the pollutants and soils drifting through your home, thereby compounding the problem of air quality.

These are just a few major causes of indoor air pollution, and is certainly not intended to be a comprehensive study on the subject!

Now lets look at a few ways of correcting our air quality problems.

1. Exchange your old dead air for fresh clean air. This a great idea, but only works when its not freezing rain outside, or snowing, or just plain frigid or even when its blazing hot in the middle of July. The whole reason we live in houses to begin with is to escape the fury of Mother Nature! Opening windows is a great way to go, but only works in the perfect conditions, which are rarely present.
2. Reduce the influx of pollutants into your home. This is a no brainer... use walk-off mats at the doors, take off your shoes, vacuum regularly, shampoo the dog, don't smoke inside, use exhaust fans in the kitchen... there are dozens of ways to reduce the amount of stuff that finds its way into your home.
3. Clean your air filters. Finally, this is where a good quality carpet cleaning service figures into the picture! Did you know that your carpet is often called the biggest air filter in your home? It certainly is. It is a wonderfully effective filter that catches and holds all that pet dander, chemicals and soils from bouncing around up in the air where you breathe. However, there is a catch. Just like your furnace filter, eventually the soil builds up in the filter and the filter loses its effectiveness. At some point, it becomes so full that it began releasing the contaminants back into the atmosphere and you began to breathe and smell all that junk again. At this point, carpets and upholstery can become almost unsanitary, because they are so full of "stuff".
Now with a lot of filters, you just throw it away and buy a new one. But with carpet and upholstery that gets pretty expensive. Now, carpet has been around for quite a few years, and the industry has come up with a solution to the problem. Carpet is actually designed to be steam cleaned about once every year or two to flush out all those pollutants, as well as all the abrasive sand and soils that collect in the base of your carpet and cause premature wear. With a proper maintenance cleaning program, your carpet will function for years to come, not only as a beautiful, soft, warm and quiet surface for your home, but as a tremendous weapon in the battle against indoor air pollution. Quietly working at catching and retaining all the irritating contaminants in your home, and holding them there until a carpet cleaning professional makes a visit and extract it all, leaving it fresh and clean, and ready for work again.

Is getting your carpets professionally cleaned crucial to maintaining acceptable IAQ levels? You bet it is!

For more information on professional carpet cleaning, go to Beautiful Carpets and Floors or How to choose a carpet cleaning company in Walla Walla WA