Carpet Fumes

You can get a sealant for regular carpet. I used it in one room, then in the whole house and it's great! The one I used I got from Energy & environmental in Michigan, but that is all the info I have. The bottle is gone and I didn't save the contact info. Good luck!

Stay away from the Stain Master Carpet. It has toxins in it that can get into the skin from bare feet, crawling etc. Get a regular carpet that can hide stains well if they happen.

http://www.doctorline.com/abscarpet.htm

Please be aware of this also. When my oldest was 2 we were all day at a business where the carpets had been cleaned and my daughter ended up in the hospital with a toxic overdose to the chemicals in the carpet cleaning shampoo. Why not take out the old carpet and put in tile or linoleum you can even buy peel and stick linoleum tiles at some dollar stores. Carpet is just bad all around!

Consuner demand has created many environmentally friendly products. I'm not sure of all the residental products but there are many commercial products. Similar to paints you will want to look for products that are low or no VOC. You need to consider this for the product itself as well as any adhesive or sealants used. If you can't find enough info on the internet I would go to a flooring store to discuss the options. You will probably get more knowledgeable associates at a specialty store vs. a home depot/lowes. Good luck! PS for also a play room you might wnat to consider carpet tiles. "Interface" makes some great "green" products for commercial use and they have a residental product too.

It is true. Use your computer to see what carpeting you SHOULD purchase. I would not glue carpeting down in this area...I would want to use tack strips. Just do your research first. Obviously natural materials would be best (like wool) put impractical for children. Good Luck

Hi there! It is in fact true that carpet does emit toxic fumes. They say the first three days are the worst, but it the fumes can be released for many months.

I was having the exact same problem. Our house really needs new carpet, but I did not want to expose my family to the toxins. They have carpet that is more "eco friendly" now. There are a few brands, but one I know is Smart Strand by DuPont. I don't think this is free of all toxins, but it is not chemically treated. The only carpet I am aware of that is truly chemical free is wool. The downside is that it is very pricey and your options are very limited.

It is a tough place to be. The best you can do is stay out of your house for as long as you can and be sure to air it out during that time. If you carpet during warmer weather you can open doors/windows more frequently. Also, some air purifiers help minimize the toxins you breath in. Short of trying to go as eco-friendly as possible and the other things I mention, I am out of suggestions. I would love to hear others too, since I am getting new carpet in a few weeks! You can only do the best with what your options are! It is unfortunate, but true!

Good luck!

I just wanted to let you know that I actually work part time at the Home Depot in Canada in the flooring dept. Most of the odor that you smell from carpet comes from the pad underneath. You can purchase eco foam underlay, which is toxin/odor free for about 15 cents more per sq foot. There is also carpet you can buy that is made from natural products - one that we carry is made of receycled plastic I believe and there are some other ones made of other natural products. I'm sure the US stores have similar products. Hope that helps!

Hi AF, Yes it is true, but actually it's not the carpet but the glue that is sometimes used in commercial carpeting. I'm very sensitive to flormeltihyde(sp), and have a hard time breathing when I'm around it due to asthma. A natural fiber carpet that is tacked down is a good choice for kids. Good luck. S.

Hi, you have valid concerns. The "new" carpet smell is actually toxic chemical discharging in the air. It may be more expensive but buy the non toxic brands. It is also not healthy for you to breathe. We have pet birds and their repiritory systems are more sophisticated then ours and we bought the non toxic version. It is not a myth. denise K.

Carpet does give off toxic fumes.
Installing a wood laminate floor may not be toxic, I'm not sure.

I would see if there's any online info to confirm or dispel that. I would tend to believe it's true. Why? Because even brand new clothes are treated with formeldehyde before they're packaged up. I don't know exactly the thought behind it. Like a preservative or something. So to play it safe, brand new washable clothes should be washed before wearing to avoid getting that stuff on the body. Sad, too, because there's just something about the feel of wearing something brand new!
Like sitting in a new car--that new car smell.

But with carpeting, that's a bit harder. Maybe going over it with a steam cleaner or carpet cleaner would be a plan. Because the soles of the feet absorb stuff through the skin very easily. And walking barefoot on a new carpet would be getting those chemicals going through the skin pores.
Good luck.

Not true. I work for a carpet company and we've been asked that many times. I honestly wouldn't know myself (just a secretary) but they say no. So ur kiddys are fine :-) If you are interested in carpet tho let me know! We have very competetive prices I don't work on commision like I said just a secretary lol. Here's my personal ____@____.com

We put new carpet in our basement, it had the pad attached to it already so I don't know if that made a difference or not, but my daughter walked on the carpet without socks and she got a horrible rash all over her feet. Her toes were so swollen and I had to take her to the doctor. I'm not sure about fumes, but I know the chemicals on the carpet can be harsh on kids and pets, but the chemicals wear off after a while (not sure how long). Good luck and let us know if there are any reactions when you get the carpet.

