Need Hypoallergenic Flooring

Have you looked into bamboo?
But, the thing is, you have to check and see what types of products/adhesives they use to install the flooring... this is also a point of allergies/health problems.

try do a Google search on "green" or "earth friendly" flooring products....this might cross-reference with "hypoallergenic" products as well.

Good luck,
Susan

What about cork flooring? It's eco-friendly and is easy to care for.

Hi K.

I am an interior designer and may be able to help you out. You are welcome to call me to discuss. I have some questions to ask you about your space and lifestyle.

Synthetic yarn that is used in carpet manufacturing today, is for all intents and purposes non-allergenic. The majority of residential carpet is manufactured with BCF (Bulked Continuous Filament) nylon and does not result in any loss of filament yarn due to abrasion. The backing is synthetic and does not contribute to allergens.

This leaves us with the latex that bonds the secondary backing to the primary backing. The latex backing is composed of latex rubber, water, and filler (marble dust) which allows for less latex to be used. When the secondary backing is applied, it then goes through an oven which dries the backing and drives out approximately 95% of the water. The odor which you smell from new carpet is this water vapor being evaporated from the newly installed carpet.

One way to keep this smell to a minimum from freshly installed carpet is to allow plenty of fresh air subjugation to the newly installed carpet. Another way is to unroll the carpet in the warehouse for a sufficient time to allow the remaining moisture in the backing to evaporate.

Most allergenic situations in carpet occur when dust mites are present and the residue from them are introduced into the air by poorly operating maintenance machines, i.e. vacuum cleaners.

Anti-microbial treatments are on many products, which helps to control not only bacteria, but dust mites as well.

Please let me know if I can be of further assistance to you.

Best regards,

J.
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Hi K.,
the smell from your carpet is probably formaldehyde, a toxic chemical known to cause migraine and serious allergies...you can maybe try natural marmoleum, cork or pure wool carpet flooring?
here's the link to one of my favorite website for green products...
http://www1.livingreen.com/pages/green-products-flooring
you might also want to check what's on your daughter'mattress.. most of them emit toxic chemicals causing allergies and more..
hope this help!

L.

http://www.ifloor.com/list/storelocator.pl
They are local and have so much info on their website.
Check it out and Good Luck!!

Hi K.,

I wanted to write to you regarding your daughters migraines and allergies......there is a specialized type of care, called NUCCA Chiropractic..it focuses on the nerves where they pass through the brain stem area. I know one of the things this type of care can alleviate is migraines.

Just wanted to pass that on. I go to a practioner in the San Diego are who is wonderful........and, I believe there are only 150 chiropractors who specialize in this care in the U.S.

Best wishes,
N.

I am not familiar with any materials in particular, but I am an environmental consultant and respond to a lot if issues (for our clients) related to allergies/sensitivities with materials in the office environment. Our advice to clients is to look for materials that have low VOC (volotile organic chemicals)content, and we always suggest the new materials (carpeting or furniture) be aired-out to allow for the natural "off-gassing", or release, of these vapors. You can often contact the manufacturer and find out how long the material is exxpected to off-gas and if they have any lower VOC options.

Once our clients have materials installed, we often recommend that they "hot box" the area by running the heater and to accellerate the off-gassing, and at the same time bring in fresh air to push the gasses outside.

Hope this helps!

My family is in the flooring business, so am I. I have to say that the flooring industry is making leaps and bounds with regard to greener flooring. Shaw is the first one that comes to mind. Research it, google it. The main thing you have to keep in mind is that there are adhesives in just about all flooring. The greenest probably would be solid wood (VERY expensive) nailed down--if you are not on a slab. But you would still have to finish it. They make finished nail down solid wood floors (my parents did this) but it requires a special nailer that nails in between the tongue and groove, this is more labor intensive than glue down. I dont know if we even do that at our shop. Anyway, cork would still have to be glued down. And if you opt for no adhesive laminate where the floors just snap in place (think the brand Pergo) you still have all the chemicals and voc's in the flooring itself. Laminated wood or fake wood (Pergo) is glued together with really strong glues. Particle board etc. Most wood is actually laminated on a piece of wood/particle board etc. That's why I mentioned "SOLID" wood above. And I dont think there is a "SOLID" bamboo product out. The bamboo's we carry are still laminated onto another piece of wood, still different thatn "pergo". And most bamboo's have a tendancy to warp. As for carpets, the same issues arise. Yes they have so many great "greener" products out there, lots of recycled ones. But as I said, adhesives are still used even in carpet. The backing of the carpet for example. Im not too sure exactly what it is made of in the recycled/green products you would need to ask your local flooring shop. But also remember you have offgassing of all those chemicals everytime you put something new in your home. Hope I helped shed some light.

