:: Children and Carpets

Children and Carpet Care

Your carpets should be kept especially clean with children in the Home. Not only does cleaner carpet extend the life of your flooring, it will help reduce the allergens and other particles trapped in the fibers. Vacuuming at least once or twice each week will help with the day-to-day, but you should also deep clean your carpet to get the ground in dirt out. And there are additional carpet tips for your that can help you maintain a safe and clean carpet.

As a parent, you may have looked for information regarding carpets and your children's health, only to find that much of the available information is contradictory. It is difficult to verify if your child is having trouble breathing due to playing on the tile floor, the carpet on the floor of their bedroom or due to the open windows throughout the house. Take a look at safe carpet and allergies and carpet to learn more about ways to keep your carpet safe for the whole family.

Be careful what deep-cleaning and spot-cleaning cleansers you use as some cleansers can be very dangerous because they use solvents which give off very strong fumes. Do not use any products containing lye (sodium hydroxide), formaldehyde, pesticides, and other strong disinfectants around your children until after you have verified their safety with your pediatrician. Additionally, strong or deep-cleaning methods are likely to leave some form of residue on the carpet. Although difficult to feel, this residue will not only attract dirt but could be released on the hands of the children playing on its surface. Your child could become ill simply from playing on the carpet and then sucking his thumb, or putting a hand into his mouth. Luckily, there are now child friendly cleaning products that are specifically designed to clean safely without leaving this residue.

If your child is allergic to the fibers of the carpet, or the protective coating put onto the carpet by the manufacturer, you will want to seriously consider using alternative flooring in your home. If you still want the comfort of a carpet, you may want to consider buying a few handmade rugs (such as oriental rugs or braided rugs) to scatter through your . These beautiful rugs are generally not treated for stain resistance, and will allow you and your child the luxury of a soft floor with less allergies. If you do decide to cover your tile and/or hardwood floors with throw rugs, be sure to care for them as you would a full carpet. You will gain no benefit for your child if you do not keep the new rugs clean and free of dust and dander.