Flooring Options for People With Allergies

For people with allergies living in a home that has most of the allergies you are running away from can be quite torturing. The same is true for people with asthma. Unfortunately, there are some allergens at home which are either caused or trapped within the flooring options found at home. For example, dust mites and their droppings, animal dander, dust, mould and mildew are some of the allergens trapped by the kind of flooring you pick. Other forms of flooring and their adhesives also contain volatile chemical compounds (VOCs) which are triggers to allergens. As such, when building and furnishing your home or undertaking home renovations it is important you consider flooring that will be friendly to the people with allergies and asthma.

Here are the best kinds of floor types for people with allergies

HARDWOOD FLOORING

This is a classical way to reduce allergens levels in your home. You significantly reduce pollen exposure while at the same time making it easy to clean dust particles. The major precaution here is to avoid finishes that come with harmful VOCs. Hardwood on its own has little chemicals and it is one of the most hypoallergenic surfaces. The hard surface also ensures other allergens like mildew and grit cannot build up especially with regular cleaning.

CORK FLOORING

This is a great flooring option offering many things in addition to being hypoallergenic. It is durable, is available in many colours and hues and it is aesthetically pleasing. It is made from the bark of cork trees which grows back in three years’ time meaning it is also eco-friendly. The dense structure of this floor type ensures it is resistant to allergens like pollen and dust. It also does not contain any VOCs that can be an irritant thereby triggering allergic reactions. In addition to all these advantages, cork flooring also offers sound proofing and insulating abilities making it an all-round top flooring option.

LINOLEUM

This is a smooth floor material that differs from other such floors by the materials that are used to make it. It is made from jute and linseed oil among other natural materials which make it eco-friendly. This means unlike other smooth floors, linoleum does not contain petrochemical and plasticizers elements. This ensures there is no VOC residue left behind. Linoleum is also easy to clean, durable (lasting up to 30 or more years) and holds up well to water. It allows for great floor patterns and can also be used on counter tops.

TILE FLOORING

Ceramic and natural stone tiles are a great option in fighting allergens because they are water resistant and very easy to clean. The best type are the smooth ones which allow you far much easier cleaning time because nothing sticks on them. This way you can even stain the floor since the surface does not get damaged by long periods of exposure to water.

NATURAL FIBER CARPETS

Generally, carpets make the worst flooring material for those with allergies. However, they maybe your only option available or you may have a necessity for them. In this regard you have to consider viable options like the natural fiber carpets made from wool, cotton and jute. These are less likely to cause reactions and can with stand the regular cleaning required to keep out allergens.