Asthma triggers: Are hard flooring surfaces better than carpet?

My daughter has asthma, and we're trying to reduce her exposure to asthma triggers. Should we replace the carpeting in our home with vinyl or wood flooring?

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Answer

Asthma treatment generally involves avoiding asthma triggers and taking one or more asthma medications. If your daughter has a sensitivity to dust mites, replacing carpeting with hard flooring surfaces — such as vinyl, tile or wood — may be a helpful part of her asthma treatment plan.

Carpeting can be a reservoir for dust, dust mites, and other potential allergy and asthma triggers. Hard flooring surfaces are much easier to keep free of dust and dust mites. For a person who has asthma, hard flooring surfaces in the bedroom — which eliminate continuous exposure to carpet dust throughout the night — might be particularly beneficial. Regularly steam cleaning any carpeting in the house can help reduce the presence of dust mites, as well.

Don't replace your carpeting immediately, however. First, make sure you've maximized your daughter's asthma treatment program. Then consult an allergist to determine whether your daughter has a sensitivity to dust mites or other specific allergens. Once it's clear what triggers your daughter's signs and symptoms, the allergist may offer specific suggestions — which could include replacing the carpeting in your home.

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