At first glance, your carpet may look fresh, clean, and spotless. Take a much closer look and you may notice an abundance of food particles, dust mites, dirt, and even microscopic creepy – crawly critters. Every day, outside chemicals, dirt, and debris are brought into our homes and stomped into the carpets. Microscopic insects like dust mites feed on animal dander and dead skin cells and can induce a variety of symptoms in allergy sufferers, including sneezing, watery eyes, stuffy ears, runny nose, and eczema. Your flooring may also be home to other creatures, such as carpet beetles. Over time, carpets can become infested with these insects. It’s crucial to eliminate the hair, lint, dead insects, and other debris that serves as a food source for carpet beetles. Carpets are also a breeding ground for bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Mildew and mold require moisture, oxygen, a food source, and a surface to grow on. Soiled carpeting is the ideal place for mold to grow and thrive, and it can cause irreversible damage to carpets and base flooring. Your carpet is a product of its environment. It has the potential to collect a variety of things that live both inside and outside of your home. Pollen can enter your home through open windows and doors, pets can drop fleas, ticks, mites, and dander, and shoes can track in dirt, leaves, and grass clippings. Without proper cleaning methods, dirt and debris can build in carpets, resulting in unsanitary living conditions.

What’s lurking in your carpets? With all of the things that could be found in your carpet, it’s crucial to maintain a strict cleaning regimen for the health of your family. Proper vacuuming is one of the easiest and most effective ways to keep your carpets clean and looking their best year-round. Research shows that as much as 85 percent of soil and dirt found in your carpets can be removed through regular vacuuming. Professional carpet cleaning can be utilized on a regular basis to pick up what your regular vacuum can’t. When you have your carpets cleaned regularly, you can extend their lifespan, freshen your home’s interior, and reduce the likelihood of indoor allergies. As the carpet in your home is one of the top places where allergens collect, having it cleaned and disinfected in a must.

To learn more about the various things that can be found in the average carpet, check out the resources below:

• Carpet Beetles: This page discusses what types of carpet material and food sources carpet beetles look for in homes and how to control and prevent these insects.
• Dust Mites: Learn what dust mites look like, their biology and habits, and how you can manage infestations in your home and alleviate allergy symptoms associated with dust mites.
• Fleas: This page identifies the life cycle, common problems, and management of fleas in the home and in carpets and gives advice on how to handle a flea emergency.
• Mold: Get the answers to important questions about household mold, including its health effects, ideal conditions, and how to test for mold in the home.
• Bed Bugs: This bed bug fact sheet describes what bed bugs look like, signs of an infestation, and how to prevent and treat bed bug infestations.
• Cockroaches: Quick facts about cockroaches in the home, common species found in the home, and how you can detect and prevent these critters.
• Pet Waste: The Humane Society of the United States provides information and tips on how to remove pet odors and stains from carpets.
• Food and Drink: This is a step-by-step tutorial on how to properly clean food and drink spills on carpets to prevent permanent stains and odors.
• Pollen: A list of facts pertaining to pollen found in homes and carpeting and how you can limit your pollen exposure.
• Staphylococcus: This article discusses the survival of staphylococcus, a common bacterium found in the nasal cavity and on human skin, and how this bacteria can cling to carpet fibers.
• Salmonella: Learn more about salmonella bacteria and how both humans and animals can become exposed through contaminated carpeting and other sources.