Best Carpet for Allergies: Your Complete Guide to Buying and Maintaining

So you’ve moved into your dream home, congrats!

You’re moving in all of your beautiful furniture, you’re planning for parties and holiday gatherings when all of the sudden…allergies. The sneezing and hives are unbearable and they’re getting in the way of your move-in day.

You’ve tested every possible culprit. You’ve cleaned. You’ve dusted every surface. You’ve even saged the house just for good measure. There’s only one option left: the carpets.

This is definitely an inconvenience, but it’s not a disaster. Don’t worry. We’re here to show you the best carpets for allergies so you can ease your flooring woes in no time. Then you can get back to enjoying your new space.

Why Does Carpet Bother Allergy Sufferers?

Carpet can bother people with allergies for several reasons.

The first (and perhaps most obvious) is just that someone can be allergic to the carpet itself. With natural materials (which are uncommon in modern carpets), some people may find themselves allergic to their flooring.

More commonly though, carpet is great at trapping allergens. Anything that can be dragged into the home can be easily trapped in the fibers of a carpet, and many allergens are difficult to see.

You can vacuum and dust, but once an allergen is trapped within the fibers, it can be hard to get out. This can be particularly difficult with certain kinds of carpeting that are very thick and plush.

Luckily, there are other options. Just because you have allergies doesn’t mean you have to resort to tile, laminate, and hardwood. You can enjoy the carpet in your home as long as you’re careful to buy the correct types.

What are the Best Carpets for Allergies?

You’re going to be looking for synthetic materials if you want to best avoid allergens getting trapped in your home.

Most carpets are created from synthetic materials now, so let’s get a little bit more specific.

Nylon is a wonderful choice when it comes to picking carpeting that won’t aggravate your allergies. Nylon will dry out potential allergens, and it’s difficult for them to adhere to. It’s a synthetic material and it should be mostly hypoallergenic and safe for any home.

Luckily, nylon has a lot of other benefits as well. It’s largely stain-resistant, making it great for cleaning. It’s also super-resilient, with the resilience only boosted by yearly deep-cleaning to keep the fibers bouncing back in high-traffic areas.

Nylon is also very durable. Durability is great for anyone who has children or pets and requires carpet that can withstand a little bit of wear and tear.

Another great choice for allergy-friendly carpeting is polyester.

While this synthetic material sometimes has a bad reputation in the clothing world, in the world of carpeting it’s ideal for allergy sufferers.

Like nylon, it will dry out allergens that try to make their homes in its fibers, making it an inhospitable environment for them. It’s also much too slick for them to adhere to. There’s no room for anything to grow or stick, so allergies shouldn’t be a problem with any amount of regular vacuuming.

Polyester is also very soft, recycled, and stain-resistant. It’s not as durable as nylon, but this depends on your specific needs for your home.

Other Considerations

Regardless of material, you’re going to be looking for a carpet that is synthetic.

You’re also going to be looking for carpets that have tightly woven fibers. This makes it harder for the allergens to get in in the first place, and it makes it easier to remove them.

You’re looking for tight and dense carpeting which will have a hard time trapping dust or other allergens.

You also want to look for carpeting with a low VOC content. VOCs, or Volatile Organic Compounds, can be triggering for people with allergies, even if the carpets themselves are synthetic and relatively allergy-safe.

What to Avoid

There are some carpets that should just be avoided if you’re a serious allergy sufferer.

Wool, for example, is excellent at trapping allergens and collecting mold and mildew within its fibers. This isn’t going to be good for anyone who’s trying to manage their allergies. While wool isn’t popular for flooring anymore, it is still around.

Any carpet that has very long and loose fibers is also going to be bad for allergies. This includes things like shag carpeting. While definitely stylish (if a bit dated), this carpet is great at trapping allergens! It’s much tougher to remove allergens from shag carpeting because of the structure of its fibers.

If you suffer from allergies, shag carpeting might not be in the cards for you.

After You Get Your New Carpet

Once you have your best carpet for allergies, it’s important to ensure that it stays that way. Regular cleaning is a must for any house, but it’s more important for households that deal with allergies.

Vacuum and dust regularly, and consider a semi-regular steam-clean if your lifestyle calls for it.

It can be helpful to consider your professional cleaning options if you’re still suffering after making a change in carpeting, or even just as preventative care.

Choosing a carpet cleaner that specializes in allergens or one that specializes in organic carpet cleaning is the way to go. This helps you avoid the extra irritants and allergens present in many harsh, chemical-laden cleaners.

Getting your carpets professionally cleaned should put your mind at ease. If you’re interested in an allergy-focused carpet cleaning, check out our services. We use organic products and aim to make your home more allergy-friendly.