We don't usually give much thought to floors, especially in regard to allergies, but they are important. Pollen, mold spores, pet dander, and dust mite allergen accumulate on the floor, sometimes in the form of dust. Frequent cleaning of floors means that there are fewer allergens and dust to be stirred up as you walk across the room, so there are fewer airborne particles to be inhaled and cause irritation, leading to allergic reactions or asthma attacks. For floor care with allergies in mind, read the tips below on Carpeted Floors & Dust Mite Allergy, & Mold Allergy, & Pet Allergy, & For The Chemically Sensitive, and Uncarpeted Floor & Allergies.

Floor Care With Allergies

When you have allergies or asthma, the best thing to do with carpeted floors is turn them into uncarpeted floors. The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America (AAFA), the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI), and the Mayo Clinic advises removing carpet when possible. But sometimes replacing carpet with vinyl, hardwood, tile, or laminate is not a realistic option because of the expense involved, and sometimes people just like carpet and don't want to give it up. If you choose to keep your carpeting, there are ways to make it easier for allergy and asthma sufferers to live with carpet. Whether you have carpet or hard flooring, the most important factor in preventing allergic reactions is to keep the floor clean and allergen-free. As with all allergen avoidance tactics, start in the bedroom for the most aggressive measures, including cleaning.

Carpeted Floors & Dust Mite Allergy

Vacuum often. The best choice of vacuum cleaners for allergy and asthma sufferers is one with sealed HEPA filtration. This means the seams in the vacuum are sealed with gaskets to prevent air and particles from escaping from the vacuum before filtration. A True HEPA filter removes 99.97% of all particles as small as 0.3 microns from the exhausted air that passes through the vacuum cleaner. An allergy-friendly vacuum bag that auto seals when you remove it for replacement will prevent captured particles from escaping into the air. Several levels of vacuums available for allergy sufferers have advantages over standard vacuums but are not designed with sealed HEPA filtration. Some have HEPA filters included or optional, and others have HEPA-type filters. Choose the highest level available for the price you plan to pay. The Carpet and Rug Institute recommends that "high-traffic or pet areas should be vacuumed daily, medium-traffic areas need to be vacuumed about twice a week and light-traffic areas should be vacuumed weekly." If the allergy or asthma sufferer must do the vacuuming, a mask to prevent inhalation of particles is advisable.

Prevent allergen build-up. Keep a doormat at the entrances of your home, indoors or outdoors to capture some dirt and allergens before they enter your home. Using room air purifiers for airborne particles, vent filters to capture dust and allergens exiting from your ductwork, window filters to capture particles entering from outdoors, and furnace filters to catch particles being pulled through your HVAC system will also help reduce the amount of allergen in your home's air that could settle to the floor.

Treat carpets for allergens. Although vacuuming frequently is important, according to the Allergy & Asthma Foundation of America (AAFA), "vacuuming is not enough to remove mites and mite waste." The AAFA says that "up to 95 percent of mites may remain after vacuuming because they live deep inside the stuffing of sofas, chairs, mattresses, pillows, and carpeting."

Treating carpet with products that kill dust mites or neutralize dust mite allergen and pet allergen is critical for allergy and asthma sufferers who are sensitive to these allergens. Below is a chart to help determine which carpet treatment is the best choice for you.
Product: Where to Use: How to Apply: How Often: Coverage: Effect: Active Ingredients: Pricing:
AllerTech Anti-Allergen Solution Carpets, rugs, upholstered furniture, curtains & pet bedding. Spray on after vacuuming or steam cleaning. Every 1-2 months. 32-oz. Bottle covers up to 600 sq. ft. Neutralizes dust mite & other allergens. Plant-based. Odorless & colorless. 32-oz. $19.99 ---- Gallon $37.99
Anti-Allergen Solution by The Ecology Works Carpets, rugs, upholstered furniture, curtains & pet bedding. Spray on after vacuuming or steam cleaning. Every 2 months. 32-oz. Bottle covers 500-800 sq. ft. Neutralizes dust mite & other allergens. Plant-based. Odorless & colorless. 3-oz. $6.99 ---- 32-oz. $20.99 ---- Gallon $61.96
Dustmite and Flea Control Powder Carpets, rugs, & upholstered furniture. Mix with water to form a spray or add to the water in a carpet cleaning machine. Twice a year. 2-lb. Bag covers 800 sq. ft. as a spray or 400 sq. ft. in a carpet cleaner. Kills dust mites. Boron compound. Odorless & colorless. 8-oz. $10.49 ---- 2-lb. $31.96
DustMitex Carpets, rugs, upholstered furniture, & curtains. Spray on after vacuuming or steam cleaning. Every 2-3 months. 32-oz. Bottle covers 100 sq. ft. Kills dust mites. Boron compound. Odorless & colorless. 32-oz. $10.49
Allersearch ADS Spray Carpets, rugs, & some upholstered furniture. Spray on dry surface to dampen. Allow to dry, then vacuum. Every 2-3 months. 32-oz. Bottle covers 600 sq. ft. Neutralizes dust mite and other allergens. 3% tannic acid. Virtually odorless. 32-oz. $34.95 ---- Gallon $99.95
Allersearch X-Mite Powder Carpets, rugs, & some upholstered furniture. Brush into carpet or furniture, let dry, and vacuum. Every 2-3 months. 1 lb. Bag treats 120 sq. ft. Neutralizes dust mite and other allergens. Cleans and freshens carpet. 3% tannic acid. Virtually odorless. 1 lb. $21.95
Allersearch ADMS Spray Carpets, rugs, upholstered furniture, & curtains. Spray on after vacuuming or steam cleaning. Every 30 days. 32-oz. Bottle covers 600 sq. ft. Neutralizes dust mite and other allergens. Safe, inorganic compounds. Non-staining. 32-oz. $21.95 ---- Gallon $39.95

