best carpet types for asthmatics - Asthma Message Board

angela50 · 09-28-2003, 08:01 AM

I know bare floors are better than carpets due to dust mites, etc. But, if one decides to get carpeting, are some fibers more hypo-allergenic than others? My elderly mother has asthma and COPD and is considering a nylon berber, recommended by a carpet salesman as appropriate for her conditions. I don't know. My feeling is once you wash any carpet there is hidden mold, but are some wall-to-wall carpets more mold and mite resistant than others? Appreciate replies.

plm · 09-28-2003, 01:24 PM

Angela, Are dust mites a problem to your mom? Are they a trigger for her asthma? Not everyone with asthma is allergic to dust mites (actually their poop is what causes problems).

Mold shouldn't be a problem unless she gets the carpet wet, like in a bathroom.

I have read that carpets with shorter naps, like commercial flat carpets are a little better because vacuuming gets most of the stuff out of them. Since they have a short nap, the stuff can't get way down in the fibers where it won't be sucked out by a vacuum. So a short berber probably is somewhat better than a long nap carpet.

angela50 · 09-28-2003, 02:22 PM

Thank you, plm.