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Old Carpet and Allergies

An allergen is anything that causes a negative reaction within your body. These reactions may vary in intensity based on your body's ability to handle contact with the allergen. While some allergies may be mild, others are more severe and may even cause death. Allergies are diagnosed at a doctor's office through skin or blood testing. Older carpets are associated with allergic reactions in people suffering from environmental allergies, such as dust or mold.

  1. How It Works

    • Dense carpet fibers are an ideal habitat for allergens such as dust mites and pet dander. While most homeowners vacuum their carpets regularly, some allergens continue to hide deep within the carpeting, compounding over time. Carpets kept in damp, humid places, such as bathrooms, are also at risk to develop mold growth, which is frequently associated with allergic reactions.

    The Facts

    • While old carpet is frequently considered an allergy trigger, the truth is that all carpets have the potential to cause allergy problems. New carpets sometimes emit chemical odors that cause headaches, dizziness and other allergy symptoms. Old carpets tend to cause allergy problems because they contain years of dust, dander and dirt buildup that, even with cleaning, has not been completely removed.

    Options

    • If you suffer from allergies but have carpeting in your home, you have several options for dealing with your allergy symptoms. You can remove your carpet completely and replace it with hardwood, linoleum or tile flooring. If you choose to keep your carpet, you can buy an HEPA vacuum cleaner that is specifically designed to remove allergens from the carpet. You can also take allergy medication to manage your symptoms, though many allergy-afflicted patients do not want to be on medication long-term.

    Considerations

    • While removing all the carpeting from your home would diminish the ability to catch and hold allergens, some homeowners feel that this option is too expensive, especially in homes that have wall-to-wall carpeting. Specially designed allergy vacuum cleaners generally cost more than regular vacuum cleaners, which is another reason many allergy sufferers choose to simply take medication to reduce their carpet-related allergy symptoms.

    Risks

    • Continued exposure to old carpet may cause prolonged allergic reactions. While these reactions may be manageable at first, the intensity of the reactions may increase over time. Reactions to allergens in carpet include runny nose, sneezing, sniffling, stuffy nose, itching of the nose and eyes and ear popping.

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