"There is no scientific evidence to support the claim that removing rugs from indoor spaces is beneficial for people with asthma. No scientific study has been conducted to prove that a rug-free environment benefits people with asthma."

In recent years, we have been hearing alarming stories about rugs, dust mites, and the link between rugs and asthma. This anti-carpet propaganda has forced people in Turkey, as in most European countries, to switch to hardwood floors for health reasons. However, a news report on a British website revealed that this anti-carpet campaign was funded by a Swedish laminate flooring manufacturer. In short, the “get rid of your rugs” campaign is far from being independent and impartial, as is often assumed.

the rug Foundation, the UK Rug Manufacturers’ Trade Association, the European Rug Association, GuT, the German Association for Environmentally Friendly Rugs, the Wool Research Organization of New Zealand, and the rug & Rug Institute in the U.S. collaborated to conduct a detailed evaluation of scientific studies related to asthma and floor coverings. The evaluation proved that there is no scientific basis for claiming that rugs pose a major health threat. The findings from the study are as follows:

1. Asthma is a highly complex disease, and experts have not reached a consensus on a single cause. Allergenic substances in dust are only one of the causes of asthma.
2. In homes in the UK, beds are the primary place where dust mites live and thrive.
3. The condition of rugs in British homes is not conducive to the survival of large dust mite colonies because temperatures and humidity levels in the UK are very low.
4. Live dust mites do not pose a threat to asthma patients, but their feces contain allergens that can trigger asthma in sensitive individuals when inhaled.
5. a rug’s filtering properties trap allergens in its fibers and largely prevent them from being released back into the air. Hard floors, on the other hand, allow allergens on the surface to be stirred back into the air by air movement.
6. While controlling humidity and temperature and allowing clean air to enter the room can significantly reduce the dust mite population, you can remove allergens from the rug through regular vacuuming.
7. There is no scientific evidence to support the claim that removing rugs from indoor spaces benefits asthma patients. No scientific study has proven that a rug-free environment benefits asthma patients. A health crisis in Sweden, characterized by mass hysteria, led to a 77% decline in carpet use between 1975 and 1990. However, during those years, there was a 300% increase in allergic diseases.
8. All materials emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs), but it has been proven that rugs emit gases at lower levels than furniture and other indoor furnishings and do not pose a threat to consumers.
9. wool rugs absorb airborne pollutants and improve indoor air quality. Rugs also trap other particulate pollutants brought in on shoes within their fibers, where they remain until removed by regular vacuuming.
10. In the UK, carpet manufacturing is regulated by environmental laws, and manufacturers are aware of their environmental responsibilities. All emissions associated with production must comply with regulations set by the environmental agency. The UK carpet industry demonstrates an unprecedented level of diligence in complying with environmental regulations.
11. It should come as no surprise that a product like a rug may bear traces of the chemicals used in its production or in the production of its raw materials. While some chemicals—such as permethrin, a moth repellent that enhances the rug’s functionality in the home—may be intentionally applied, other chemical traces may stem from residues, byproducts, or contaminants formed during the processing of raw materials. In either case, the traces of chemicals are very small and pose no danger to consumers. However, the rug industry is not sitting idly by; it is constantly working to develop processes and materials that can eliminate even these negligible traces.

 You can also read our article on antibacterial rugs.

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