When shopping for flooring, it seems that people with allergies and concerns for shy away from buying carpet. Most people think that carpet traps allergens making them unsafe for people with allergies to be in the same room as carpet.
The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) is trying to debunk this myth! According to The CRI:
“Gravity causes common household particles, such as dust, pollen and pet and insect dander, to fall to the floor. Carpet fibers trap the particles, reducing their continued circulation in the air. Proper cleaning with CRI-approved vacuums effectively removes dust and allergens from the carpet, locks them in the machine and helps keep them out of the air we breathe.
A misperception is that people with asthma and allergies should avoid carpet in the home. But much of today’s carpet is made from harmless materials found in clothing and other everyday fabrics, such as polyester, nylon and olefin fibers, which don’t trouble most people.
Mold and VOC misperceptions: Other misperceptions about carpet involve mold and the emission of volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. In fact, it is very hard to grow mold on carpet. Mold grows in any moist environment where dirt and dust provide nutrients. When carpet is kept clean and dry, mold simply cannot grow on synthetic fibers.
Carpet is also wrongly linked to high VOC levels. Scientific studies show that new carpet is one of the lowest emitters of VOCs into the indoor environment, and that these emissions dissipate very quickly. The low-level VOC emissions and the harmless odor from new carpet disappear within the first 48 to 72 hours after installation and even sooner with open windows or doors.”
So, if you have allergies and concerns for indoor air quality – don’t discount carpet! For more information on carpet and allergies, click here.
