Allergic To Dust Mites? Consider Carpet Cleaning In Your Home
Dust mite allergies can cause symptoms similar to hay fever, such as a runny nose or sneezing. Some people with these allergies can also develop asthma-like symptoms. Dust mites can make their home in your carpets; and, while regular vacuuming is a good deterrent, yearly deep cleaning is also important. Take a look at why dust mites thrive in carpeting and how a carpet cleaning service can help you eradiate them.
Why Do Dust Mites Like Carpeting?
Dust mites like warm, humid areas. Your carpet has woven fibers that provide an ideal area for them to live. Plus, dust mites like to eat dead skin cells, and you, your family members, and your pets may naturally shed these cells over the carpet.
How Can Professional Vacuuming Help?
Regular vacuums may actually recirculate allergens back into the air. One benefit of a carpet cleaning service is that they may use a high-efficiency particulate arresting (HEPA) filter in their vacuums. HEPA filters are made of tightly woven meshes, so they can catch small particles—like dust mites. Even if you catch dust mites in your regular vacuum, you may be missing shed skin cells and their excrement; so, a HEPA vacuum can be useful to remove these allergens.
Before the carpet-cleaning service comes to your home, it's a good idea to dust and vacuum upholstered surfaces, like couches or curtains. These tasks will help stir up allergen particulates that would eventually settle on the carpet. If you dust after the carpet cleaning service comes, then you could be reintegrating new dust mites into the carpet.
How Can Professional Steam Cleaning Help?
Besides giving your carpets a good vacuum, a professional service can also use a steam cleaner to eradicate dust mites. Dust mites don't like extreme temperatures—whether that's really cold or really hot. Dust mites will die in temperatures over about 130 degrees. Steam cleaners use very hot water, which when applied to the carpets, will kill dust mites.
Some allergens, like dust mite skin cells and excrement, may have embedded itself into your carpet fibers. These types of allergens may not be picked up by vacuuming alone. A steam cleaner uses water vapor to penetrate carpet fibers and break down debris. Besides killing and removing dust mites, the steam cleaner can destroy other allergens that may be exacerbating your symptoms.
Once the carpet cleaner is done, it's important to provide good circulation in your home so that carpets air out well and don't continue to provide a good habitat for dust mites.
Reach out to a carpet cleaning service in your area for more details.