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About one in five people suffer from allergies, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. If you’re besieged with sneezing and watery eyes each spring, you’ve probably heard about things you can do to minimize allergens in your own home. As your local flooring experts, Sloane’s would like to offer a well-rounded perspective on how to clean your floors and choose new flooring that’s healthier for you.

Soft or Hard Surface?

There are two camps on the flooring-and-reducing-allergies subject. Some advocate ripping out any carpet in your home as it can trap allergens. This side advises using hard surfaces and washable area rugs instead. Others make the argument that hard surfaces pose just as much a problem for allergy sufferers, as dust, pollen, and dander particles simply sit on top of hardwood floors and are kicked up into the air every time someone walks by. Carpet fibers, on the other hand, can trap those particles and keep them out of the air you breathe. With regular vacuuming, you can then remove these allergy instigators.  The bottom line is that the most important factor in controlling allergens in your home isn’t what type of flooring you have, but how often and how well you clean your flooring.

No matter whether you opt for soft or hard flooring, Sloane’s Carpet Secret is your one-stop shop for both. We offer a premium selection of high-end carpet and luxury vinyl plank in a wide variety of on-trend styles and colors. Better yet, our model of scouring the largest U.S. carpet mills for high-quality carpet with very slight imperfections ensures you get better carpeting at up to 70% off.

Carpet Must-Haves

Many homeowners cannot imagine a comfortable home without carpet. If you fall into this category and you suffer from allergies, remember that short, low-pile carpeting with tightly twisted fibers is much easier to clean and has less surface area for allergens to accumulate. Plus, carpet made from nylon or polyester fibers are more hypoallergenic, as these fibers are synthetic and prohibit mold growth and cause pollen to dry out instead of flourish. Don’t forget about wool carpets, which are naturally hypoallergenic.

Get Out the Vacuum

Vacuum your carpet at least once a week, maybe even more often if you have kids, pets, or you’re in and out of the house a lot. When you do vacuum, it’s tempting to just roll the vacuum up and down the carpet in the same direction and consider the job done. But carpet fibers are laid in a particular direction, so you’ll want to vacuum both with the grain and across it to capture the most allergens. When you’re finished vacuuming in one direction, turn 90 degrees and do it again in the other direction. Remember to vacuum upholstered furniture and fabric curtains, too.  And don’t forget to change your vacuum bag regularly to be sure you are maximizing your vacuum’s potential.

Call the Pros

You should have your carpet professionally cleaned at least once a year, possibly more if you suffer from allergies. The hot-water extraction method used by professional carpet cleaners has been proven to reduce allergens in carpet.