Does Wool Carpet Cause Allergies

Those living with asthma or allergy symptoms have historically been advised to remove all carpet in the home because carpet traps allergens.

Does wool carpet cause allergies.

The most common signs of a believed allergic reaction to carpet are headache skin rash and upper respiratory discomfort. Individuals also have reported problems such as cough fatigue and breathing problems. First if you insist on carpet but haven t picked it out yet do your allergies a favor by choosing one with a short tight weave rather than long loose fibers. For example 4 phenylcyclohexene is a voc found in latex emissions and may be off gassed.

When choosing a carpet remember that they re often treated with special chemicals to neutralize or repel offending particles. It is believed that this exacerbates the symptoms of these conditions. These common carpet treatments convert to gas over time and enter the air affecting indoor air quality and exacerbating allergies. The improved diagnosis of allergic conditions are now available to those suffering from allergies.

The shorter the carpet fibers and the more tightly woven they are the less inviting the carpet will be to allergens and the easier it will be to clean. Carpet has long been regarded as the enemy when it comes to allergies and asthma. Lanolin allergy is rare. Wool is non allergenic and does not promote the growth of dust mites or bacteria.

It s possible that people who react to wool. A person with wool allergies has an allergic response just like a person with an allergy to cats or pollen would have when they come into contact with those allergens. Wool carpets with a significant percentage of wool are still made but are expensive compared to fully synthetic options. With new carpet this is thought to be the result of breathing 4.

There has been no evidence that specifically supports an allergy to carpet but some people believe that it is possible. Numerous studies have demonstrated the benefits of strict environmental control in patients with asthma and allergies. A 2001 review of more than 24 000 people with high risk for allergies showed only 1 7 of them actually reacted to lanolin. A great many reputable sources advise allergy and asthma sufferers to remove the carpeting.

Do you believe that cleaning the carpet is sufficient or should we replace all of the carpeting in the home in order to be sure it is not causing the allergy problem. Most medical experts while not discounting the discomfort caused by wool sensitivity say that true wool allergies are rare. Buy carpet labeled low voc volatile organic compound which limits the use of substances such as formaldehyde and benzene.