[Robin Ray]

If i am talking through my backside then the NHS and, Asthma organisations along with 99% of heath care professionals are also.

Who should an Asthma or allergy sufferer believe? Their health care specialist or their carpet cleaner?

If it was your health who would you choose?

[Kev Loomes]

I think whether you have a hard floor or a soft floor, if they are kept dust free every day then there wont be any issues from either of them. So everyone is right.

In reality though this of course doesn't happen, and so those days that neither of them are vacuumed/cleaned etc then the carpet will 'hold' the particles in place - for longer, as opposed to a hard floor. Just my opinion.

With neglect all surfaces will give an allergy sufferer symptoms , and this can cloud some peoples opinions on whats right and whats wrong for allergy sufferers.

p.s. I have had asthma all my life and feel I speak from experience. I am allergic to dust mite feaces (well the proteases in the feaces I think it is - as opposed to the actual poo).
p.p.s. I'm not taking any sides or being biased, just thought I would post my thoughts thats all. Good debate!

[peter maybury]

This is where the misconceptions begin.
If you look carefully at a hard floor dust is visible on it, but what about the things that the eye cannot see. Dust mite poo is said to be one of the most common causes of asthma. Trying to contain that with a brush is a bit like trying to collect sand with a lot of flexible cricket bats and your conception that brushing a hard floor will overcome this problem is an indication of your understanding of the problem.
Even the use of a vacuum cleaner on a hard surface is less effective as the micro particles trapped within a carpet are airborne and dispersed before the suction can grab hold.
Believe me people do not buy hard flooring with the view that they are going to have to brush it every, day they are buying it so they do not have to vacuum. When you speak to them about these misconceptions it is quite clear.
You can get away with a lot less maintenance on a carpet without the risks to health that exist with a hard floors spills vomit urine etc excepted.

Peter

[peter maybury]

Just to add a point. All hard floor manufacturers make a point of regular brushing with a soft brush, this  is for the removal of grit more than anything else. The abrasive nature of grit under peoples feet it the greatest risk of damage to a hard surface and is the reason for barrier matting etc in commercial locations. Many people associate the advice as something else.
Peter

[Robin Ray]

Any surface will require some form of maintenance and for the allergy or asthma sufferer this should be much more frequent. This is where I find hard floors to be of great benefit they are easy to regularly vac then wipe with a damp micro fiber mop leaving no dust. This is where many imo fall down as their hard floor or carpets look like the wild west with tumble weed like fluff balls blowing around. (this doesn't happen if you actually clean!)

Granted I probably don't do my self any flavors cleaning up other peoples crud..

[Hilton]

Does not matter how regular you clean a hard floor, ten times a day if you like, the allergens have nothing to adhere to and will be constantly airborne, simply walking through a room or opening a door will kick them up.

A carpet whilst not the being able to trap it all will certainly improve the situation for sufferers as the tests have shown,, Allergy UK have a lot to answer for in the way they have put a lot of false information out there on behalf of any organisation that is prepared to write a cheque out for them.

[Robin Ray]

So the collective knowledge and advice of 99% of the worlds heath care professionals rests on some back handers from the hard floor company's, many of which also sell carpet

I didn't realize there was such a conspiracy .

[Mike Halliday]

Asthma sufferers should just man up & stop being so wimpy, we all know allergies are just in the mind   it's not as if it's a real illness

 I remember it from my school days........

".... Ohhh nurse my eyes itch and my nose is runny, can I be excused Cross-country today?"

Usually said by the fat kid sucking on his inhaler

[Robin Ray]

There were 1,143 deaths from asthma in the UK in 2010

Until you have tried tried to live without air you tend to take it for granted.

[Hilton]

So the collective knowledge and advice of 99% of the worlds heath care professionals rests on some back handers from the hard floor company's, many of which also sell carpet

I didn't realize there was such a conspiracy .

99% where did you get that from or did you just makes it up.?
and there is absolutely an agenda.

Mike, I take it you are just trying to be controversial......

[Mike Halliday]

I was aiming for humour.... but will settle for controversial 

[Len Gribble]

London is more or less clear of toxic waist they made me sell my van!

[peter maybury]

99% of statistics are just made up by people who do not know what they are talking about.

Peter

[Robin Ray]

If you took the time to read the information I have posted you will notice that it is heath care industry standard to recommend hard flooring rather than carpet for asthma sufferers. (Hence 99%)

The fact of the matter is no matter what I say and no matter what evidence I put before you it will not change what you think or believe. That really doesn't matter because you are a hand full of carpet cleaners and the vast majority of people in the wider world (and there is life outside CIU) know that hard flooring is better for asthma sufferers.

Here is another health problem you probably will have trouble understanding exists and will probibly have trouble understanding how to treat. Have fun..  http://www.ehow.com/how_4500820_overcome-internet-forum-addiction.html

[peter maybury]

http://uplandsteam.com/10-year-study-carpet-vs-hardwood-floors-health-issues
http://www.canadiancarpet.org/carpet_and_health/air_quality/scientific_studies.php
http://www.desso.com/news-events/news-overview/2013/12/new-extensive-european-study-shows-fine-dust-deadlier-than-previously-thought-fine-dust-reducing-carpet-can-ease-health-problems-caused-by-fine-dust-in-the-indoor-air/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15118744
People by google-ing the subject can see the amount of evidence supporting carpets. The evidence that I have viewed has always supported my views that I have made through observations made whilst spent in the commercial flooring sector, as well as the experience in my own in the digital print markets etc. This advice has also been passed onto other people, both in floor specification and to other printers and people with allergies, the result being positive and endorsing my opinions.
Both the carpet manufacturers and the hardfloor manufacturers are guilty of trying to bias the research and this again is something I have seen at first hand.  As somebody who sees things at a microscopic level as well, I see the argument as common sense in value to carpeting. With research and comparisons one does not know whether the same care of cleaning is taken in one building to another so there are bound to be some errors. Humidity levels etc will also have bearing on results reached.
Peter

[Hilton]

If you took the time to read the information I have posted you will notice that it is heath care industry standard to recommend hard flooring rather than carpet for asthma sufferers. (Hence 99%)

The fact of the matter is no matter what I say and no matter what evidence I put before you it will not change what you think or believe. That really doesn't matter because you are a hand full of carpet cleaners and the vast majority of people in the wider world (and there is life outside CIU) know that hard flooring is better for asthma sufferers.

Here is another health problem you probably will have trouble understanding exists and will probibly have trouble understanding how to treat. Have fun..  http://www.ehow.com/how_4500820_overcome-internet-forum-addiction.html

I understand it perfectly and you are quite right no'evidence' you have put forward will convince me otherwise as its flawed, by the way the 99% still does not work

Oh and by virtue of the 'fact' that you have looked up internet addiction, 'proves' that 'you' have a problem,
it clearly did not help in your case but keep at it....