(Newswire.net — January 22, 2015) Salisbury, Maryland — For most people, the month of January is a time to look ahead and consider what they can do to make the upcoming year healthier and happier than last year. With January and February also being the start to the chilly, winter season, the first task we’re forced to tackle is typically related to illnesses prompted by cold, wet weather. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), nearly 40 million Americans suffer from indoor or outdoor allergies commonly activated during the fall and winter seasons.
Unfortunately, it is a lose-lose situation for the growing number of people with allergies as the cold climate forces them to stay indoors and ultimately inhale all of the allergy triggers that only worsen during this time of year. The most common indoor allergy causes include smoke pollution and strong odors, pet dander, pollen, dust mites, pests like roaches and mice, and cold and flu germs. Not to mentional all of the crap that is dragged into your home on your shoes.
“Recent studies have stated that allergies are the most frequently reported chronic condition in close to 40 percent of children,” said Vance Morris, business owner of Chem-Dry On The Shore. “As this startling number continues to grow, we’re proud to be able to provide a measure of relief and be a part of the solution for these allergy sufferers through our proprietary products and services that transform homes into far healthier living spaces. Many people who suffer from allergies are unaware of it or don’t know what their individual triggers are, so having their carpets and upholstery cleaned is a great way to address the root of the problem and minimize the allergens in their home.”
With all of the germs that are tracked into homes throughout the winter months, it’s very easy for homes to become havens for bacteria, germs and allergens. That’s why it’s incredibly important for Eastern Shore homeowners to be educated about the potential dangers of what’s being tracked into their homes, how much is being trapped in their carpets and upholstery and how they can most effectively and safely improve the air quality and healthfulness of their home,” added Morris.
One of the easiest and smartest ways for Eastern Shore homeowners to prevent allergy attacks and related symptoms is to have a thorough, safe home cleaning that targets carpets and upholstered furniture. Because carpets, rugs and upholstery trap and hold dirt as well as dust and allergen particles, the Environmental Protection Agency recommends that carpets be cleaned every three months. Chem-Dry On The Shore, a local operation that is part of the world’s largest carpet and upholstery cleaning service, uses a green-certified solution that is safe and non-toxic for kids and pets.
“The Lung Association reports that controlling allergies and asthma begins at home. By reducing the allergens around your home that trigger attacks, you can breathe easier and reduce your susceptibility to future episodes. When it comes to allergies, there are thousands of irritants that can potentially cause allergy and asthma attacks, but researchers estimate that at least 80% of these attacks are triggered by one common culprit:
Dust mite feces.
“Sounds nasty, doesn’t it? It is.
“Have you ever seen a dust mite up close? Chances are you wouldn’t. Dust mites are microscopic creatures that lurk about your home unseen. When magnified, however, these itty, bitty insects look like spiders!
“Seven thousand of these creatures can fit on a single fingernail. Up to two hundred million dust mites can infest your home at any given time, and they can double their population in ten hours. But this isn’t the real problem, the trouble is each dust mites can produce up to 40 pieces of feces a day and it is a protein in this refuse that research reveals causes most allergy and asthma attacks.
“ But our carpets don’t look dirty.”
Well, guess what?
Looks aren’t everything! Clean 1st for your family’s health and then for appearance. In the average home over two million dust mites feed on dead skin scales and other debris. They hide in your carpet, upholstery, drapes, mattress, and pillows. We live in an area with somewhat high humidity which is a condition they thrive in.
Mites can double their numbers in ten hours, and produce ten to twenty pieces of feces per day. You get 100,000 dead bodies and thirty million pieces of feces added to your home everyday.
Microscopic mite feces and corpses are so small that they blow up into the air as you walk around your house, and they get into your lungs. Eighty percent of Americans who suffer from allergies are allergic to airborne mite refuse. To help limit their effect on your health, you need to clean your carpets and fur-niture more often.
What Can I Do?
“Dust mite feces is one of the hardest allergens to control, but it’s not impossible. There are steps that you can take today to help rid your home of this problem. First…
- Place your mattresses and pillows in al-lergy-impermeable covers
- Wash your all your bedding and pillows in hot water once a week
- Vacuum regularly, using a “high-efficiency particulate air filter”, HEPA filter, so that microscopic allergens aren’t released back into the air through your vacuum’s ex-haust.
- Electrostatic filters helps remove airborne particles and some dust mites.
- Have your air ducts in your heating and air conditioning system cleaned at least once a year.
- Professionally clean your carpet, upholstery, drapes and curtains every six months to a year.