What are the health benefits to hardwood flooring?
Carpets gather dust, animal dander, mildew, mites, pet urine, pollen and other irritants that can cause respiratory difficulties and are also harmful to those suffering from asthma or allergies, properly maintained hardwood flooring is extremely resistant to penetration from irritants.
One of the most common reasons for ripping out old carpets and installing hardwood floors or refinishing the existing hardwood floors is to get rid of the billions of dust mites that infest wall to wall carpet. Dust mites are little bugs that live off of dead human skin cells, which we all shed. The mites’ feces is what humans are actually allergic to. Dust mites love carpets. It gives them so many opportunities to meet other dust mites and breed.
For people with allergies wood flooring is one of the best types of flooring to have. Dust mites thrive and dirt and pollen build up in carpet even with constant vacuuming and washing. Dust and pollen are simply vacuumed or dry-mopped from a wood surface. Area rugs can be removed for more affective cleaning of the rug and the floor beneath.
