You may be the owner of a beloved cat – or cats – but you may also suffer from allergies that stem from breathing in your pet’s dander. While you wouldn’t dream of giving away Fluffy, you also don’t want to feel ill while in the home. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to cut down on the amount of dander in your home, such as regular carpet cleaning in Detroit.
About a third of Americans are allergic to cats and dogs, with twice as many people suffering from cat allergies than dog allergies. Dander is made up of tiny flecks of skin that are routinely shed by cats, dogs, and other animals with fur or feathers. That dander can cause allergy symptoms like runny nose, coughing and sneezing. Symptoms can be made worse when you are allergic to dust mites on top of dander.
Here are some tips to ensuring your cat-friendly home remains healthy and happy for all involved.
Wipe Down Surfaces
Use a clean cloth or towel along with hot water and multipurpose cleaner to wipe down all surfaces in your home, including the baseboards and walls. Concentrate on the areas that your cat likes to spend time in, such as a tabletop, window seat or your bedroom. Try not to dry dust with a feather duster, as this will send dander particles into the air so they can easily spread to other areas.
Clean Furniture and Curtains
All cats love to doze on cozy furniture, so it stands to reason this is where a majority of their dander will be. If you have removable upholstery, take it off and wash it in hot water. If you can’t remove the upholstery, you may consider using cat dander removal products, using a lint brush to get off excess hair and dander, or hiring a professional carpet cleaner to wash it. Don’t forget about your curtains, as they also provide a popular hiding spot for your cat. Launder them at a high temperature so the dander is effectively removed.
Vacuum Carpets
Regularly vacuuming your carpets is important to keep surface dander and dust off the fibers. These fibers are disturbed every time you walk on the surface, sending more dander into the air.
Have Your Carpets Professionally Cleaned
While daily or weekly vacuuming is important, it can’t get out the ground-in dirt and deep-down dander that reaches the pad of the carpet. For that, you will need something stronger. A couple of times a year, hire a professional to clean your carpets and upholstery. The high temperature of the water, combined with the power of their state of the art equipment, will draw out all the dander, dirt and dust so it can be removed in the most effective manner possible.
Now you can cohabitate with your cat without sneezing all day!
Contact 1st Class Carpet Cleaning and Restoration Services
Carpet cleaning by our professionals can help remove allergens such as dust mites and pet dander because it gets to the root of the problem, not just the surface. To schedule your appointment, call us at (248) 491-3088.