Underfoot Fungi: How Dirty Carpets Affect Your Feet

Have you cleaned your carpets lately? If not, you should know that dirty carpets cause asthma-related issues, sinus allergies and much more. When your bare feet encounter a dirty carpet, contaminants in the carpet's fibres could cause a skin condition that leaves you feeling itchy and bothered.

Until you clean your carpet or get rid of it, you may find that your symptoms persist no matter how much medication you take. Is your carpet dirty? Then you might be at risk of suffering from the following skin issues.

Dirty Carpets Can Harbour Athlete's Foot

If you haven't cleaned your carpets in a while, it is likely home to all kinds of bacterial and fungal strains. One strain of fungus that is particularly bothersome is tinea, the fungus that causes ringworm, jock itch and athlete's foot. This fungus lives in dark, moist areas, and you can find it in locker rooms, damp towels, socks, shoes and carpets.

But, you might wonder, how could it get into your carpet? Since this fungus feeds on keratin, the compound your body uses to build skin, nails and hair, other people and pets can spread it to your towels and carpets. If you or another family member then walks barefoot on your carpet, that fungal infection could spread.

Moreover, if you have a weakened immune system at the time of exposure, your chances of contracting the infection increase.

Dirty Carpets Worsen Eczema Symptoms

People that suffer from eczema should avoid contact with allergens like dust, dust mites and contaminants from outdoors. Unfortunately, dirty carpets tend to harbour all of these things. Moreover, vacuuming isn't enough to pick up all the harmful allergens. As a result, children and adults that suffer from eczema may have problems walking barefoot on dirty carpets.

Dust mites, in particular, are especially harmful for sufferers of eczema as they can damage your skin's natural barriers. If you walk barefoot on your carpets and have been suffering from recurrent outbreaks of eczema, this could be because your carpets are in dire need of a professional clean.

Hire a Professional Carpet Cleaner

Has an outbreak of tinea affected your home recently? Are your eczema symptoms suddenly worse than usual? Then you should consider hiring a professional carpet cleaner to remove bacteria, fungus and other allergens, such as dust mites from your carpet. Don't forget too, to clean your towels, curtains and any other materials that might harbour tinea or dust mites. For more information on carpet cleaning services, contact a company in your area like McEwans Services.