Can carpet be bad for your health? Quite the contrary!
The belief that carpet can be bad for your health has had more than its share of negative publicity over the past few years. However, like much of the information on the internet much of what is stated is not only untrue but in fact is totally unsubstantiated by facts.
According to the President of the carpet and rug Institute (CRI) “there is not one piece of scientific data that supports the case for carpet not being a good product for people with allergies, asthma or other indoor air quality sensitivities. There is however an abundant amount of studies from around the world that shows just the opposite.”
Research done has shown that well-maintained carpet can reduce airborne allergens, contributing to healthier indoor air quality. While good air quality is important for everybody it is most important for sensitive people. Unlike hard surface flooring, carpet traps dust and allergens and other particles. This keeps them out of the air and allows them to be easily vacuumed up.
When a potential customer brings up the issue as to whether carpet is harmful to those with allergies, I suggest that you go to the CRI website or better yet suggest your customer go and look at the information provided from schools, healthcare and facility managers as well as other individuals. This information can be found at carpet-rug.org. This information is written in simple language that an ordinary person can understand. Most importantly it is based on common sense not on a wife’s tale.
Most of the carpet manufactured today is made from polyester, nylon, olefin and wool. These are the very same fibers used to produce all types of clothing that are worn every day. In fact, wool has been proven to absorb contaminants from the air and traps them, which ultimately can promote healthy air quality.
While there will always be people who doubt what you say it might be appropriate to ask them why there are no stories or reports of people getting sick in the factories where the carpet is made or of installers who are on their hands and knees when installing the products every day. Science says that people have a greater chance of being affected from their beds and sofas since their bodies are touching more of the material than with carpet. The materials on beds and sofas do not trap contaminants the same way carpet does.
It is important to understand that people like to use carpet because it provides insulation and warmth that other surfaces do not. That is why it is important to give customers their information that allows them to make an intelligent decisions based on facts not fiction.