When designing your dream house, you don't want to fill it with toxic materials while putting it together. But what many people don't realise is that carpets are often made out of toxic materials, and they are not the most eco-friendly things you can put in your home. If you want to be more eco-conscious in a cleaner environment, here is how you can choose the best eco-friendly carpets for your dream house. 

What Is in Carpets?

The first thing that you need to know is what exactly is making the carpets not eco-friendly and toxic. Even though there are carpets that are made out of natural fibres such as wool, most carpets are made out of various synthetic fibres such as polyester, nylon and polypropylene. What makes them even worse for the environment is the fact that they get a heavy coat of latex on top of them to make them less stain prone because of all of that, they are full of dangerous chemicals such as VOCs. 

Why Is Carpeting Toxic?

What a lot of people don't realise is it is not talked about is the fact that new carpets have quite a few carcinogens such as toluene, acetone as well as ethylbenzene and many more. When you smell the new carpet, that is actually the 4-Phenyl Cyclohexane Is gas. That is a chemical reaction caused by adding the backing to your carpets. 

Sometimes even if it seems like they are doing a useful thing, such as adding a stain or moth protector as well as flame retardants to your carpets, it is all highly toxic, especially for kids and pets. There have been some studies that have shown that there is a risk of it negatively affecting your nervous system, so choosing a non-toxic and eco-friendly carpet is really important, especially if you are planning on having kids in the future. 

What Are the Most Environmentally Friendly Carpets?

Since people are more and more eco-conscious, the interest in choosing cleaner carpets is spiking. But a lot of people don't really know how to choose ones and which ones are the best. If you are looking for the best carpet, they are made with things like organic cotton, bamboo, wool as well as sisal. All these materials are more eco-friendly because they require fewer pesticides or fertilisation in order to grow. Another thing that can help you in your search for the perfect eco-friendly carpet is the green label plus certificate. 

Choose The Best Natural Fibres

Choosing the best natural fires for your carpet is the most essential thing that you need to do. Luckily since the world is striving to be greener, there are a lot of companies such as the Carpet Right that will offer a good selection. Always make sure that you are choosing natural fibres that don't require any chemical treatments. Another thing that will have a big impact is choosing a water-based adhesive to install the carpet to prevent polluting the air inside your home. 

Make Sure That It Is Fit for Your Desired Purpose

Another key thing to think about when choosing your carpet is ensuring that you are choosing something that will support your lifestyle. Make sure that it is able to withstand the foot traffic in that area while being comfortable underfoot. A carpet that you need to replace often is not the best solution both for your budget as well as the environment. 

Take Care of The Carpet Finish

As we have mentioned, a lot of carpet finishes that companies use will contain toxic materials. But on the other hand, the carpet finish will determine how long your carpets will last. What people don't know is that there are finishes that are non-toxic as well as made from natural fires that will ensure that your carpet is water-resistant, flexible as well as odourless. 

Choose Rug Pads That Are Not Toxic

Another thing people don't know is that rug pads are quite toxic too. A lot of manufacturers insist on using rug pads to prevent sliding and prolonging the carpet's life. A lot of rug pads contain toxic glues, dyes as well as chemicals. That is why you need to look for ones that don't contain any dye or toxic glues. Luckily there are quite a few that are made out of recycled materials and that are sustainable compared to rubber and plastic. That is really important thinking to choose especially if you have young kids who will spend most of their time on the floors. 

As we said above, since the world is trying to be more eco-conscious, being able to find a carpet that is eco-friendly and non-toxic isn't something that will take a long time as well as not break your bank. Always strive to choose things for your new dream home that will have a low impact on the environment as well as not be a potential threat to your health. 

Guest Contributor: Frank Robertson