The top carpet cleaning companies offer more than just carpet cleaning and rug cleaning. This is ideal because of all the surfaces that can retain illness-inducing particles. The number of surfaces that can hold infectious particles is something that many people have had their eyes opened to in light of recent world events. But can harmful substances live on fabric?

Illness & Fabric

Anyone who has learned about the North American conquest of Europe has likely heard of “smallpox blankets.” Though the maliciousness of germ transmission is debated by historians, the fact that germs pass through goods, including fabric goods, is not contested.

But just as a blanket can retain these germs, so can carpets, rugs, upholstery, and mattresses. Luckily, all of these fabric surfaces can be cleaned by a professional carpet cleaner in Los Angeles. And even tile is susceptible to contaminants that can be difficult to clean away yourself.

Allergens

There is quite a range of severity that people can experience with allergic reactions, but even in the mildest circumstance, it is still debilitating. And most people that struggle with allergies would agree it is like having a recurring illness, requiring treatment, and lowering everyone’s quality of life.

Common allergens like dander, pollen, and dust, very commonly rest on carpets as they are tracked in on the bottom of shoes or by pets. But even opening your door is opening your house to gusts of wind. And whatever is in the air will eventually fall. Vacuuming can help limit allergens, but professional carpet cleaning is more thorough.

Bacteria

Germs, and more particularly bacteria, do not live on fabric surfaces nearly as long as they can live on metals and plastics. But they can stay infectious for some time. (Refer back to the smallpox blanket example above.) And vacuuming is not going to kill or even remove most bacteria.

The heat of steam cleaning will eliminate most bacteria, similar to the use of heat to sterilize medical implements. This will also kill most viruses. And steam cleaning can be used on a variety of surfaces. Upholstery cleaning and mattress cleaning both utilize steam machines.

Mold

There is a large range of mold types, some of which might only cause allergy flare-ups. Some molds are extremely harmful to humans, with a variety of effects classified as mold poisoning. And a fair bit of mold falls somewhere in between these extremes.

Mold often needs moisture, so you are likely to see this with kitchen and bathroom rugs. However you can also find mold on tile surfaces living in the hard-to-clean grout. Even if you are not touching the mold, the spores are in the air and can be damaging to breathe. If you see any grime on your grout that is coming back or hard to clean, professional tile cleaning is suggested.

Closing Advice

Chances are you are doing a decent job decreasing the allergens, bacteria, and mold in your living spaces. Standard cleaning will help reduce the effects of all these contaminating substances, but the more thorough your cleaning is, the better protected your health will be.

If you would like to increase the cleanliness of your home, office, or building, you can also help prevent illness and improve the quality of life for yourself and everyone else who interacts in the space. Call us now to schedule a cleaning appointment!