There are bigger things to fear in everyday life than lions and tigers and bears. In fact, you’re much more likely to encounter microscopic threats that populate your home on a massive scale. Believe it or not, there could be billions of bacteria and other germs lurking in your home. While you might focus on hard surfaces like kitchen counters where you do food prep or bathroom surfaces, it turns out that a lot more germs could be hiding in plush surfaces like your carpet.
If you clean your carpet vigilantly with regular vacuuming, you can do a lot to reduce germs, but until you know what’s lurking in your pile and how to prevent or eliminate it, you might not be getting it all. Which nasty germs could be puffing up into the air with every footfall? Here are a few you should be aware of.
Salmonella
This type of bacteria is often linked to raw eggs, but the truth is that it can come from a number of sources, mainly the fecal matter of several different animals (including birds, reptiles, and mammals). When it gets into your carpeting, people and pets in your home could suffer from digestive disorders and fever.
E. Coli
Like salmonella, E. Coli originates and spreads via fecal matter. If you’re grossed out when your dog scoots his butt across the carpet, now you have extra reason to clean the surface. E. Coli can also get tracked around your home if the toilet splashes and you walk through or if you step in dog poo outside and track it in on your shoes. The best way to prevent this is to carefully clean bathrooms, remove shoes while in the house, and keep your pets clean.
Staph
Staphylococcus aureus, or staph, can cause serious infections, especially if it comes into contact with cuts and gets into your bloodstream. Even more frightening is MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), a strain that is resistant to penicillin. How does it get in your home?
Most often, it makes its way in from gyms and locker rooms on your shoes, workout clothing, gym bags, and even your skin. These items should be washed frequently and you shouldn’t allow them to contact with plush surfaces like carpeting if you want to avoid spreading staph throughout the home.
Mold and Fungus
Although technically not germs, mold and fungi can still infest your carpeting and create health issues like skin, respiratory, and other conditions. These allergens often flourish under moist conditions, so you definitely want to make sure wet shoes or other damp items are removed before kids run on the carpeting, and that dogs are dried when they come in from the rain and snow.
What Can You Do?
Regular vacuuming can remove a lot of germs in carpets, but just because you clean your carpet frequently doesn’t mean you’re out of the woods. Preventive care is essential to keeping your home free of germs, and if you want to stop buildup, your best bet is to hire a professional service like E&L Chem-Dry at least a couple of times each year for deep cleaning.