Your carpet may look spotless on the surface, but underneath, in the carpet fibres, there may be a world of unhealthy critters making your life a misery. That’s when you need a steam clean.

What do salmonella, listeria and shigella all have in common? They’re all bacteria that can be found in your carpet! The most common unwanted guest in a carpet however are dust mites. Dust mites feed on flakes of human skin and flourish in the stable environment of warm homes. House dust mites are a common cause of asthma and allergic symptoms because the mite’s gut contains potent digestive enzymes that are evacuated in their faeces and are major inducers of allergic reactions such as wheezing. Steam cleaning your carpet regularly can keep mites at bay.

But it’s not just dust mites that need to be removed through carpet cleaning. One study by a rug cleaning company in the UK found high levels of bacteria such as salmonella, shigella and listeria, which cause food poisoning, dysentery and vomiting. As well as bacteria, the samples also found other hidden dirt including human and pet hair, dust mites, pollen, traces of faeces and skin – all of which can cause an allergic reaction in some people.

Carpet cleaning, and especially steam cleaning, can remove the bacterial causes of infection as well as dust mites, which can cause allergies. Along with furniture and upholstery cleaning, carpet cleaning ensures that your home will remain as germ and mite free as can be.