Wet Carpet And Asthma

They say when it comes to allergies and asthma carpets are harmful.

Wet carpet and asthma.

Don t leave wet clothes in the washing machine where mold can quickly grow. However if you only have standard fans a little airflow is better than none. High powered fans are best for this job. Itchy skin rashes athlete s foot and eczema are all dirty carpet dangers that can be triggered or made worse by dust mites in unclean carpet.

Exposure to high levels of household mold may trigger mold allergy symptoms. Open windows turn on fans and put a fan on the floor to help dry things out. These things can easily become airborne and inhaled. This is because carpet may harbor pollutants such as dust mites pollen animal dander and other allergens.

Don t have too many indoor plants especially in. Those living with asthma or allergy symptoms have historically been advised to remove all carpet in the home because carpet traps allergens. Add 1 4 to 1 2 cup of vinegar to the solution to help kill the bacteria found in the carpet. It is believed that this exacerbates the symptoms of these conditions.

Wash shower curtains and bathroom tiles with mold killing products. Carpets may trap pollutants like dust mites pet dander cockroach allergens particle pollution lead mold spores pesticides dirt and dust. Read the owner s manual first before adding an additive such as vinegar to a carpet cleaning machine. The american college of allergy asthma immunology warns that these irritants can build up in your carpet and that your symptoms can flare up in the immediate hours after vacuuming.

Steam clean the carpet using hot water and an appropriate detergent safe for use with your machine. Mold can grow virtually anywhere if the conditions are right in basements behind walls in framing on soap coated grout and other damp surfaces in carpet pads and in the carpet itself. Toxic gases in the air can stick to small particles that settle into carpets. Create as much airflow as possible in the wet area to help clear the odor and moisture from the room.

If you are allergic to mold or dust mites you probably already know you should keep the relative humidity level in your home below 50 to avoid the growth of unwanted organisms. Mold and dust mites thrive in damp environments and hot water extraction leaves carpet fibers damp.