The Carpet and Allergies Connection

In the springtime, carpets tend to collect dust, pollen and other allergens that can cause flare-ups in your symptoms. If you're fed up with itchy eyes and nasal congestion, you may want to educate yourself on the carpet and allergies connection.

"Carpets accumulate dust and dirt in the amount of approximately 5-25 grams per square meter of surface area, depending on type of material, foot traffic, and other factors, which is a far greater extent than hard flooring," reports the National Center for Healthy Housing. If you or someone in your family suffers from allergies, you'll want to limit wall-to-wall carpeting in your home for this reason.

A recent study from Woolcock Institute Of Medical Research found that it's also difficult to remove certain allergens from carpeting. "Allergen avoidance measures that rely solely on vacuum cleaning are likely to be of limited success unless more rigorous cleaning than standard home vacuuming is performed," said Woolcock Researcher Jason Sercombe.

Now that we're clear on the carpet and allergies connection, let's talk about alternatives. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America recommends using "hardwood, vinyl, linoleum tile, or slate instead of wall-to-wall carpeting." If you miss the warmth of a carpet beneath your feet, invest in small, washable area rugs.

To learn more about alternatives to carpeting, call JCB Interiors at (203) 327-0450. We offer hardwood floors, laminate, tile, vinyl and area rugs! Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ for more tips.