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Old November 19th 03, 04:52 PM
Banty
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Default infant and new carpet?

In article , Jay says...

I am getting a new carpet in my new apartment sometime early next week. Lets
say, I will have 3 days between the new carpet installation and baby
crawling on it.

Q. I have heard concerns about new carpet fumes being harmful to infants,
etc.. I am wondering if it is really "harmful" or just offensive odor. Is
this something I should be concerned about? Any tips will be helpful too.

Thanks,
Jay



New carpets outgas a lot of plasticizers from the carpet materials (acrylics,
whatever - anything but wool). I haven't bothered to look for specific
information as to whether or not these are proven harmful, but to *me* it's more
than offensive smell, it's a chemical outgas that makes me very uncomfortable.
I wouldn't consider it for a crawling baby. And when I've gotten new carpets or
new carpets have been installed at my workkplace, I notice the outgas odor on
the order of weeks, not days.

How about waiting on the carpet installation until the baby is no longer walking
at least, and until the spring when you can open windows a lot if it makes a
difference in your climate. Is this a rental? See what you can arrange with
your landlord, or consider living with the old carpet. Or consider finishing
hardwood floors if you have them underneath.

Banty