Wood floors may seem unlikely contenders as a healthy flooring choice, but for many people who suffer from dust allergies or conditions such as asthma, wood flooring may well be the best investment in your health you ever make.
Unlike carpets, wood floors do not trap as many dust particles or allergens that can irritate a sensitive nose or eyes. Wood flooring does not trap the horrible pollen grains either that can make the lives of many hay fever or asthma sufferers an absolute misery.
As the dust and dirt is more visible on wood floors, it is easier to clean up and get rid of it. A carpet may look clean but many people do not see the millions of dust mites and dead skin cells deep down in its layers. Most people are very house proud too and some may brush a wooden floor more often as the dirt is a lot more visible than it would be on a carpet. This is good news too for families with young children who may be crawling around the floor a lot with the need and urge to stick everything in sight into their mouths.
For the many asthma sufferers living in the UK, some reports claim that up to 85 per cent of them can be affected by a sensitivity to dust mites living in the home. These culprits can therefore be held responsible for causing some asthma attacks and causing discomfort for the sufferer who has to live there.
Replacing carpets with wooden floors is one sure way of reducing the number of mites in the home which may in turn help an asthma sufferer breathe better. They will also help reduce the amount of other asthma attack triggers such as pet hair and pollen.