Your Home's Carpet Might Be Harboring Bacteria
You might not think of cleaning your carpet until it looks visibly dirty. Your goal may be to get it looking fresh and presentable again. But beyond keeping carpet looking its best, there's another reason to think about carpet cleaning: bacteria. Carpet is often one of the most germ-ridden places in a home, and having it professionally cleaned is essential for good health and disease prevention.
How do the bacteria get there?
Bacteria are found on the bottom of your shoes, on your feet, and even on your hands. When you drop food onto the carpet, you may also introduce some bacteria to it. While you may only initially pass on a few bacteria to the carpet, if the air in your home is slightly moist and the carpet is warm, those bacteria can easily replicate on your carpet. Before you know it, you have entire colonies of bacteria to worry about.
So what kind of bacteria are commonly seen on carpets?
There are many types of bacteria which can grow on carpet. While some are relatively harmless, others can cause disease:
Enterococci: This type of bacteria normally lives in your intestines. They might end up on carpet if you touch the carpet after using the toilet or if something that has become contaminated with feces ends up on or near the carpet. Enterococci bacteria can cause meningitis, infections of the heart, and urinary tract infections.
Campylobacter: Campylobacter cause serious diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever. It may even be deadly in children and older adults. You might track these bacteria onto your carpet on the bottom of wet shoes.
MRSA: MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a type of bacteria that can cause serious skin infections that are difficult to treat with antibiotics. It can be carried by healthy people for years without causing infection. You might pass MRSA onto your carpet from your bare feet, and then someone with a less-healthy immune system may pick up the bacteria, leading to an infection.
How can you effectively remove bacteria from your carpet and restore a healthier home?
The best thing you can do is have your carpet professionally steam cleaned once or twice a year. The steam's high temperature will kill bacteria, and the suction power will extract bacteria that are set deeper beneath the carpet fibers. Also, take measures to avoid introducing bacteria to the carpet. Don't wear your shoes indoors, wash your hands often, and clean up with a disinfectant cleaner if you ever drop any food or dirty items on the carpet. For assistance, talk to a professional like Kathy's Quality Cleaning, Inc.