6 Surprising Substances That Are Lurking in Your Carpet

1. Fecal Matter

Particularly common in households with pets and young children, fecal bacteria can cause E-coli diarrhea, salmonella or shigella. Along with these serious health risks, there are also viruses transmitted through human feces, including rotavirus, norovirus and hepatitis A and E.

2. Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus

These aggressive bacteria are resistant to antibiotics and can have a nasty effect on anyone who is infected. Symptoms typically include inflamed, painful red bumps and fever. MRSA can be contracted by coming into contact with an object or surface that an infected person has touched – including your carpets!

3. Mold and Fungus

Molds can produce allergens, irritants, and even dangerous mycotoxins, leading to a variety of health risks.The most common health concern is allergies, with symptoms ranging from sneezing and coughing to inflammation of the throat and lungs. One particular type of mold that poses a risk is Aspergillus Versicolor, a slow-growing fungus commonly found in damp carpet. If a clump of this particular mold enters the lungs, it can cause a cough, fever, chest pain and even difficulty breathing. If the spores enter the bloodstream, it can lead to chills, shock, seizures and even blood clots.

Mold loves three things more than anything else:

  • a cool environment,
  • some moisture, and
  • darkness.

Carpets, when left uncleaned, are all of these things, especially if it’s that comfy, deep carpeting. Mold and fungus will start to grow at the base of the carpet, growing and multiplying for a long time before you’ll even notice and once you do, it may be too late. Certain mold will make it all but impossible to remove, meaning you may have to replace the carpet instead of simply getting it cleaned. The best defence against mold and fungus is to clean your carpets regularly, from the top to bottom, to stop any unwanted fungal friends.

4. Allergens

Carpets, for people with allergies, are problems just waiting to happen. They can easily collect and trap dust, pollen, and other irritants deep in their fibres, only to release them into the air the second someone disrupts the carpet. This can lead to constant reactions by people who can’t stand certain allergens, whether it’s guests or people living in your home. The good news is that dust and pollen can be easily removed with constant attention. Be sure to vacuum your carpets regularly, accompanied by regular steam cleanings to make sure your carpets are a sterile environment.

5. Rot

Under the right conditions, and with enough ignoring, your carpets can actually become breeding grounds for rot. All it takes is a little mess by a pet, a leak into basement carpeting, or a spill that gets forgotten. If left for a considerable time, the moisture and chemicals can actually start to rot the subfloor, leading to widespread rot that can be extremely expensive and labour intensive to fix. This only happens in the most extreme of circumstances, but is more likely to happen in places infrequently visited. This is why it’s important to clean all of your carpets, not just the ones everyone sees, to be sure that they won’t turn into insurmountable problems down the line.

6. Bacteria

Stomach ulcers, lung complications, even salmonella poisoning are all possible results of dirty carpets, mostly because carpets can house deadly bacteria without you even knowing. These microscopic, almost undetectable organisms lurk in most carpets, but especially dirty ones. A thorough vacuuming can help keep them at bay, but bacteria is one of the reasons a steam clean is necessary. The combination of hot water and anti-bacterial cleaning agents can rid your carpets of dangerous bacteria to keep you and your family safe.

Powerful Carpet Cleaning in Edmonton

According to a recent survey, 84% of homeowners believe that their carpets are clean, but only 9% have had their carpets cleaned professionally within the last 5 years. At Amsteam Carpet Cleaning, we use professional grade products and industry-leading methods to ensure the unpleasant harmful bacteria lurking in your carpets is fully thoroughly removed. Our powerful truck-mounted hot water extraction process removes 98.1% of common allergens from carpets and upholstery, on average.

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