Carpeted Floors & Mold Allergy

Remove carpet. If at all possible, replace the carpet in the bathroom with hard flooring. With the unavoidable excess moisture and water spills in the bathroom, mold is likely to grow.

Watch the humidity. Keep a close eye on the humidity in your basement so that the carpet is not becoming damp and prone to mold. If humidity exceeds about 45%, you may need a dehumidifier to get rid of moisture.

Cleaning your carpet. The Mayo Clinic recommends using "a dry method of cleaning so that the moisture from carpet cleaning does not provide an inviting environment for mold growth." You can use a dry carpet cleaning product to clean the carpet yourself. If you get a professional carpet cleaning service, ask questions upfront about the method of cleaning and how long the carpet will take to dry.

Carpeted Floors & Pet Allergy

The dried flakes of urine or saliva produced by pets are very sticky and adhere to carpets, hard flooring, walls, furniture – actually, and every surface. It is almost impossible to completely avoid pet allergens. Even if you do not have a pet, you can track pet dander into your home on your clothing, or a previous owner's pet can cause trouble. It is easier to remove pet allergens from hard flooring, but carpet treatments (see chart above) can neutralize pet allergens when used regularly. If you have both carpet and a pet, frequent vacuuming, and carpet cleaning will help. Be sure to clean up pet accidents immediately to prevent this concentration of allergen from being stirred up into your breathing space. Reduce dander (dry skin flakes shed by your pet) at the source by bathing your pet often or applying a moisturizing solution. Also, remove pet allergen while it is airborne by using a special pet furnace filter and pet air purifier.

Carpeted Floors For The Chemically Sensitive

Either carpet or hard flooring can be a problem if you are chemically sensitive. Although carpet has not been made with formaldehyde for about 30 years, there are still some VOCs (volatile organic compounds) that can cause problems for those who are chemically sensitive. Usually, the adhesive used to attach the carpet fibers to the backing usually causes an odor. Allowing the carpet to air out 72 hours after installation will dissipate almost all of the odor. When buying a new carpet, look for low VOC emissions. If possible, leave the windows open and leave home while the carpet airs.Floor cleaning products can also be a problem. The use of plant-based floor care products can help prevent reactions.

Uncarpeted Floors & Allergies

Uncarpeted floors are more practical regarding allergen avoidance because they are easier to clean and see when they need cleaning. You have the same amount of allergen, but with hard flooring, it remains on the surface (not deep in fibers), where it is easier to eliminate. Keeping the floor clean and allergen-free with vinyl, hardwood, laminate, or tile floors is just as important as with carpeted floors. Vacuum often with a HEPA vacuum, use dust mops in between vacuuming. Wet mopping or steam cleaning removes dirt and allergen that is stubborn. If you have uncarpeted floors, you may miss the warmth of the carpet. Area rugs that can be washed every two weeks in hot water or with an anti-dust mite additive can provide the benefit of carpet without the difficulty of cleaning wall-to-wall carpet.

Summary

Floor care is important in reducing allergens and their symptoms. Replacing carpet with hard flooring is generally recommended, but there are ways to make living with carpet and allergies possible. Using the tips above for your particular allergy can help you in the constant fight to avoid allergens.