My 5 year old son and i are moving into a flat that has an existing carpet which the owner refuses to lift. I had a carpet cleaning company come in to clean the carpets today and they now seem ok. MY question is : Can carpets cause respiratory problems in young kids? We sleep on a futon which is very low so our heads will be near the carpet. Of course i will be vacuuming as frequently as possible but i have heard that dangerous bacteria etc.. get into the carpet that the vacuum cant get out. What are the health hazards and can my healthy 5 and a half year old get affected? I would hate for him to develop allergies, respiratory problems or wore case scenario Asthma.
I think the carpet will be fine you have cleaned it and are going to vacuum regularly so there is nothing to worry about.Having a capert can't cause asthma,respiratory problems or create allergies these are largely genetic conditions.
Actually carpets are not a hazard for kids. The only hazard would be when carpets are exposed. Since carpet is mostly exposed to dirt and dust, it may cause problems to youngsters especially it would affect the respiratory system. Just clean the carpet more regularly than the usual. Or... don't use carpets. It really depends on the kid whether he has a resperitory ailment or not. If the kid has problems on his respiration or some allergy related to dust, dirt and animal fur, definitely don't use carpets. It's best to be safe than sorry.
As long as your son does not have any existing respiratory problems or conditions then it's fine. Every house ive lived in (14 as my dad is in the military) since I was a baby has had carpet and I have no breathing problems so yeah you should be fine. And all carpets have bacteria in them just vacuum regularly. Hundreds of kids are raised in homes with carpets, many more than hard wood floors so i'm sorry but this sounds over protective and a little OCD. I'm sorry but anyways youve had your carpets cleaned already so your son's health should not be at any risk. Good Luck x
I have heard that the chemicals used on NEW carpet is what is dangerous and can cause health problems. You'll know if you have new carpet, by that new carpet smell--which is actually the chemicals used to make and treat the carpet. They can be cancerous in large amounts, although nobody seems to know how much is too much, or what it may do to our nervous system etc. As the carpet ages, the chemicals fade as well, which is why the smell fades out. I have not heard about any long-term dangers from older existing carpet, but it's good that you got it cleaned. Just be careful not to over-clean it because you can get mold to grow deep within the carpet padding and molds can cause respiratory problems for some people who are sensitive to them. It's good you'll vacuum frequently, and if you want to deodorize, try sprinkling baking soda on the carpet instead of the commercial carpet refreshers that can be very strongly perfumed, and full of chemicals as well. A more expensive vacuum may help remove more dirt, and bacteria then a very cheap one. Good luck.
Try spraying professional strength Lysol. Let it dry completly and spray w/ Frebreeze before replacing carpets. Lysol will kill the bacteria and the frebreeze will kill the smell.
