Flooring For Allergies

As with any potential new flooring job our search for allergy friendly floors brings us to tile and stone.

Flooring for allergies.

Carpets can trap allergens in their pile while hard floors allow the allergens to float around. While these surfaces certainly offer more allergy control than carpeting they can be manufactured and treated with chemicals which can increase your exposure to vocs. According to the national wood flooring association nwfa wood floors have the added benefit of not harboring allergens microorganisms or harmful pesticides that can be tracked in from outdoors. And generally hard surfaces will be better options than carpet.

The best flooring options for people who are allergy prone are floors that are flat smooth and easy to clean. If that isn t an option use low pile instead of high pile carpeting and vacuum weekly with a vacuum cleaner that has a small particle or high efficiency particulate air hepa filter. In addition to natural allergies like dust and mold some flooring contains volatile organic compounds that can also trigger allergies in some people. The best flooring for people with allergies.

Often the flooring can be the biggest source of allergens. As discussed above you want to look for nail in or staple down products when possible and keep it organic. Shampoo the carpet frequently. Hard surface flooring really is a great option for allergy sufferers.

Hardwood flooring is a good option because it is easy to clean smooth and flat. This means that allergens like dirt grit grime pet hair and mildew won t get worked into the flooring. Some sources say people with asthma and allergies should replace carpet with hard flooring but this isn t always the best option. The best flooring for allergies asthma sufferers hardwood is widely known to be the best flooring for asthma and allergies.

The various types are easy to keep dusted and won t absorb airborne particles. Please note that this article may contain affiliate links. Exposure to vocs can trigger asthma attacks and is associated with symptoms including headaches eye irritation coughing unexplained fatigue and respiratory distress. Since carpeting is a no no for allergy sufferers when considering the best type of flooring for people with allergies laminate and vinyl flooring is often a popular choice.

As a general rule carpeting is the worst choice for allergies while wood or cork flooring are the best selections. In general hard surface flooring is the best bet for those with allergies and asthma because it s easy to sweep and mop and it doesn t attract dust mites or mold but the floors aren t all created equal.