Do carpets pollute the air and harm your health? The story of one misconception - Karman. Dangerous carpets: looking for safe options How to choose the right carpet for a children's room
Every parent who decided to put a bed in the child's room carpet, pursues different goals: for some it is simply superfluous (lying around unnecessarily), for others it wants to equip nursery, and many lay a carpet in order to child it wasn't cold to play on the floor in toys, because simply sitting on linoleum can be dangerous for the baby’s health. He may catch a cold or even earn himself diseases much more serious than a common cold.
In fact carpeting does room much warmer, it becomes more comfortable. In addition, the presence of a carpet creates a small sound insulation- you can’t hear the child running or jumping. The carpet will be appreciated by parents when their child crawls, and until that moment its presence will not be so necessary. Moms and dads won't even think twice about purchasing it.
How to choose the right carpet for a child's room?
For many, having a carpet in a child’s room is simply dust collector. In fact, a lot of dust and dirt is brought home from the street and there is no escape from it. The carpet does not collect dust more than what the owners bring from the street. The absence of a carpet leads to the fact that, after walking around the room, all the dust rises up and settles on the furniture, chandelier, and floats in the air, and the carpet holds it inside itself, and this is huge plus. It will be enough to simply vacuum it, and in its absence everyone will be forced to breathe dust or exercise more often cleaning in the rooms.
Carpets with long pile look quite beautiful and are quite pleasant to touch, but there is also a minus - they are difficult to clean, and children's toys small size will be constantly confused about this pile. Thus, it is better to lay short-pile carpets in a child’s room so as not to create unnecessary problems, they are both cleaned and washed quite easily.
The carpet should not contain harmful components or components so as not to cause allergies or irritation in the child. Viscose- this is what the carpet should be made of in a children's room. Wash and clean this coating- it’s a pleasure and not at all difficult. Of course, it would be ideal to purchase a silk carpet, but many parents are afraid of its rather large size. price.
But if the child has not noticed any allergies and rashes, then you can buy a wool carpet for his room, but not a fake, but a natural one. Care It’s very simple: vacuum every day, and do wet cleaning once a month.
Over the course of five days we will talk about how to arrange your home, make budget renovation, sort out utility bills once and for all and find beautiful interior items.
In Russia, there has been a cult of carpet for half a century. This traditionally oriental piece of furniture came into use even under Peter the Great, when the first domestic carpet manufactories appeared. New fashion Peter, as always, brought it from Europe, where carpets by that time had become widespread in the homes of the aristocracy. So we worked mainly in Russian manufactories French masters, and carpets were purchased mainly by noble families.
However, present era The worship of carpets began in the USSR in the 1960s and 1970s and coincided with the massive construction of Khrushchev-era apartment buildings: the walls were so thin that people had to urgently figure out how to escape the noise. Carpets came to the rescue. A good one cost from 500 rubles, but average salary throughout the country was about 120–140 rubles. So the wall attribute soon became a symbol of the owners’ wealth - along with a crystal vase and a TV.
The presentability of carpets is a thing of the distant past, but we will still try to remember what is good about them.
Pazyryksky carpet– the oldest carpet known to mankind (V-VI centuries BC)
For
Soundproofing. Floor at famous rehearsal facilities musical groups It is often covered with carpet precisely because it perfectly absorbs sound and thus makes life much easier for the neighbors.
Thermal insulation. The carpet retains heat and warms in cold weather winter evenings. It is for these reasons that many of our compatriots cover all surfaces in the apartment with carpets.
Disguise. Dirt is much less noticeable on carpet than on linoleum or laminate: you can drop pasta or a slice of pizza on it and forget about it for a couple of days. Uneven wallpaper, children's art, holes in the wall - the carpet can easily take care of it all.
Cosiness. Even if there is bedlam in the room, and the window is so dirty that it seems as if you are living on the Moscow - Vladivostok train, just lay a cute little rug on the floor and it will immediately become more comfortable.
Against
Dust. Remember the clouds of dust that rise around the carpet when it is knocked out. They literally make your life miserable. Every year, 2-3 kilograms of dust collects in and under the carpet. So, carpet in the house can lead to allergies, breathing difficulties and sleep problems.
Garbage. Carpets are 4,000 times dirtier than toilet seats and seven times dirtier than almost any pedestrian street. And why? Because every hour an adult loses from 600 thousand to one and a half million dead skin particles. If you don’t knock out the carpet for several years, it’s quite possible to assemble a spare self from the particles stuck in it.
