Home Makeover Diva

Home Design Makeover Ideas

Healthy Carpet Choices

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Today Pamela writes,

Hello Diva, Please help me as I’m confused on which eco-friendly/healthy carpet to choose for my bedroom!  I know wool is good but I cannot handle the idea of bugs leaving eggs in it.  After reading the blog I know my choices are: Mohawk Smartstrand vs Dupont Sorona vs Beaulieu’s Bliss.  I even read there was a product SmartStrand with DuPont Sorona but I’m still a bit confused! I do not have pets or children and no allergies however I am a cancer survivor and want to make sure I do not breathe in anything unhealthy/carcinogenic.  Please help!  Thank you!

Pamela, I can definitely understand being wary of wool carpet. Yes it’s an all natural choice, but when left to its own devices it does attract bugs. So to counter this they add an anti-moth treatment and now you’ve just added VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). Typically speaking people who choose wool carpet are purchasing it because it is eco-friendly, not just because it’s one of the healthy carpet choices. Also I think wool is more popular for an area rug choice than wall to wall carpeting. At least that is when I usually opt for wool!

Healthy Carpet Choices

Also when you are looking at healthy carpet choices, don’t forget the padding. Because another thing that will help keep the VOC’s down is to go for a carpet pad that is low VOC’s as well. Depending on where you are looking for carpeting at, ask the salesperson to see their healthy choicer or eco-friendly carpet pad.

This will definitely NOT be a rebound Pad. Rebound pads are made up of recycled foam. And that is how it looks, like a bunch of different colored pieces of foam fused together. Typically speaking low VOC padding is one solid color and either green or white or feels like memory foam. So don’t forget to include low VOC padding in your carpet buying process.

When it comes to Mohawk SmartStrand and SmartStrand with DuPont Sorona, it’s easy to get confused. However it really is only one carpet! Mohawk is the brand, while SmartStrand is the line of carpeting. And all of the SmartStrand line is made out of DuPont Sorona fiber. Hopefully that makes more sense! I know that it’s a lot of names for just one carpet style.

Both SmartStrand and Bliss brands fall into the category of healthy carpet choices. Both are certified Green Label Plus by the Rug & Carpet Institute. What this means is that they are tested and have been proven to emit a very low amount of VOC’s. As far as which carpet brand to choose? Both are good. I can’t see any overwhelming reason to go with one over the other. It will just depend on what features you like best.

Personally, I like the SmartStrand because it is also eco friendly (made from 37% corn sugar) and very stain resistant. However the Bliss has some nice features as well, such as Magic Fresh and Silver Release. These two features probably aren’t as big of a deal for you, since you said you don’t have pets. But in our “two dog house”, I could use some help with pet odor! I know for a fact that Magic Fresh helps with odors in the home, I just don’t know if it actually makes the air cleaner to breath.

Since both of the carpet brands offer the indoor air quality you need, I’d choose your carpet based on what you like best. What feels the best? What is the best color? And what style do you like the best? Because your most important concern is having a healthy carpet! The rest is just what appeals to your sense of style!

Do you have questions about the selecting or the installation of: tile, carpet or wall treatments (window blinds, etc)? Then email me your tale of woe (diva(at)homemakeoverdiva.com) and perhaps I will be able to answer your questions right here at the Home Makeover Diva Blog

Environmentally Friendly Carpet

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There a few different categories when considering environmentally friendly carpet. For example, do you want your new carpet to be made of recycled materials? Maybe instead you want it to be recyclable or made of more environmentally friendly material?

Is this carpet made of pop bottles? Otherwise known as PET carpet fiber, these carpets are made of recycled drink and food containers and have been around for a while now. Depending on which brand you are looking at will dictate how much of the fiber is recycled content. Some of the carpet styles from GreenFloors is made from 100% post-consumer recycled food and drink containers. They say that if you purchase one square yard, you will be keeping approximately forty plastic containers out of a landfill. Since the carpet is also made of the top quality PET resins that the FDA requires you can also expect lower VOC’s.  Many companies make PET carpet, so it is important to ask what the recycled content is and not just assume that is 100% post-consumer waste. Anyway you go with a PET carpet though you will be getting something environmentally friendly, it just might not be as environmentally friendly as it could be!

