Introduction

Did you know that the carpets and rugs in your home act as air filters? We all know that carpets can stain and show wear, but contaminants can also become trapped in the carpet fibers. In fact, your carpet is the biggest air filter in your house. It’s bigger than your furnace filter or any HEPA filter.

A Popular Flooring Choice

Carpets are popular today because they are comfortable and absorb noise. Houses without rugs or carpets tend to echo. If you live in a cold climate, carpets are nice and warm underfoot. Carpeting is typically cheaper than putting down hardwood or tile as well. Carpets can also be safer for little ones. For example, carpeted stairs can soften any falls as compared to hardwood stairs. If your tyke is prone to jumping off furniture, carpet is a safe place to land and cozy for playtime too.

Drawbacks of Carpets

Many people think of carpets as a bad thing for those with asthma and allergies. They can be if they are not regularly cleaned and maintained. For someone with specific pollen or dust mite allergies, carpets can aggravate allergies if allergens are allowed to build up in the carpet. In general, high pile carpets harbor more allergens than low pile carpets. Other drawbacks of carpets are that they can stain and retain odors.

Carpets Trap Dirt And Pollutants

Carpet fibers capture pollutants like fungus spores, dirt particles, pollen, and pet dander. Of course, carpet also is a big magnet for dirt as we constantly walk over it. If your carpet is light enough, you may notice black lines around the outer edges where the carpet meets the baseboards. These thin lines are evidence of how the air circulation patterns in your home trap pollutants in your carpet – as warm air cools and falls along the walls, the edge of the carpet along the wall (at your baseboards) acts as the first “filter” of the air as it comes to floor level. The thin, black lines you see at the edge along the wall are referred to as “filtration lines” . Vacuuming can help remove some pollutants and dirt particles, but not all. To truly clean your carpet, you need to wash it properly. We wash the clothes we wear. We change out our air filters. Why wouldn’t we routinely clean our carpet?

Regularly Clean Your Carpets

Over time, our carpets become packed with pollutants and contaminants. If you aren’t cleaning your carpets regularly, they will eventually not be able to continue to effectively hold contaminants. When that happens, the carpets will release them back into the air which makes for an unhealthy home environment. Just like forgetting to change your furnace or a/c filters taxes your heating and cooling system, not cleaning your carpet has consequences for your indoor air quality. You wouldn’t forgo changing your air filter, right? Well, carpet cannot be easily and cheaply replaced, but it can be cleaned. So, do it yourself or have it professionally cleaned. Just make sure any professional you choose uses a safe, soapfree, green carpet cleaner.

Reasons to Use A Soapfree, Green Cleaner

By this point, you should be convinced that your carpets need to be cleaned and cleaned regularly. So what are your options for a carpet cleaning solution? Big box stores sell soapy, chemical-laden cleaners. If you buy one of those, you are adding sticky toxins on top of the pollutants trapped in your carpets. Not to mention, these toxic cleaners are bad for you, your pets, and your family.

Benefits of Green Cleaners

● Less abrasive

● Chemical-free

● Environmentally friendly

● Allergy friendly

● Kid friendly

The chemicals in traditional cleaners can leave behind traces of toxins that cause skin irritation. Kids and pets often lie and play on carpets. Even if you don’t have animals or kids, I’m sure you walk around barefoot at home. This puts your skin in direct contact with any toxins left behind from traditional cleaners. Our skin is the largest organ in our body and easily absorbs things. Long-term exposure to chemicals found in cleaning products has been linked with increased health issues such as cancer.

Many of the products manufactured today are laden with chemicals. From plastics to furniture, your home can already be circulating toxins due to chemicals used in manufacturing processes. Don’t add to it by using cleaners containing potentially toxic chemicals. Traditional soap-based cleaners also can be abrasive and damage your carpet in the long run. A soap-free cleaner gently cleans while leaving behind zero residue. For an all-natural carpet cleaner, try Soap Free Procyon’s Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner. With no soapy, sticky residue to attract and hold dirt, your carpet will stay cleaner, longer. It’s better for you, your home, and the environment.