Believe it or not, but no matter how clean your carpet may appear to the naked eye, it could be dirty enough to actually make you and anyone else in your household sick. When you really think about it, it isn't surprising. Each time you go outside, you pick up all kinds of particles and fluids like lawn pesticides, dead insects, automotive fluids, food particles and other nasty things that have no business being in your carpet. 

Carpets can hold up to eight times their weight in dirt.That's a worrying statistic, especially when you factor in the recent findings of a UK study that found that 75 percent of people wear their shoes indoors. Homes with pets are even more at risk because of hair and urine. 

Even if you regularly vacuum your carpet, that may still not be enough to remove the dangers to your health that lurk within your carpet. This is especially true if your vacuum is an older model because the lack of suction will be insufficient to remove the debris and dust that lurks below the surface, among the carpet fibres. Similarly, vacuuming does not remove bacteria, fungi or dust mites that exist deep within your carpets. 

So how exactly might your carpets be making you sick? 

Fungus

Your carpet could harbour fungus or bacteria picked up outside. Fungus can grow undetected within your carpet and will spread and multiply if it has access to water (such as spilled water). Fungus can cause athlete's foot and skin rashes.

Dust Mites

Dust mites living in your carpet feed off the dead skin and hair that humans shed on a daily basis. These little critters can cause you to become allergic to them and experience sneezing, a runny nose and asthma-like symptoms. 

Pesticides

Whenever you use a spray to kill insects in your home, the chemicals then settle into your carpet and remain there for years, potentially causing respiratory problems.

Pet Dander

If you have pets, their hair and skin could be clogging up your carpet. This can cause allergies and even lead to respiratory problems. 

Air Blown from Vacuum Cleaner

If you are using an old vacuum cleaner to clean your carpets, you could be spreading the contaminants even further afield. This spread occurs because vacuum cleaners that have never been cleaned are already full of contaminants and therefore might make the situation even worse by releasing even more dust, bacteria and allergens into the surrounding air. 

Your carpets should be cleaned once every 12 to 18 months to ensure they are clean and toxin free. Hiring professionals to clean your carpet will also help to extend the life of your carpet and improve its appearance. If you think it is time you hired the professionals to clean your carpets, seek out cleaning services in your area to ask for a quote and to discuss your carpet cleaning options.