The things in your carpet that could make you sick

The average amount of bacteria found in a homeowner’s carpet is 200,000 organisms per square inch. This amount is 4,000 times more than that found on an average homeowner’s toilet seat! Vacuuming alone is not effective in removing the skin cells, food particles, and pollen that these bacteria feed on.

Avoiding wearing shoes in the house and using indoor and outdoor mats will help reduce these bacteria. In conjunction, a semi-annual, high-temperature carpet cleaning service will help eliminate harmful carpet bacteria that accumulate over time.
 
Ecoli

ESCHERICHIA COLI (E. COLI)

E. coli comes in a variety of different strands with varying effects. While some can be harmless, others can cause diarrhea, urinary tract infections, respiratory illness, and pneumonia. It is found in the intestinal tract of mammals and released through fecal matter. It can be deposited onto you carpet directly from pets, splashing out of toilets, and tracked from outside – to name a few. A toxin carrying strand causes E.coli infections when ingested, usually through contaminated food or water.
Staph

STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS (STAPH)

Staph is a bacteria carried by around 25% of the population living in the nose or on the skin, even on otherwise very healthy people. Staph can range from minor skin irritations to much more extreme conditions. The infection often begins with a little cut, which gets infected by the bacteria. Some types can be treated with antibiotics, while some are resistant. Staph can spread on the carpet through blood, skin, dirty hands and fingernails, and mucous (sneezing).
Salmonella

SALMONELLOSIS (SALMONELLA)

There are approximately 40,000 cases of salmonella reported each year with an estimated 30-40 times milder cases undiagnosed. Salmonella can cause diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramping, with infants and young children being the most susceptible to infection. It is spread to the carpet through feces of people and animals, including mammals, birds, and reptiles. Salmonella can be transferred on the carpet through contaminated food, pets, and from tracking in from outside.