I bought a new, woollen rug shortly before Christmas 2023. It immediately caused me to go from being virtually free of asthma symptoms to being in need of steroid inhaler and frequent ventolin doses - I was very short of breath, my lungs were irritated and when exercising, swimming or walking, I’d need ventolin but found it wouldn’t work if I was also taking formoterol in my combined steroid/laba inhaler. I also take Montelukast, omeprazole, vitamin D and cbd drops (for arthritis) daily.
The rug was shedding small woollen fibres and some white powder. I vacuumed it for 20 minutes a time several times, the Dyson bucket filled with the stuff from the rug each time. I thought that eventually the rug would be cleaned of all the loose matter but still, 4 months later it still sheds fibres and dust and though it has been repeatedly vacuumed dozens of times it’s still causing me asthmatic issues. I have now rolled it up and sealed it in cling film to check that the worsened symptoms I still get are caused by the rug. I am improving and hope to be back to my free of symptoms state again soon.
I would like people to be aware that completely new or worsened asthma symptoms could be caused by having such a new, woollen rug.
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Gwalltarian
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Having lived in hot countries im sure that what you're dealing with could be to do with all the insecticides used on the sheep plus the environment it was made & where its been kept before, during and after the making of it. .We had all sorts of ghastlies - never mind moths - getting in to the house, I used a strong insecticide on rugs, nooks & crannies. On returning to UK I read up about the spray Baygone & it was dreadful reading including remaining active for decades, not to inhale or get on skin. I had small children then, I dreadful to think what I've done to them 😥😢
Thank you for your response - insecticides hadn’t occurred to me. I would like to know what the white dust is, perhaps the company I bought it from might be able to help - they had this particular rug in all sizes and colours.
It's possible it could be something like DDT powder - not saying it's that particular insecticide but a possibility. Other countries probably don't have the stringent rules & laws against chemical usage as we do in Europe. Insecticide powders can be used liberally because they're cheaper. The company might be able to help but I doubt they'd admit anything, or if someone like John Lewis they might offer to take a sample of the dust for analysis. The fleeces could gave been held in a warehouse for a long time , I know where we lived there were all manner of bugs we'd never seen or heard of, we never put our shoes on without checking for them or scorpions (& efore bed every night I washed every inch of our floors with bleachy water to deter anything nesting).
If I were you I'd return it for a refund, it's not fit for purpose imo
PS I've just read further down the thread, not everyone is allergic to dust mite. I have asthma and don't have an allergy to dust, dust mite, pets or pet dander.
I have a few woven wool rugs which I put on a cool wash occasionally. I have a long pile rug from a well known Swedish firm that's quite snug underfoot, it's man made fibre.
If you are allergic to animals, it could be a dog/cat from the previous renters, or dust mite dander Rags are sinkholes for all kinds of allergens. I once did a dust particule count in the air next to the carpet, after running my hand over the carpet surface. The counts went up 1000-fold compared to the ambient. If one had this many particules in the outdoors air (per unit volume), there would be a red emergency situation for the air quality.
I do not walk in high heels at home... Carpet removal is one of key recommendations made for household adjustments for asthma management (along with not having pets etc).
I live in a bungalow, wear soft shoes/sandals and socks indoors and the room I want to make more cost is my lounge which is above my garage. What I really wanted to do with this post was to make people aware - especially newly asthmatic adults or those with small children - that an innocuous purchase such as a new rug, which doesn’t affect everyone, could actually be the cause of newly diagnosed asthma or of worsening symptoms.
>> innocuous purchase such as a new rug, which doesn’t affect everyone, could actually be the cause of newly diagnosed asthma or of worsening symptoms.
I fully agree.
I have seen 50+ doctors in 4 countries, and every other one, when seeing me for the 1st time, asked if I lived in a place with carpets. I.e. these are not merely innocuous things, they are asked about along with "do you smoke?" and "do you have pets". I.e. carpets are known to have as a strong association with asthma (even if by themselves they are might be just synthetic plastic, they trap dust, and dust mite is one of the strongest allergens).
Surely it helps if the carpet can be removed and steam-washed (once a week), but many folks live in apartments where the carpet is glued to the floor.
The living situation (carpet/no carpet) is written in the patient's history in the USA, and not removing the carpet may misplace the priorities for the doctor. E.g. the presistent symptoms could be either the medication that's not working, or it's the patient's carpet that she/he won't remove, so why bother figuring it all out.
Since getting asthma, I've always sought out apartments with hardwood floors. If I have no choice (e.g. company-provided temporary housing), I cover the carpet with foil or plastic and seal it with kapton tape. It does not look cute and fluffy, but it makes a big difference. When traveling, I try to get a hotel with h-wood floors which is difficult in the UK and almost impossible in the USA.
In some apartment lettings, I've been asked by the potential landlord to put a rag on "to protect the neighbors downstairs". This in my mind is shifting the reponsibility from the landlord to the tennant, instead of properly sound-insulating the building. The current place I live in has hardwoord floors on every floor, and we do not hear any noise from the people upstairs, unless the neighbors play the drums (in which case the carpets won't help ).
I apologize for this rant, Gwalltarian, I've been dealing with the carpet issue for almost 20 years. Probably TMI :).
True and I have no carpets but it would help in keeping the house warm to have a rug where I put this one. I’ve gone for many years with nothing but hard floors in that room.
It does have insulation but in the cold weather it is still cold. I agree with what you say about dust, dust mites and carpets but I should be able to manage to keep a rug clean - I have done so in the past. Thanks for all your concerns.
Can you get it professionally cleaned, or steam cleaned if chemicals are a trigger for you? I've got a washable rug but it's huge - so I had it jet washed it last year - I can't see it going in the launderette! If that fails, you may have to donate it, which seems a shame.
It's recommended that all baBies clothes and bedding r washed prior to use to remove harmful chemicals used to preserve fabrics & prevent infestation during transport+ storeage.im wondering if its similar
What a shame but good to be on the safe side if it was so rough on your lungs. My in-laws decorated the guest room with a wall of cedar chips a few years ago and it was so hard on my lungs--I had several long-lasting flares til we figured out what it was and then they had to painstakingly take it down. I felt bad but it's important to put our health over home decor!
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