Which of these places in the average home has the most bacteria?
Which of these places in the average home has the most bacteria?
A – Inside the kitchen waste bin?
B – Behind the fridge?
C – In the shower pipe?
D – Under the toilet seat?
E – None of these places?
If you answered A, B, C or D then try again! According to research led by Dr. Philip Tierno Jr. (an immunologist/microbiologist at New York University and writer of bestseller The Secret Life of Germs), there is one other place that regularly contains up to 4,000 TIMES more bacteria than any of these – can YOU guess where?
The answer, which surprises many people, is on Carpets and Rugs, which are ‘botanical and zoological parks’ in the unsettling words of Dr. Tierno. Here are just five of the countless organisms that like to share our carpets, none of which you want to let build up to a high level!
Dust Mites – in the past hour, you will have lost in the region of 1.5m dead skin cells, most of which end up as a tasty supper for dust mites. They aggravate asthma and cause allergic symptoms and they leave droppings everywhere – nasty
Fleas – obviously, households with furry pets are more at risk than those without but fleas are hardy beasts and can easily hitch a ride from outside on clothes and shoes. Once in a warm place with a constant supply of dead skin to eat, reproduction occurs – though they only live between 30-90 days, female fleas can lay over 5,000 eggs each…
Bacteria – we are surrounded by these microorganisms and most do us no harm; some are actually good for us and there are one or two we couldn’t even survive without. The baddies, however, can get extremely bad – campylobacter and E-coli are commonly found in carpets left uncleaned.
Pollen – hay fever brings misery to millions of sufferers and the close fibers of a carpet are the perfect shape to catch on to the molecules. Even those who don’t generally suffer from the condition can begin showing natural allergic symptoms when exposed to a buildup of pollen
Mold Spores – like bacteria, molds are diverse and numerous in their types. One of the most common is Stachybotrys, usually known simply as ‘black mold’, which will readily grow almost anywhere that there is a food source and a little humidity. Black moulid is often smelled before It is seen – that musty, mildew smell from old carpets clothes and other fabrics is a classic tell-tale sign.
Having your carpet professionally cleaned is recommended ideally every 6 months or at least once a year to keep your carpet from becoming a zoo! It’s important for everyone but even more so for families with young children who often spend much of their time sitting, lying or playing on the carpet.
Never had your carpets professionally deep-cleaned before? then call us FREE on 951-302-103. For more info and to book your consultation appointment with us.
