Flooring

[Wheezycat]

Hi all!

We are coming to a cross road floor cover wise. I am all for wood/laminate, my husband fears it is going to look bleak. I just don't want something on my floor I can't take out and clean properly. We, that is my DH and I really are not born with dusters in our hands, but I really want to retrain myself to keep it down. It is by the way in our sitting room and back room/dining room/office.

Reading up on it, it seems a bit unclear which is better. Some seem to say carpets, which is counterintuitive for me. Does anyone have anything that spells it out clearly? Though I do prefer some version if floorboards, or floor board look alike, I don't feel in all honesty I can play that card, unless it is actually accurate that it is better with asthma.

[Chip_y2kuk]

If I lay on a carpeted floor and fall asleep I wake up and look like I've been in a fight (swollen eyes and bloodshot) if I do the same on a laminate floor I don't look any different... ergo laminate must be better for dust allergy sufferers

[Wheezycat in reply to Chip_y2kuk]

Yes, I, too, get eyes a bit like that. It used to be cats only, and it was bad, blistering whites of my eye and all. I thought I would see the back of that once our cats were no more, but not quite. I still react on something, and I suspect dust. Interesting test you did! Rather you than me!

[Chip_y2kuk in reply to Wheezycat]

Ha ha.. I actually discovered it when when my baby was born and I fell asleep in our carpeted living room floor that we had even hoovered the day I fell asleep on it

The laminate was a test I did afterward on the mother in laws laminate (to satisfy my curiosity)

[Wheezycat in reply to Chip_y2kuk]

Well, I would prefer laminate. Hope to convince my children it actually looks good!

[Hidden]

Hi I definitely think wood floors etc are better for asthma sufferers. New carpets can be treated with chemicals which can affect you. It will wash off though. Wood floors collect a lot less dust than carpets and dust is a common trigger for asthmatics.

Also for the same reason blinds are better than curtains. You can put some nice rugs down so it will look stylish.

[Wheezycat in reply to Hidden]

Yes, that is my preferred look, asthma or no. Unfortunately my DH and I don't see this the same way, from looks point of view, so I am gathering as much fuel for no-carpets as I can muster. So, than you.

[starveycat]

Idea if you ask for a sample of carpet then keep it close to you it might give you an idea of how you would react I am a great one for sniffing everything before I buy get some odd looks but when I explain people are usually very helpful 😀

[Wheezycat in reply to starveycat]

If we end up choosing carpet, I will insist on it! Good idea! And maybe the faff of that will make my DH think again.......

[Egret_J]

What would you do about stairs? We have changed to laminate in the bedroom and that made a big difference to me because of the severe dust mite reaction. However you do need to vacuum the floor regularly as the dust sits on the surface of the floor. Downstairs all the rooms are laminate or tiled, apart from the lounge, which my dh prefers carpeted. I spend very little time in that room. However our stairs and landing are still carpeted and I am unsure what alternatives there are for stairs.

[Wheezycat in reply to Egret_J]

A friend of mine with asthma has a robot vacuum cleaner, which she sets to potter round daily. It may not deep clean but it keeps the worst away. I hanker after one too.

Stairs: difficult. Currently ours are painted rather than carpeted, but they could do attention. I don't want carpet, as not only does it get dusty, but my DH tends to carry coffee around and spills. So the only alternative would be something dark and patterned, which I would really hate. However, there are companies who do supply treads and risers to be glued down on the originals. I have only read about it.......but I am curious!

[Egret_J in reply to Wheezycat]

That's interesting about a robot vacuum cleaner!