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When thinking about the germ magnets in your house, your initial thoughts might turn to the usual suspects: the bathroom, the kitchen, and maybe even the bedroom. But you’d be wrong with those assumptions. 

The worst items in your house for harboring germs, dirt, and bacteria aren’t your kitchen sink or toilet. No, it’s your rugs. In fact, researchers have found that rugs and carpets can contain as much as 200,00 bacteria per square inch. To give that figure some perspective, that’s roughly 4,000 times dirtier than the average toilet seat! 

That’s why you need to call in the help of a professional rug cleaning company every once in a while to ensure that you aren’t at risk of becoming seriously ill. But before we get into that, let’s take a closer look at what may be lurking in your rug.

The slightly worrying truth is that there are so many different types of bacteria often found in rug and carpet fibers that it’s difficult to know where to start. However, perhaps the most dangerous is MRSA. 

If left undetected and untreated, this bacterial infection can be fatal. The athletes in your household pose the most significant risk of spreading it into your rug fibers. If you, or those you live with, regularly frequent the gym or play sports, then they are more likely to pick it up and tread it through the fibers of the rug when they get back from working out.  

Norovirus is another one that often makes a home within the comfy fibers of your carpet or rug. Anyone who’s suffered from norovirus will attest that they would never willingly contract it again. It causes symptoms that are almost identical to food poisoning, including vomiting and diarrhea. 

It can live in your rug for up to six weeks, and it becomes airborne when people walk across your rug’s surface or if a pet rolls around on it. If you live in an area of high dust counts, then you’re even more at risk of harboring this type of bacteria in your rug. 

But bacteria is only one of the many types of germs you might have lurking on your rug. So what else do you need to be on the lookout for?

Mold buildup is something all homeowners should be looking to avoid. If you’re sensitive to a specific type of mold, then you can expect to suffer from stuffed noses, irritated eyes, wheezing, or skin irritation. So-called “black mold” buildups can even be fatal. Fungi can also cause the same health problems.  

Aspergillus, Rhizopus, Alternaria, Geotrichum, and Cladosporium are just a few examples of fungi and mold that could make your rug their home. If you’re wondering how they build-up, it’s often ironically a direct consequence of attempting to clean your rug.

Many at-home carpet cleaners leave the rug slightly damp, providing the ideal conditions for mold and fungi to grow. That’s why it’s critical for you to enlist the help of a professional rug cleaning company that carries out commercial-grade wringing and drying processes before returning your freshly-cleaned oriental or shag rug.   

But while bacteria and germs are indeed nasty, what may really make your skin crawl is the presence of living critters in your rug.

One of the primary reasons why rugs need to be cleaned is because they naturally attract dirt. You see, rugs can hold as much as four times their weight in dirt. Dirt comes in all shapes and sizes, from dead skin cells on the bottom of your feet to dust, pet hair, insect husks, and so on. 

The problem with dirt is that it attracts rug mites and rug beetles, which feed on decaying organic matter such as dead skin cells. That’s why it’s so vital to vacuum your rugs at least once a week. 

However, it’s not enough to thoroughly purge your rugs of these critters. You need the help of a professional rug cleaning company to remove these tiny bugs from the homes they’ve made in the deepest fibers of your rug.

While a regular cleaning routine will help to keep many of the problems listed above at bay, you need to periodically take your rugs to be deep cleaned by a professional outfit to eliminate all bacteria, germs, dust, and mites from your rug. 

Here at Simonion Rug Cleaners, we have a 12-step process that ensures a thorough deep clean of your rug. We use the highest quality products and commercial-grade equipment to achieve a much deeper clean than you can with residential solutions. 

If you’re wondering what that 12-step process looks like, you can watch the video of our team performing a deep clean on an oriental rug below:

Once your rug has undergone our thorough, professional cleaning process, you can enjoy a rug free of bacteria, germs, and mold. Once back in place at your home, you can relax with improved air quality, a reduced health threat posed by germs, and a soft, comfortable rug that feels brand new! 

To get a quote for a deep clean of your rug, simply head over to our handy online rug cleaning calculator to get started.