Fire hazard. Alas, in the event of a fire, the furry friend breaks out first and instantly turns into 12 square meters of flame. Synthetic carpet In case of fire, it can poison the owner with toxic smoke.
Smell. The carpets smell like: sheep's side, grandma's pantry, cigarette smoke, neighbors' sauerkraut. Neither regular cleaning nor air fresheners will help you completely get rid of the cocktail of aromas.
If you decide to get a carpet (or keep the one that your grandfather gave your mom and dad for their wedding), you should remember a few simple rules.
For small room choose a carpet in light colors - it can visually expand the space; dark-colored carpets, on the contrary, narrow it down. There should always be at least 20–30 centimeters of free space between the carpet and the walls.
Best for the bedroom lay a long-pile carpet - this will add warmth; in the nursery - a short-pile carpet: it is easier to remove dirt from it; in the hallway - a rubber-based carpet: it is more resistant to abrasion; The carpet in the dining room should completely fit both the table and chairs.
Woven from natural wool the carpet should not smell like sheepskin: if produced correctly, it is treated with antistatic agents and anti-allergens, which kill odors. However, allergy sufferers should generally opt for synthetic carpets.
Vacuuming the carpet it is necessary at least once or twice a week - both on the front and back sides. At least once or twice a year, deep chemical cleaning should be carried out: for this, it is better to take the carpet to a cleaning company. Wet cleaning is only for certain areas of the carpet: for example, if you need to quickly remove a stain.
And finally, the most important thing: the place of the carpet is on the floor. It can be hung on the wall only if it is hand-woven from silk by Persian craftsmen. Century in the XVI century.
Text: Masha Nikolaeva
Dust is a collection of tiny particles, including fabric fibers, paper, hair, pet dander, skin cells, dirt and more. Dust accumulation can lead to allergies and other health problems, so it is best to get rid of dust on time. There is no way to completely eliminate dust, but there are specific cleaning, clutter removal, and air purification techniques that can significantly reduce the amount of dust you and your loved ones inhale every day. In this article we'll talk about how to get rid of dust in the house.
Steps
Clear the air
Collect dust
- Remember to replace the filter regularly.
- Make sure the vacuum cleaner is in working order. A faulty vacuum cleaner will only stir up dust, making the problem worse.
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Sweep the floors every few days. You can get rid of dust by regularly sweeping floors that you don't vacuum with a broom and dustpan. Sweep often in areas where a lot of dirt accumulates, such as near the entrance, hallway and kitchen. Collect dirt in a bag to prevent it from returning to the house.
Try to do wet cleaning more often. Washing the floor with a mop is great way collect dust that a broom cannot handle. If you wash your floor frequently, you will solve the dust problem. If you don't do this, it will be difficult to clean everything up later, and you will most likely have to put a lot of effort into cleaning all the surfaces.
Wipe off dust with a microfiber cloth. Not all dust cloths are created equal. If there is a lot of dust in your home, buy a microfiber cloth. This fabric collects and holds dust. If you wipe the dust with a piece of an old T-shirt or a towel, you will only brush away the dust, not remove it. This also applies to dust brooms - the furniture will look cleaner, but the dust will only move into the air.
- Wipe with a microfiber cloth all places where dust collects: surfaces of tables, shelves, and so on. Wet rags collect dust better, so if you need to wipe dust off any surface other than wood, lightly dampen the rag.
- Wash the cloth immediately after cleaning to remove all dust. When washing, do not use fabric softener - it impairs the ability of the rag to retain dust.
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Wash your bedding more often. Sheets, duvet covers, blankets and pillows collect dust, which is why people often wake up with a stuffy nose - they breathe dust all night long. When you go to bed or get out of bed, you unintentionally raise a column of dust. The only solution is to wash your laundry more often, especially if you and your family members have dry skin and if your pets sleep in your bed.
- If your home is very dusty, wash your sheets and pillowcases once a week.
- Duvet covers and comforters can be washed every 3-4 weeks.
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Beat out pillows and rugs once a month. Like bed linen, decorative pillows and the rugs gradually collect dust. Sitting on the sofa and walking on the carpet, you kick up dust. Every three months, take pillows and rugs outside and beat them out to reduce dust.