There are fumes in all new products, mostly phenolyn. My brother was intolerent and had to see an environmental doctor.
An easy way to see if it could be a problem is take the kids shopping. Yes I said shopping, to the home decore section of any store even Meijer's. Be sure the kids and you are not under stress, are feed, and know your rules of good behavior. The effects if this will be a problem are agressive behavior, whining, headache an or stomach ache. If any of this occurs try a second trip. If it does, stick to wood. Kids will play anywhere that's warm and safe. And remember paints and play clay do not go well with carpet but a important parts of life.

Here is one of many articles I have found about carpeting.
Be sure to go to the website to read the whole thing.

Keep in mind carpet glue is what is on the BACK of the carpet NOT what is used to put the carpet down on the floor.

Large rugs are another option to look into!

CARPET CONCERNS
http://www.holisticmed.com/carpet/tc4.txt

"Serious environmental concern should be given to carpet glue as a source of
brain damage in previously normal individuals."

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Toxic fumes and chemicals from new carpeting and especially any glues used to attach the carpeting are NOT a myth. I was 21 when my company installed new carpeting in their office. I had my very first migraine headache about a week after being there for 8 or 9 hours a day. It ruined my health and forced me to quit work altogether. If an adult can have this kind of reaction, imagine what that can do to a young childs body! Having said that, there are some ways that you can help new carpeting outgas so the problem will lessen. First, see if your kids can stay somewhere else for a week or two when it's first installed. Secondly, try installing it during the hot part of the summer and don't use your air conditioning- heat is known to cause an increase in outgasing materials. Thirdly, open the windows of your house and use lots and lots of ventilation. Lastly, purchase a quality air filter for their rooms which uses a charcoal filter in addition to HEPA. The charcoal is specifically capable of filtering gases and fumes. Watch your children carefully over the following weeks, months, and up through the year to see if they have any health changes. Look for asthma or breathing difficulties, headaches, learning problems, sluggishness, concentration difficulties, hyperactivity, and generally more infections/decreased immunity to colds, flu,diseases. I don't say these things to scare you but to make you aware that these things can and do happen everyday. Problems can be expressed in a myriad of ways and that depends on your childs individual body weaknesses. If you find that your children do develop problems over time, I found that herbal cleansing was effective in helping me get my health and life back. I'd recommend Paragone for Kids. I took the adult version and after several months, I was able to finally start getting better.

There is formaldehyde in carpeting, unless it is organic carpeting (yes there is such a thing), which is scarry. Initially the fumes are bad.

Two years ago I had new carpeting installed in our rec room and living room/hallway. I had to turn the heat up for the padding to expand. OH MY GOSH! I could see the fumes in the air. I asked the installers if that smell bothers them. They are so "use to it", that no it does not bother them. For me that is not something I would ever want "to get use to".

Now does it mean I will never get new carpeting? No, but I use an air purifier that I keep on 24/7 that gets rid of the bacteria, viruses, mold, and other impurities in the air in my home. It has really helped me and my family.

Hope this helps.

M.

AF-

The chemcial that is in carpet is similar to that of a new car. You just need to let hte room air out and vaccum often and you should be fine.

I would try looking at http://www.snopes.com they are a site that deals with whether information is factual or not. I haven't looked at it recently but I think there is a search engine that you type in your criteria. Hope this will be helpful.

You can always check out things that you hear at snopes.com. It's a website that you can look stuff up on and it will tell you if it's true or a rumor.

New carpet does give of toxic fumes for many weeks and can make your air bad for kids. My husband is an environmental engineer who does air quality testing.

We recarpeted our bedrooms when we bought our house, we were able to carpet one month before we moved in. My husband suggests that you purchase the carpet get the carpet company can bring the carpet you to your house, you can air it out for at least a few weeks in the your garage and them have them install it once it is not longer smelly. Or you can buy the non-toxic carpets like http://www.ecobydesign.com/shop/carpet/index.html- this is just an example and there are other options that a store near you may carry.

All the best and good luck. At the very least, you should wait to replace the carpet until it is warm enough to keep the windows open for most of the day while your kids are not in the rooms and circulate the air at night by cracking the window or using a fan.

Yes, It is true. Good for you for wanting to know before you subject your family to that level toxicity. Carpet gasses of for several years.
You may want to try an internet search for organic carpets, etc.
If you have wood floors, stick with that.
Best of luck!