Myth busting: what really lies within your carpet fibres?
Research by carpet washing brand BISSELL has revealed that 26.2 million British adults (41%) have NEVER washed their carpets – probably because 84% of us wrongly believe our carpets to be clean – unknowingly risking exposure to a host of potential illnesses and allergies.
Leading hygiene expert Dr Lisa Ackerley sets the record straight and explains what really lies beneath.
MYTH: Of course my carpets can’t contribute to my allergies!
79% of respondents knew that nasty bacteria and allergens could live in bedsheets, but 63% had no idea that they could be lurking in the carpets too.
Dr Ackerley explains: “Unwashed carpets can become homes to organisms such as dust mites, which can put some people at greater risk of asthma, eczema and perennial allergic rhinitis caused by allergy to dust mite faecal matter. Each mite produces about 20 waste droppings every day, equating to around 20,000 particles of faeces in every cubic foot of air.”
Regular carpet washing with the BISSELL ProHeat 2X® Revolution™ can help allergy sufferers manage their symptoms and reduce allergens by removing dust mite waste**, and uses antibacterial cleaner to help eliminate nasty odour-causing bacteria.
MYTH: E Coli and Salmonella causing bacteria cannot live in my carpets
Ignorance seems to be bliss as 62% of Brits have no idea that E Coli and Salmonella causing bacteria could be festering in our carpets and 80% of Brits were shocked to learn that was a possibility.
Dr Ackerley commented: “Escherichia coli is a member of the Enterobacteriaceae group; it can be found in human and animal faeces meaning that if pets use the carpets as a toilet, the bacteria can be found there. The impact of this is that babies learning to crawl could be exposed to these faecal bacteria which could be harmful if they put their hands in their mouths.”
MYTH: It is safe to eat food that has been on the carpet as long as it hasn’t touched the floor for more than three seconds
This is a myth yet 59% of people admit to following the ‘three second rule’ and two thirds of parents (63%) have even let children gobble down grub that has landed on carpeted floor, potentially risking the ingestion of nasty germs.
Dr Ackerley said: “It’s time we put the three second rule to bed for good. It is simply not true. Eating food that has been on the floor or a dirty carpet is disgusting, when you consider what you may have trodden across your carpets, or what your pets may have done on the floor!”
MYTH: Wearing shoes in the house is perfectly safe
3 out of 4 (75%) of those surveyed admitted to wearing shoes in carpeted areas of their home, blissfully unaware that they could be spreading the likes of Escherichia coli (often found in human and animal faeces) from room to room.
A horrid thought considering that the three second rule is a myth…
MYTH: I don’t need to wash my carpets
86% of people regularly wash their bedsheets, yet only 9% of people regularly wash their carpets – in fact, it has never even occurred to 15% of Brits that their carpets might be in need of a bit of a clean. Given all of the dirt and muck we walk across our carpets, and food and drink that are dropped and spilt, regular carpet washing is a good idea.
BISSELL recommends that carpets are washed four times a year to help manage the impact of bacteria and allergens and to ensure they are kept looking and smelling fresh.
For more information visit www.bisselldirect.co.uk.
