2007-09-19 06:46:41 · 14 answers · asked by Pat 1 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
anything BUT carpet...
I've always loved carpeted floors... until we rented a house w/ ceramic tile..... OMG, I would mop weekly and my mop water was disgusting!! I had to change the water from room to room. The cleanliness is by far the most important thing... especially if you have a thumb sucker who's at the crawling stage!! GROSS!!
And for a while I didn't even use any harsh cleaners... I would use very diluted Simple Green or other environmentally friendly & non toxic cleaner in my bucket.... heck, even just some hot fresh water got it clean on several occassions.
Area rugs that can be dropped off at the cleaners periodically are best... or just get a few large bathroom rugs that are machine washable to pad the floor in play areas.
Anything hard... tile, hardwood, laminate, vinyl... if it can take a mop - then it's good!!
2007-09-19 07:19:02 · answer #1 · answered by Tanya 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Safe from what perspective? Carpet can be soft and keep the room warmer but it is also possible a source of toxins. My real concern with carpet though is the allergens that lurk in it. I won't have carpet in my bedroom for that reason, and I generally refuse to have any carpeting in the house.
Natural slate wouldn't contain toxins but is probably way too hard.
Hardwood can be nice, not too hard and good traction with bare feet (which is what toddlers should learn to walk in). However again some finishes are suspected of leaching toxins for years.
*lol* I suppose the safest would be to use natural rubber ;-)
2007-09-19 14:23:10 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The others have pointed out the advantages and disadvantages of carpet and hardwood. Have you given any thought to cork flooring? Not only is it hypo-allergenic and environment-friendly, it is also a natural insulator, a surface that provides just enough cushioning, is neither hard nor too soft to walk (or fall) on, fire retardant, prevents the proliferation of molds and mildew, is easy to install, won't dent or scratch, and best of all, won't cost you an arm and a leg. :) Sounds too good to be true? There is one downside: once the cork is gouged out, there is no repairing it. Some examples of cork floors can be found on simpleFLOORS.com or you can Google it and see the room scenes that use cork floors so you can see it's full potential. :)
2007-09-19 19:55:34 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hardwoods. Carpets contain all sorts of chemicals - used to make the carpet, plus the chemicals used to put the carpet in. Also, carpet will hold more allergens,more dust (which leads to more dust mites) dirt,pet fur, etc. A hardwood floor is more easily cleaned and therefore, better for the baby! A baby will fall on all sorts of floors, but it hurts just about the same.
2007-09-19 14:09:06 · answer #4 · answered by Who's sarcastic? 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Carpet is your safest type but can be the dirtiest as well. Babies grow fast and pretty soon they'll like to jump out of their crib, or simply start walking. Wood floors are great but dangerous for the little ones. If you already have floors, I'd suggest to get those big carpets and set the crib on top... or anywhere you'll know the baby will be. Remember though, carpets look clean but can hide nasty bacteria so steam wash them often to protect your baby. :)
2007-09-19 13:55:40 · answer #5 · answered by Me :) 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Linoleum or whatever the current equivalent is. They are slip resistant and don't harbor mold, dust mites or whatever. Reduces the chances that your child will develop asthma or allergies. Doesn't eliminate it of course. Upkeep is cheaper as well. Later on when kid is playing in room, they don't get yelled at for spilling on the carpet.
2007-09-19 13:52:47 · answer #6 · answered by CarbonDated 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I would go with ceramic or linoleum. Carpet can be quiet nasty, especially with babies. The hardwood would be another choice, but is rather pricey. The ceramic is easily cleaned and baby can't get hurt on it as easily as the others.
2007-09-19 14:15:40 · answer #7 · answered by wundawoman 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It would seem to me that carpetting with a thick quality pad underneth it would be the safest from a "if he falls down" stand point.
But then again, ours spend most the day playing in the family room, not his bedroom.
2007-09-19 13:54:48 · answer #8 · answered by HooKooDooKu 6 · 1⤊ 3⤋
Do you mean safety in terms of slipping and falling? Or in terms of keeping things clean?
The only thing I can think of that is a big no-no is wall to wall carpeting, as it is basically impossible to keep clean and harbors tons of dust.
2007-09-19 13:50:41 · answer #9 · answered by mornnglry 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Carpet is not good in a baby's room.
Go with hardwood, pergo, linolium etc.....
2007-09-19 13:53:58 · answer #10 · answered by whymewhynow 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