Health professionals sometimes recommend that allergy and asthma patients remove carpet from their homes. But those recommendations are generally based on faulty assumptions. In fact, clean, dry, well-maintained carpet actually improves air quality.

Carpet acts as a trap for airborne particles grounded through natural gravity.

Professional Testing Labs studied the distribution of airborne dust associated with normal activities on hard and soft flooring surfaces. Their findings showed that walking on hard surfaces disturbed more particles. These particles became airborne and entered the breathing zone. In contrast, carpeted surfaces trapped more particles so that walking disturbed fewer particles. Result: less dust in the breathing zone over carpeted floors.

These articles provide more information on the relationship between carpet and allergy symptoms.

View this special presentation created for asthma and allergy physicians:
“Carpet. How It Affects Indoor Air Quality”
Streaming Windows Media Format 32.57 MB
Downloadable Quicktime Video Format 70.77 MB
Downloadable MPEG Video Format 28.79 MB

Click here to learn about the Swedish study that showed an increase in allergy cases as carpet use declined.

Click here to read the results of a Solutia study on airborne allergens.

Click here to read an abstract of the Carpet vs. Hard Surface study by Lee’s Carpet, which shows numerous benefits of carpet in reducing airborne dust.

SEE AND DOWNLOAD THESE AND OTHER RELATED STUDIES

  • Carpet for Cleaner Air Video
    Streaming Windows Media Format 32.57 MB
    Downloadable Quicktime Video Format 70.77 MB
    Downloadable MPEG Video Format 28.79 MB
  • Swedish Study (Formgren 1995)
  • Solutia Paper (Cicciarelli 2002)
  • Lee’s Study Abstract (Asbury 2002)
  • Humidity as a Factor Article (Arlian 1977)
  • Carpets in Schools Don’t Compromise Indoor Air Quality (Lang 2001)
  • Allergy Claims Unproved (Shishoo 1996)