There are many debates about what is good for your health and happiness vs. what is good for the environment. Luckily when it comes to your home, hardwood flooring is good for both you and the environment. All types of hardwood flooring are more beneficial to your health than carpeting for a multitude of reasons.
It’s common knowledge by now that hardwood floors look great, last for years, and add long-term value to any home. But that’s not all. Hardwood can also improve the air quality of your home, providing a healthier environment for your family.
Dusting, vacuuming, and washing will minimize many indoor allergies, but these actions can also stir them up. One good way to prevent allergens altogether is to eliminate common breeding grounds. Flooring is one area of the home where indoor allergens can be controlled.
Carpet can trap pollen, pet dander, and other fine particles that aggravate allergies, exacerbate asthma and cause other respiratory complaints. It also harbors dust mites, who feed on dust and tiny human skin particles. Besides being unappetizing, dust mites produce scat that is also highly allergenic.
Hard surfaces such as hardwood, help to minimize the buildup of allergens because there are no fibers to trap those particles. Taking steps to minimize allergens can result in improved indoor air quality.
Hardwood flooring is also easy to disinfect. A damp-mopping with an approved anti-bacterial cleaner is all it takes to sterilize hardwood. There’s no equivalent way to purge pathogens from carpet so simply.
While carpets trap dust, a hardwood floor can actually be completely cleaned. All the vacuuming in the world won’t fully remove the dust and allergens trapped in your carpet’s fibers.
Infants and small children are especially vulnerable to the allergens trapped in carpet since they are closer to the floor and spend much more time sitting and playing on the floor. Hardwood floors may not be as comfortable for them to crawl or play on but ultimately may be better for their respiratory health. This is also a concern if you have pets since hardwood is much easier to clean and does not trap pet hair.
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