Best Type of Flooring to Install for People with Allergies

Did you know that more than 50% of the population has some form of an allergy? Many people don’t realize how big a role flooring can play in this, especially if you don’t already suffer from allergies. If you do suffer from allergies, we’re probably already preaching to the choir since you know that different rooms and different flooring can affect people differently.

Different types of flooring can play a big factor in how bad your allergies may get. It’s often been said that carpeting is a bad choice for people suffering from allergies. But is there truth to that? Let’s take a deeper look.

Carpets
The biggest problem for people with allergies is that carpet often traps allergens like dust, pollen, dander, and microscopic mold, in carpet fibers. The good news is that this also means those allergens aren’t constantly flying around your home as they are with other solid flooring options. And, since most carpets are made of hypoallergenic materials like synthetic blends of polyester and nylon, these fibers serve as an inhospitable climate for most allergens, meaning they can’t reproduce or multiply within the carpet itself. The more tightly woven the carpet, the better in terms of reducing reactions to allergens in rooms with carpeting.

Hardwood Floors
Hardwood flooring is often a go-to choice for people who suffer from allergies for a few reasons. First, hardwood floors are among the easiest types of flooring to clean and maintain. Best of all, since these floors are so easy to clean and maintain, with normal upkeep rooms with hardwood floors will often contain less dust, pollen, mold and dirt than other kinds of flooring. Like most carpet fabrics, hardwood floors are an inhospitable environment for most allergens to survive. But, to keep this environment an inhospitable one, hardwood floors should be kept free of dust bunnies to avoid trapping allergens in the house.

Vinyl Floors
Vinyl floors are another popular choice for people with allergies. Unlike natural hardwood floors or synthetic carpets, vinyl flooring can be manufactured with antibacterial agents and other chemicals that can help reduce the impact of allergens on the floor. However, some of these agents can cause adverse reactions of their own, which is why speaking to a flooring specialist is always recommended before you make a purchase. On the cleaning and maintenance side, vinyl floors are also very easy to clean, which in turn helps reduce the amount of allergens in your home.

Tile and Laminate Floors
Tile flooring is another great option for people with allergies because it’s another hard-surfaced flooring option that’s both easy to clean and an unsuitable environment for allergens to grow and develop. For the most part, tile and laminate floors won’t collect allergens, similar to both hardwood and vinyl floors, which is great for anyone suffering from them.

Have any other allergy-related questions? Contact Smart Carpet and Flooring at 1-800-526-7847 today! We are here to help!