We have Pergo laminate flooring in our house and it's worked out well. All 4 of us have allergies and skin sensitivities, although none of us have migraines. We haven't had any issues with the Pergo. Our washer even broke and flooded the downstairs with an inch of water, and it didn't effect the Pergo. Easy to clean too.

It's not cheap to have it installed, but if you're handy you can install it yourself. You can buy it at Home Depot.

Hope you find something that works!
B.

For my kids we went with vinyl in two rooms and laminate in another two. Both worked fine for my allergetic/asthmatic kids. Don't forget to get rid of all draperies and go with vinul or wood blinds! If you have dust mite allergies you will need to get new beds, encase them in allergy covers, fresh pillows and cover them too. Wash bedding every week and keep the pets out of the kids rooms. Good luck! Another hint: Have her take her shoes off at the front door and wipe them down. The Japanese may have been onto something centuries ago. Shoes bring in pollen and dust. Also once she is home for the day, have her change her clothes right away. Dust off the "outside" clothes and if you have one of those new steam washer/dryers, treat her clothes every day. i bet you will see a difference.

Check out Flor: http://www.flor.com/service/flor/index.html !

We replaced our yucky carpet with laminate flooring that we got at Costco. It is soooo easy to clean and it does not scratch like real wood might. I love them.

I suggest looking into cork flooring. It's very hypoallergenic. Not sure how it compares $$ wise to hardwood.

We had to remove all carpet from our house as well and replaced it with Wilson Art Laminated Wood. Absolutely LOVE IT. Did this in 2001 and it sill looks new and that is with two out of control kids and a dog.

Easy to clean up ANYTHING.

J.

Hi! My son has really bad allergies, and so we took out the carpet and added tile throughout the entire house. now, we have a lot of rugs, that we can clean in the washer, which we do frequently. Tile is inexpensive, and in the future, it can be covered with all types of coverings, including carpet, without much fuss. It keeps the house much cooler in the summer, as well.

We have cork flooring in our bedrooms...we love it, its quiet, softer and warmer on your feet than tile or hardwood and pretty forgiving if you drop things like glass...I have yet to break something on it...and I'm a bit of a clutz. Good luck on your choice.

Hi K.:

I've got all kinds of advice for you LOL! Re: an hyperallergenic flooring, your best bet is cork. I happen to have Westhollow Cork flooring in my home but I'm not indicating an endorsement for any particular brand. Below is a blog about it that might interest you. Additionally, you and your family do not have to suffer from the symptoms of allergies, as they can now be cured through a combination of eastern and western medicine. The technique is referred to as NAET and there are over 6000 certified naet practitioners world wide. My doctor (naet certified) has relieved me, as well as 2 of my grandchildren, from many allergies. His name is Dr. David Karaba and he operates out of East West Medical Group in Fullerton, in case you would like to talk with him about this.

Best wishes,

M.

Cork:

"Cork is the most uncomplicated, natural, comforting flooring product sold today. Cork has been used for floors for many, many years, and is one of the most versatile and attractive flooring materials available today. Cork is perfect for many rooms in the home including kitchens and family rooms. Westhollow cork is beautiful in many moderate commercial settings. It's natural, simple and soothing.

Natural, random appearance creates an elegant, natural look
Reduces noise
Comfortable under foot and on your knees
High resiliency
Insulates against heat and cold
Low thermal conductivity
Highly resistance to moisture and liquid penetration
Ability to absorb vibration
Cork floors are hypoallergenic

Cork is an all-natural product derived from the bark of the cork tree. And in these days of increasing concern for the environment, cork remains the only tree whose bark can regenerate itself after harvest, leaving the tree unharmed. Cork trees are a variety of the oak tree that re-grows their bark every 6 years, resulting in an all-natural, environmentally responsible product with exceptional physical properties and a minimum impact on the environment.

Cork, as a natural product, warms and enriches any interior. Cork flooring always blends in well with other decorations and furniture, and comes in a wide range of colors - from its familiar honey tones to green, red, chocolate and black. Cork is tough, resilient and water resistant. It absorbs sound and provides acoustical excellence. Being highly abrasion resistant, these floors are often also used in public buildings including schools, hospitals, restaurants, hotels, shops and offices."

CORK! Google it for all the info. you need.
D.

I also have bad indoor allergies. If you have ANY carpeting please remove it. Carpets are known for being dust and allergen trappers and in addition in the future to build mold (which is a huge culprit for indoor allergies. Years ago I consulted an allergist/immunoligist and he recommended to remove all carpeting and curtains in bedrooms in particular. Here is a website that may be helpful.

I would go with wood laminate (e.g. pergo). It's much more durable than regular wood and cheaper.