Flooring For Allergies

Remove carpeting and use hardwood or linoleum flooring and washable area rugs.

Flooring for allergies. As a general rule carpeting is the worst choice for allergies while wood or cork flooring are the best selections. Exposure to vocs can trigger asthma attacks and is associated with symptoms including headaches eye irritation coughing unexplained fatigue and respiratory distress. And generally hard surfaces will be better options than carpet. As discussed above you want to look for nail in or staple down products when possible and keep it organic.

This means that allergens like dirt grit grime pet hair and mildew won t get worked into the flooring. 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. The best flooring for people with allergies. 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 allergies asthma sufferers hardwood is widely known to be the best flooring for asthma and allergies. 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. The best flooring options for people who are allergy prone are floors that are flat smooth and easy to clean. Hard surface flooring really is a great option for allergy sufferers.

Carpets can trap allergens in their pile while hard floors allow the allergens to float around. The various types are easy to keep dusted and won t absorb airborne particles. Making decisions about the right flooring for your home can be tricky when you have asthma or allergies. Shampoo the carpet frequently.

Please note that this article may contain affiliate links. 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. Hardwood flooring is a good option because it is easy to clean smooth and flat. Often the flooring can be the biggest source of allergens.

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