When your baby starts to crawl, carpets are only a few centimetres from your baby’s face. This means that any germs, dirt and grime can easily be ingested. Keeping your carpet clean and microbe-free will make sure that the health of your baby doesn’t suffer.
Did you know that dirty carpets can cause respiratory issues, allergies, skin irritation, and a weakened immune system? That’s why it’s so important with a new baby to make sure your carpets are in tip-top condition.
Regular vacuuming will get rid of any loose dirt and debris, and cleaning up spills immediately will avoid staining. But keeping your carpet maintained properly is the best way to avoid any potential health issues.
Is carpet cleaning safe for babies? Read on…
Take precautions
There’s a range of measures you can take to keep your carpets safer for your baby. They include:
- * Vacuuming every other day to pick up loose dust and skin cells
- * Encouraging the use of rugs or mats near doorways and taking outer footwear off
- * Brushing and bathing pets often to lower the amount of loose fur and dander
- * Hiring a carpet cleaning specialist twice a year and getting a professional rug cleaning too
- * Keeping the area cool and well-ventilated after any carpet cleaning and avoiding humid days for carrying out any carpet cleaning procedures
- * Using fans and opening windows to dry cleaned carpets more quickly
Whichever carpet cleaning method you choose to keep your baby away from the cleaned area for at least four hours.
Cleaning carpets safely
Chemical ingredients pose a potential threat to your baby as they can be toxic and bad for your baby’s health in large quantities. You can research the ingredients of cleaning products to make sure they’re not dangerous, and look for cleaning solutions that use natural ingredients and non-synthetic chemicals. Specific brands of carpet cleaner can be researched through the FDA GRAS list to confirm that their solutions are generally considered safe.
Avoid carpet cleaners that contain:
- – Butoxyethanol
- – Formaldehyde
- – Hydrofluoric acid
- – Naphthalene
- – Phenol
- – Sodium Hydroxide
- – Tetrachloroethylene
It’s also a great idea to ask family and friends with young children for their advice and recommendations. Go for a baby-friendly carpet clean that is:
- * Certified as green with the company holding the appropriate certificates
- * Chemical-free
- * Low moisture
- * Without soap, phosphates, and detergents
Rental machines aren’t recommended as using them incorrectly can lead to potential danger from any chemicals, and can also result in carpet damage. The majority of DIY solutions are actually quite unsuccessful at getting rid of the dirt that’s deeply embedded.
Which carpet cleaning method to choose?
As steam cleaning often leaves behind a lot of moisture, this can result in wet carpet fibres attracting mould and mildew. This encourages the growth of bacteria which is bad for your baby. Soap often used with this technique can leave a residue that attracts more contaminants, resulting in further soiling.
You can opt for a low-water cleaning method that uses much less water than traditional steam cleaning and prevents the risk of fungal growth. Or choose a process that uses 80% less water than steam cleaning without any chemicals or soap.
Dry carpet cleaning can often be carried out without any water at all. A special absorbent powder can be applied evenly over the carpet which attracts the dirt and dust as it’s brushed into the fibres. A final vacuuming will remove all the grime, leaving the carpet refreshed and clean. Make sure that the carpet cleaning company you hire for this method only uses child-friendly cleaning products.
Alternative dry-cleaning options include those that are 100% hypoallergenic and soap-free. Green cleaning solutions and carbonisation are the methods used to extract any dirt and moisture to leave behind a healthy carpet. Without any synthetic chemicals, this method is completely safe for your baby.
Carpet cleaning by the experts
Trusted carpet cleaning professionals will be able to clean all carpet and rug fabrics. All cleaning solutions will be supplied by market leaders and are guaranteed to be completely safe for babies, small children, pets, and the environment. Highly effective technologies ensure that stains and odours will be removed, leaving your carpet looking clean, smelling fresh, and perfect for your baby to lay and play on.