Organic Mom: Why You Should Avoid Nylon Rugs

I'm taking a break from blogging about potty training (!) toanswer reader questions.

Hi,

Know anything about nylon rugs? I am trying to buy a rug for my son's room andnot spend too much, seems there are many nylon ones. Are they safe? I thoughtyou'd probably know...

thanks,

Gillian


I do know! But before I tell you I'd liketo start by saying that my approach to anything I'm bringing into my home is tofirst decide if I really need it. Whatever you bring into the home has thepotential to also drag in unwanted chemicals, so this is a first step I forcemyself to take whenever I get a shopping urge. This is a legitimate questionwhen it comes to rugs. I actually prefer bare floors, especially wood ones.They're very easy to clean and don't provide safe haven for chemical residue ordust mites, neither of which you want around a kid. That said, rugs do breakall kinds of baby and kid crashes and falls, and are helpful to curb noise bothfor when you're sneaking away from a sleeping child, and for neighbors whomight live below you as your son learns to run/ride a bike/drum, etc.

If I choose to bring something new into my living space, I always choosenatural fibers over man made ones like nylon. I don't turn to Wikipedia forsolid scientific information but their detailed yet written-in-Englishdescription of what, exactly, nylon is made ofis worth a read if you'rethinking of buying some.For a rug, a natural fiber could mean cotton, wool, jute, hemp, sisal, andmore. A cotton woven rag rug is a simple option, as it can be tossed easilyinto a washing machine. We have one of these in our kitchen. We also haveseveral wool rugs throughout the apartment in key spots, including in mydaughter's play area. A few of the wool ones I've had over the years areantique store finds or hand-me-downs, which are obviously eco-friendly choices.Others are new. When buying either, I make sure the wool either had no backing orwas woven -- never glued into a natural backing. This is a good rule of thumbeven if you are choosing a synthetic fiber. Glues can contain, among otherunsavories, formaldehyde, which has beenlinked to allergies, asthma, and cancer. One caveat: don't buy very deep pilerug -- wool or synthetic -- for a kid's room (or for any room in the house forthat matter). Deep, cushy, fluffy, Flokati-type rugs provide an amazing homefor all kinds of dust and allergens. It's hard to suck the stuff out of there,no matter how tough a (HEPA-filter!) vacuum you've got. When I think ofjust-crawling infants slogging their way through that much pile, I get itchy.

Stain resistant coatings are sometimes offered even with natural fibers. Thisis always to be avoided. The toxic chemicals in various stain guardsaredecidedly not something you want around your growing child. Wool is naturallywater resistant (thanks to its lanolin) which makes it great for kids. To deepclean any stains that might arise, rent a steamer and use without detergent.

When it comes to pricing, I have found my antiques and even my new wool andcotton rugs to be competitively priced with synthetic ones. They're also verywidely available -- you can find them pretty easily at places like Crate &Barrel and Ikea. For pure wool versions check out Earth Weaveand Nature's Carpet.

One last thing: if you're in the market for a skid pad for under the new rug,choose natural rubber over PVC (aka the poison plastic). You can find them allover the internet, including at GreenSage Store. And don't forget to take off your shoes before you enter the home or justinside your home. You don't want to be tracking in outdoor gunk includingpesticide residue onto the new rug.

posted by Alexandra


Related links from the Daily Green:

The Dirty Dozen: Top 12 Foods to Eat Organic
30 Days to a Greener Diet
5 Eco-Friendly Wines For Under $25
The Zen Cleaner: How to Green-Clean Anything
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