Allergy Alert

People with dog and cat allergies can experience ill effects that range from mildly annoying to downright irritating. If you or someone in your family has allergic reactions to pets, you may already be aware that the cause is generally dander. Dander, made up of particles shed from animals and humans every day, is mainly comprised of dead skin cells. People can be allergic to dander from any kind of animal, but the most common allergies are cats, dogs and also birds. Regardless of the animal, dander is virtually microscopic and ends up on just about every surface in the home. This is a problem if you are planning on moving into a home that was previously occupied by pet owners. Carpet Cure offers the following suggestions as a way to minimize exposure to these allergens and can help with pet allergies.

Step 1. Meticulous Dusting

A very thorough dusting of all surfaces in the house is the first step. If you plan to do this yourself, wear a disposable filter mask designed to protect you from allergen exposure. The goal of this cleaning is to remove as much dust from surfaces as possible. For better results, prior to dusting, install pleated furnace filters designed to remove allergens. Set the central AC fan to “on” instead of “auto” to continuously capture airborne dust created during the cleaning.

Effectively work from top to bottom in each room, be sure to get all of the dust from above door and window frames, ceiling fans, duct grills and baseboards. It is best to do this tedious dusting with a HEPA vacuum and brush attachment. After you are done, turn off the central unit fan and allow the dust to settle for an hour or so, then vacuum the carpets thoroughly. A HEPA vacuum is best as they can capture 99.97% of all allergens.

Step 2. Scrupulous Cleaning

Once you are sure you have removed as much of the dust as possible, you should clean all the surfaces.  Allergies are caused by various proteins, and some of these are contained in residues adhering to all kinds of surfaces. There is no need to use special anti-allergen cleaners to do this. Any cleaner designed for the surface will do. However, if you are sensitive to fragrances or certain chemicals, there are low VOC products available. VOCs are volatile organic compounds that can cause respiratory irritation in some individuals.

What about the carpet? The best option is to replace the carpet prior to cleaning the home. If the carpet is to be cleaned, the goal is to reduce the allergens to negligible levels. Of course Carpet Cure should handle this for you. Our cleaning system is designed to remove deeply embedded soils, pollutants, allergens and contamination that could otherwise aggravate allergies.

Step 3. Replace Filters

During all your cleaning, a significant amount of allergens were likely dispersed into the air. Wait about 24 hours and then replace furnace filters again with high quality allergen reducing filters. Ideally, the ventilation system should be professionally cleaned to remove contaminants and potential allergens found in the ductwork, air conditioner coils and air-handler. For most people, a home with a previous pet can be cleaned well enough to make it a great place to live. If you have severe allergies you should always seek the advice of your doctor. Ask if it is okay to move into a home that was previously occupied by pets.

Our goal at Carpet Cure to clean not only for appearance, but also for health. Please call us if you have any questions at 478-405-9138 and click here to find out more about our services. It’s our pleasure to help.