If you are an allergy sufferer you will probably do just about anything to alleviate your suffering. There is nothing worse than having clogged sinuses, red eyes and a constant running nose. In your quest to rid your home of allergens you might consider ripping up your carpets. Before you do however you should consider whether carpets actually do make allergies worse.



Carpets often get a bad rap from allergy sufferers. You look at that dirty carpet and almost start sneezing immediately. So do carpets make allergies worse? The answer is yes and no. Carpets do not actually make your allergies worse but dirty carpets do. Dirty carpets spew contaminants into the air with every step and are a haven for dust mites and pollen and other debris. The obvious answer then is to rip them out, right? Wrong. While dirty carpets make allergies worse, clean and well maintained carpets actually make them better. You see, your carpet is like a giant air filter which actually traps and holds dust and pollen keeping it out of the air that you breath. If you were to rip these carpets out these contaminants would have no place to go. They would wind up in the air and eventually in your lungs and sinuses. Have you ever been to a home with no carpets? If so you have probably seen the dust bunnies that are under furniture and in corners. They form because there is nothing to hold the dust and keep it out of the air. People with only hard floors often find themselves constantly dusting and sweeping the floors.

So as you can see, carpet is actually beneficial to allergy sufferer. The problems occur when carpet is not maintained. Like any air filter it needs regular cleanings to be most effective. So clean your carpets every six to twelve months and you will have a cleaner and healthier home.