Those with allergies, asthma, or other respiratory sensitivities find it helpful to work with professional flooring experts when choosing residential flooring.
If you’re not careful, the most common environmental allergens become trapped by the flooring, increasing the risk for allergies or other respiratory issues. Plus, some products produce more off-gasing than others, which can also exacerbate things.
Top Suggestions For Hypoallergenic Flooring Options
Hard surface flooring options are typically considered the best for minimizing the amount of allergens in the flooring materials and your forced air system.
Here are the best hypoallergenic flooring materials in the hard surface category:
1. Ceramic or Porcelain Tiles
Flooring tiles are at the top of the list because their hard finishes are non-porous. Allergen particles rest on the top, without any way to make their way down and underneath tiles. By keeping particulates on the surface, they can be easily cleaned away with your favorite cleaning products.
Ceramic and porcelain tiles come in various colors and patterns and can replicate natural stone, concrete or hardwood planks. This versatility provides options for every interior design preference.
Note:. Similarly, any cracks in the grout should be filled immediately to prevent particulates from getting through to the subfloor and working their way underneath the tiles. This is especially true for areas with increased water exposure or the potential for moisture control issues, like the kitchen, bathrooms, laundry room, or the entryway between patios/pools and the interior.
2. Hardwood and Wood Look Flooring
We have a wide range of products that look remarkably like any hardwood species available for flooring As well as engineered hardwood options.
This includes:
- Tile “wood” planks (as mentioned above).
- Waterproof laminate flooring.
- Engineered hardwood.
- Luxury vinyl planks.
If your household’s allergies are typically seasonal or the result of common particulates like dust, pet dander, or pollen, hard surfaces are a perfect solution.
3. Low Pile Carpeting
Most of the time, we recommend focusing on hard surface flooring if anyone in your household suffers from extreme allergies or respiratory issues. However, carpet is still an option – as long as you select the right type, since some carpets are more hypoallergenic than others.
The goal is to minimize the depth of the carpet so that allergenic particles can’t become embedded too far from the vacuum cleaner’s suction power. If you’d like to install carpeting or enjoy the softer side of flooring in certain rooms, the pros at Creative Floors are here to help you make the best choice.
In most cases, we’ll recommend carpet with shorter carpet fibers (low pile) or suggest custom area rugs that can be removed and deep cleaned by a professional as needed above and beyond routine vacuuming.
Routine Cleaning Optimizes Hypoallergenic Flooring Benefits
Dust, pollen, pet dander, and mold/mildew spores are the biggest culprits when it comes to allergy triggers. The more you minimize these particulates on household surfaces and your home’s circulated air, the more you’ll reduce allergy symptoms and side effects.
In addition to installing hypoallergenic residential flooring options, you can also minimize allergy, asthma, and respiratory issues by:
- Cleaning floor materials as often as needed and in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. This typically includes vacuuming carpets at least once per week. Hard surface flooring should be swept daily if possible and quickly gone over with a wet mop between deep cleanings.
- Ensure your vacuum cleaner has a top-notch, HEPA-certified filtration system specifically designed to capture allergens and other irritating particulate matter.
- Use damp surface dusters to minimize the amount of dust and other particulates that become airborne.
- Speaking to an HVAC technician about adding a whole-home air filtration and purification system.
- Changing air filters more frequently than normal – as much as once a month during peak allergy seasons.
Making the right residential flooring choices can only go so far in supporting respiratory health. In most cases, reducing allergies requires a multi-faceted approach.
Creative Floors Can Direct You to The Best Flooring To Reduce Allergies
Would you like to learn more about hypoallergenic residential flooring options? Schedule an in-home consultation with Creative Floors or visit us at one of our local showrooms.
Our flooring experts will always direct you to the best choices based on your needs, lifestyle, and goals.
