Asthma & Carpets

Keep Your Home or Office Asthma Free With These Tips

Are you or someone in your family suffering from allergies? Did you know that over 43% of US households have at least one allergy sufferer? Did you also know that many of the allergens that cause Asthma are dwelling in your carpets? It is very important to understand how asthma affects an increasing percentage of the population.

ICS Magazine has published its own list of tips, based on an IICRC press release, in an effort to help facility managers have a cleaner environment for their workers.

Here are some excerpts:

Don’t rely on disinfectants:

Often, facility managers believe that using a disinfectant will reduce asthma and allergy triggers. However, more intensive methods such as carpet cleanings, dusting and extraction are required to remove dust mites and other contaminants that prompt asthma attacks.

Empty vacuums frequently:

To ensure dust mites stay at a minimum, empty vacuum bags before they are full. When bags are roughly 1/3 to 1/2 full, empty them so vacuums can stay fully effective in the removal of dust mites and other debris.

Maintain A/C and heating units:

Each month, change air conditioning and heating unit filters to ensure dust mites don’t recirculate into the building. Consider using filter enhancers which can be sprayed on units to help trap more debris and allergens.

Increase carpet cleaning frequency:

If the facility has carpet, ensure all vacuums are equipped with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are most effective in the removal of the common contaminants that trigger asthma and allergies. In a commercial facility, deep clean carpets at least once a year. In facilities with high levels of foot traffic, consider deep cleanings on a more frequent basis.