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Carpet vs hard surface flooring cleanliness

4 years ago

last modified: 4 years ago

My husband and I are in our 70's and have always had carpet. In preparing to buy and update our 'last' home I've been reading the carpet vs hard flooring debate. We like the softness and sound deadening of carpet, but we are concerned about cleanliness and have pets. I'm reading that carpet can be commercially cleaned down to backing but rugs are more densely woven and need to be sent out for special, more expensive cleaning. I'm curious how often folks really do this, and real-life cost comparison per typical room. We clean our carpet annually.
For example our son and DIL have been in their home 18 months when they bought new rugs and have a six month old who will be crawling soon. How clean are their rugs really?I'm looking forward to your thoughts!

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SJ McCarthy
4 years ago
It is true hard surfaces are easier to keep clean than carpet. Carpet holds onto dander (the skin cells that flake off of every animal...including humans). This dander feeds dust mites. Dust mites excrete droppings that then cause 'dust mite' allergies. Carpet holds all of this nummy goodness. Hard surfaces do not. At least for those people who sweep/vacuum/damp mop weekly.

That is the downside of carpet. If you have someone who is ALREADY compromised with health issues (COPD, asthma, emphysema, dust allergies, etc) then carpet should be avoided. Hard surfaces reduce that person's use of medications.

If you have a family that DOES NOT include things listed above, then go ahead and enjoy your carpet. Your annual professional cleaning is precisely what you will be told to do.

Young children (infants and toddlers) have immature immune systems. This is a GOOD thing. Their immune system learns EVERYTHING it needs to know in the first 2 years of life. When exposed early on to allergens the immune system ACCEPTS them! Yep. That's right. That means a less than 'clean' home allows a child to create a ROBUST immune system. Early EXPOSURE is the key.

A child that is around pets is LESS LIKELY to become allergic to animals because of early exposure. A child who is around DUST (aka carpets) is LESS likely to become allergic later on. See where I'm going with this?

A small amount of exposure is MUCH BETTER than NO exposure. And well cared for carpets allow for a small amount of exposure. That's a GOOD thing. You yourself are proof of that. You've always had carpet and you've survived. I would say you are onto something there!
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