Environmentally Friendly Carpet

Is this carpet recyclable? Nylon 6 carpets can be recycled. Shaw Flooring has a manufacturing plant that recycles Nylon 6 fiber carpets and turns them into new carpets. This is awesome because it keeps old carpets out of landfills and reduces the amount of new material is used. They call this process Cradle-to-Cradle, because the carpet fibers are taken out of the earth and end up being reused for new carpet. The opposite of this saying is Cradle-to-Grave, because usually new material is taken out of the earth and then deposited into a landfill when it has served it’s purpose. So if you’re interested in keeping your carpet out of the landfill, make sure it is made out of Nylon 6.

Is this carpet environmentally friendly? There are a few different carpets that are 100% environmentally friendly. One in particular is wool carpeting. Companies like EcoByDesign have wool carpeting that is 100% natural. From the wool fibers to the hemp and jute backings, everything is environmentally friendly. The backings are even held together by a natural rubber adhesive from an actual rubber tree. Wool isn’t your only option there are others, take Smartstrand made with Dupont Sorona for example. It is made with 37% bio based material (corn). Its production requires 30% less energy than nylons and emits over 60% less in the greenhouse gases department. No matter whether you chose a carpet made of wool or corn, or a handful of other green choices, with a little research you can find a carpet that is better for the environment.

It’s the deciding between which type of environmentally friendly is right for you that will depend on which features you’re the most interested in.  Make sure you also keep in mind your own sense of style and what your budget dictates. There really isn’t one carpet that is right for everyone. However there is one rating system that will make sure that your carpets are low VOC’s and that is to look for the Carpet and Rug Institutes Green Label and Green Label Plus symbol. These symbols will alert you as to how much off gassing you can expect from your new carpet. Regular Green Label means it’s low, while Green Label Plus means it’s one of the “lowest off gassers” on the market today.

Best Carpet Choice For A Baby’s Room?

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Today Samantha writes:

We are going to be having a baby in two months and with that, we are building up a nursery from scratch.  I want everything to be as perfect as possible.

We have painted the nursery and used a no VOC paint (thanks to your articles). But what about carpet?

I have heard that some carpet fibers are better than others in terms of the VOC’s that they can give off and this freaks me out!

How can I be sure that I am making the best carpet choice for a baby’s room? Thx

Samantha, you’re absolutely right in that there are some carpet fibers that are better than others in terms of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds).  What you want to look for are carpets with the Carpet and Rug Institutes (CRI) “Green Label Plus” stamp.  This label can be found on the back of carpet samples and it will let you know that you’ve chosen a very low VOC carpet.

Best Carpet Choice For A Baby's Room

In fact CRI’s Green Label Plus has so few VOCs that it exceeds the green building requirements dictated by California schools.  We all know how strict California is compared to the rest of the country so with ratings like that you can be assured that the new carpet you are putting in your nursery is safe for your baby.

You might want to consider looking at Dupont Sorona or Beaulieu’s Bliss.  These two carpets are both Green Label Plus rated.  A percentage of Sorona is made out of corn and recycled materials.  Beaulieu’s Bliss (also known as Puresque) has extra odor eliminators built right into the carpet.

No matter what style or color carpet you choose rest assures that as long as you stick to Green Label Plus you will choose a healthy carpet for your new bundle of joy’s nursery!  And congratulations!

Do you have questions about the selecting or the installation of: tile, carpet or wall treatments (window blinds, etc)? Then email me your tale of woe(diva(at)homemakeoverdiva.com) and perhaps I will be able to answer your questions right here at the Home Makeover Diva Blog!