One thing all parents face is the anxiety of making sure your home is safe for your children. Homes can contain all kinds of objects and substances that can be harmful to children, especially babies and infants, from sharp corners to medicine cabinets to kitchen utensils. Many parents might be worried about whether their carpet cleaning is safe for babies.
You will definitely want to make sure your carpet is safe and clean for your baby when they start to crawl and walk. The question is even more poignant as many professional carpet cleaning services use chemicals and detergents to disinfect and clean carpets.
Further, carpet cleaners often leave moisture which can settle in and promote the growth of mold and bacteria. As such, many parents are rightfully worried about how carpets and carpet cleaning can affect their newborn’s health.
So, Is Carpet Cleaning Safe For Babies?
Yes, overall, carpet cleaning is safe for babies. As long as it is properly taken care of, carpet cleaning is not only safe for babies but can improve their overall health by removing a major source of mold and bacteria in homes. Newborns usually have a much weaker immune system than adults or even toddlers so they are more susceptible to bacterial infection. Considering that the average carpet has over 200,00 bacteria per square inch, you’ll want to make sure your carpets stay clean and microbe-free.
There are some caveats here though. We’ll talk about some of the ways you can make sure your carpet cleaning is safe for your baby.
Avoid Chemical Cleaners
You should try to avoid carpet cleaning solutions with the following chemical ingredients:
- Formaldehyde
- Naphthalene
- Phenol
- Sodium hydroxide
- Tetrachloroethylene
- Butoxyethanol
- Hydrofluoric acid
All of the above chemicals are found in some cleaning solutions and can be bad for your baby’s health in large quantities.
Instead of synthetic chemical cleaners, try to find cleaning solutions that have natural ingredients and non-synthetic chemicals. Many carpet cleaning companies specialize in green cleaning services that use all-natural cleaning solutions that are safe and environmentally friendly.
For example, Safe-Dry’s carpet cleaning method is 100% hypoallergenic and soap-free. Our highly vetted carbonation penetration system gets to the deep roots of your carpets to remove dirt and bacteria naturally and efficiently. We use no synthetic chemicals and our methods are 100% safe for children.
Reduce Water Usage
One problem with wet-cleaning carpets is that they can absorb and retain moisture. Steam cleaners, for example, usually do not use any chemicals, but they can leave behind a lot of moisture. Moisture trapped in carpet fibers facilitates the growth of bacteria and fungi, all bad things for your baby.
Some companies perform what is called “dry-carpet” cleaning that does not require water. The problem is that these methods usually involve lots of chemicals and solvents that you will not want to subject your baby to.
To keep things safe for your baby, you should avoid DIY steam cleaning and dry carpet cleaning. Instead, try to find a company that uses low-water cleaning methods. For example, Safe-Dry’s carpet cleaning method uses 1/10th of the amount of water used in traditional carpet cleaning methods, which essentially eliminates the risk of mold and fungal growth.
Along with low-water appliances, make sure to properly air out your carpet after cleaning to get rid of moisture. Try to avoid cleaning your carpet on humid days as that makes it more difficult to dry your carpets out.
Preventative Measures
One of the best ways to deal with health issues from carpets is to avoid them entirely in the first place. Regular vacuuming and good household habits will make your carpet environment safer for your baby. Here are a handful of things you can do to keep your carpet in top shape:
- Vacuum at least once a week to remove any loose dirt, skin cells, or dust
- Place mats near doors and do not wear shoes inside
- Clean up liquid and solid spills immediately
- Do not leave moist carpets to air dry
- If you have pets, frequently brush and bathe them to reduce the amount of animal hair and dander
- Deep clean with a low-moisture steam cleaner at least once every 6 months
- Consider hiring a professional cleaning service for tough problems
Following these guidelines will make your carpet overall more safe for your baby and also make it last longer.
Speak With Professional Carpet Cleaners For More Information
If you are looking for professional carpet cleaning services, give Safe-Dry a call at 1-888-817-8339 or visit our website to schedule a carpet cleaning today. At Safe-Dry, we are 100% committed to customer satisfaction and our technicians have years of experience in the carpet cleaning business. Our carpet cleaning methods are 100% hypoallergenic, detergent-free, and low-moisture.