[Mark Hodgkinson]

When it comes to being house-proud and cleaning our homes, people who work in the IT sector leave a lot to be desired. According to some truly horrifying research from Rug Doctor, who might just have a vested interest. The research has revealed the hidden nasties that we just don’t realise are lurking in our carpets. The study across Britain shows dangerously high levels of bacteria such as Salmonella, Shigella and Listeria and most worryingly, a high concentration of Campylobacter, which can be a cause of stomach ulcers. As well as bacteria, the samples by the carpet cleaning machine experts, Rug Doctor also found other hidden dirt including human and pet hair, dust mites, pollen, traces of faeces and skin.

Analysis of the nation’s cleaning habits reveals why it’s no surprise we’re exposing ourselves to high levels of germs. 28% of those working in IT admit to going outside barefoot and then, walking around the house without washing their feet – traipsing grime into the family home. This compares to 42% of teachers, with those in manufacturing doing it the least often at 22%.

Nearly half (42%) of IT workers said they don’t have time to do a thorough cleaning job and a third (36%) do the minimum required and are happy as long as it looks good and 24% only clean when 'absolutely necessary' - is that when Mum's coming round?

Despite a carpet’s high exposure to dirt and germs, almost four in ten (39%) of those working in IT have never deep cleaned their carpets, whilst admitting to having sex on the carpet (13%) -pretty good numbers for IT workers, having a pet urinate (31%) with 24% letting their babies crawl and play on the carpet.

The Rug Doctor research also revealed that 27% of those in the IT field question their friend’s personal hygiene if their home appears filthy.

Aggie McKenzie, the queen of clean, comments: “It’s worrying to think what could be lurking in our carpets and the findings show that we should be giving more consideration to carpet cleanliness, which is just as important as bathroom and kitchen hygiene. The research from Rug Doctor just goes to show that behind closed doors, we’re not a clean and tidy nation and so I’m appealing for people to particularly consider their carpet cleaning habits to reduce dirt and grime that could be having severe consequences on their health.”

Paul Fildes from Rug Doctor adds: “These shocking findings illustrate just how important it is for homeowners to wet clean their carpets as they would with other types of flooring – ensuring they are kept as free from germs, dirt and debris as possible. The findings illustrate that just because you can’t see something doesn’t mean it’s not there. A carpet acts like a filter, trapping dirt deep within its pile – so much so that vacuuming alone can never remove it.

Are you starting to itch yet?