Best Carpet for a New Parent

Whether you’re baby-proofing the whole house or just concentrating on the bedroom and nursery, carpet is a good option for many new parents. It’s a soft and warm floor covering that adds a bit of extra comfort.

However, carpets come in a wide variety of materials and styles. So, how do you find something suitable for your needs? Some brands may look very similar but differ in price and it can be hard to see why. Here, we’ll take a close look at carpets and what to look for when you’re a new parent.

The material

One of the things to consider when buying a carpet is the material. This is often much lower on our list of priorities than color. But it should be factored into our choices.

Wool carpets can be expensive but there is a good reason for this. A good quality wool carpet is hard-wearing with fibers that keep their shape well. Dyes stick well to wool too, making them fade resistant. But you’ll find you’re usually limited to neutral colors such as cream, beige and gray. Perhaps most importantly though, wool carpets contain fewer chemicals and are flame resistant, which many parents value highly. The potential downsides are that wool is susceptible to pests such as moths and absorbs moisture.

Synthetic carpets are often made from polypropylene, nylon or polyester, and each of these has its plus and minus points for parents to consider. Nylon can generate static electricity which may be a nuisance once your baby starts crawling around. And polyester can sometimes shed fibers more than other synthetics. 

You can find synthetic carpets in just about any color and style, so there’s plenty of choice and they’re resistant to mildew so they do have their plus points. However, all synthetic carpets are made using chemicals and it’s sometimes hard to know exactly what’s in them. Plus, they’re not biodegradable and are hard to recycle, which is a concern for parents looking to protect the planet for their future generations.

Carpet pile

It’s a good idea to consider the construction of your new carpet too. This is another area you might overlook when buying your flooring. Carpet pile types include loop, Berber, twist, woven and cut loop. And of course, each has its own characteristics. Cut-loop and twisted fibers are often found in synthetic carpets to give them good durability and are soft to the touch which is great for tired feet and delicate skin. Looped carpets can be just as soft and hard-wearing, so long as the loops are high and tightly packed together. And if you want the best of both worlds, then a Berber-style pile may be the answer. These can be found in natural and synthetic fibers, so it doesn’t restrict your choice of material. The best way to see what you prefer is to go to a carpet store or order samples, so you can feel the difference before you buy.

Cleanability

One thing that all new parents are concerned about is keeping the home clean and hygienic for their baby. And although carpets are luxurious and cozy, they’re also difficult to keep clean and dust-free. So, which carpets are easiest to clean? And how do you clean them?

The good news is that all carpets can be cleaned. They just use different methods. Keeping your carpet clean does involve a bit of care, but with help from a decent vacuum cleaner and carpet cleaner, it should be quite straightforward. And it’s always a good idea to act quickly when spills or accidents do happen, so they’re easier to deal with.

However, when choosing your carpet, there are a few things to think about. For wool carpets, you should make sure that cleaning is done with a suitable, mild cleaner and cold or lukewarm water to protect it from damage. For synthetic carpets, you’ll still need to avoid really hot water as it may melt the fibers, but you’ll have a greater range of cleaning products at your disposal. 

Whatever cleaning product you do use, it’s best to do a patch test first. And if you’re buying a vacuum cleaner, look for one with a replaceable HEPA filter and attachments for cleaning corners and under the furniture. This will keep rooms dust-free for you and your baby.

So, when choosing the best carpet for your home as a new parent, you need to consider the materials, pile and cleanability to make the right choice. It’s easy to go for color and style first, but creating a safe, clean and cozy environment for your family is just as important.