- You can beat out pillows and carpets using an old broom handle.
- Hit the entire area, not just one place.
- Knock until dust stops flying out of cushions and carpets with each impact.
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Clean all walls. Every time I do general cleaning, walk along all the walls and baseboards. Wipe first top part, then go lower to collect dust and prevent it from settling on the clean surface.
Vacuum twice a week. Vacuum cleaner with HEPA filter (from English high-efficiency particulate air - air filter with highly effective particle retention) will allow you to collect all the dust. Clean all carpets, paying special attention to areas where people walk the most. You can also clean the rest of the floor. Frequently vacuuming your floors will reduce the amount of dust in your home, especially under furniture and in corners, and you will immediately notice the difference.
Get rid of rubble
- If you want to keep something, move those items to a room you rarely use. This way, dust will not accumulate in the main rooms of the house.
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Get rid of stacks of magazines and books. Over time, these things fall apart and collect a lot of dust. If there is an abundance of them, there will also be a lot of dust from them. Put the books on bookshelves and regularly put away unnecessary magazines and paper. Place the paper you want to save in plastic bags so that they do not collect dust.
Use less fabric in your home. Bedspreads, throws, pillows, tablecloths and upholstered furniture also add dust by collecting and producing it. If you get rid of tablecloths and fabric items in your home, you will notice that there will be less dust in the air.
- Instead of fabric upholstery choose leather or wood. Perhaps you have an old piece of furniture in your home that is gradually deteriorating and producing too much dust. Such furniture should be thrown away.
- Wash blankets and pillows often.
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Keep your closets and closets in order. Every time you open a closet or closet door, a gust of air lifts fabric particles into the air, and these particles settle on the floor. If your dressing room is a mess, you probably wash the floor there less often. If the floor of the dressing room is free, it will be easier to clean, and dust will not escape beyond this room.
- Hang clothes neatly rather than haphazardly stuffing them into your closet.
- Designate a place for your shoes and don't throw them in a pile.
- Vacuum your pantry floor regularly to get rid of any dust that collects there.
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Place unwanted clothes in boxes or bags. Items that cannot be worn this season should be collected and hidden rather than stored in plain sight. If clothes are placed in airtight containers or bags, they will not produce dust.
- It's best to store clothes in clear bags so you can see what's inside.
- If dust begins to accumulate on the bags, it will not be difficult to brush it off.
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Ask guests and family members to remove their shoes at the door. Dirt that gets into the house, after drying, also contributes to the formation of dust. In rainy weather and winter, it is better to take off your shoes near the entrance. This will limit the dirt to one place and make cleaning easier.
Brush your animals regularly . The fur of cats and dogs also contributes to the formation of dust. If you brush your pets more often, there will be less dust. Try to do this in the bathroom rather than on the living room couch, as it will be easier to clean up after yourself. Don't forget to wash your pet's bedding from time to time.
Get rid of knick-knacks. If each of your rooms has a large number decorative elements that sit idle, it will be more difficult to reduce the amount of dust in the house. Go through your home and collect all the items that accumulate dust and that you don't use. Without them, it will be much easier for you to clean dust from surfaces.
There are many rumors that are associated with carpet and carpeting.
- Carpeting causes asthma. This statement is unfounded, since the origin of asthma is related to genes. This disease is influenced by a large number of factors: environment, diet, bad habits, etc.
It has been proven that dust can cause asthma attacks in patients. In turn, dust lingers in carpets rather than floating in the air, and wool from carpets can be easily combed out.
- Carpets are a habitat for mold and various microorganisms. A carpet by itself cannot create favorable conditions for the appearance of fungus, especially if the coating is synthetic. But fungus can appear in food debris that can accumulate on the floor, but this is a matter of cleanliness, which lies entirely with the owner of the apartment.
Carpets collect dust. This is a fact, but the carpet does not produce dust, but only retains it in its fibers. That is, the dust settles on the carpet instead of floating in the air, where it is very difficult to identify and remove, unlike carpet, which can simply be vacuumed or swept. So collecting dust is more of a plus than a minus.
Advice: Never trust unconfirmed information.
Installation
Installing carpet is a quick and simple process. The carpeting is spread over the entire area and secured with wooden clips and nails, in some cases glue is used.
Even an inexperienced builder can cope with this work. Therefore, laying carpet without the services of professionals is a completely solvable task.
Advice: In order to get a complete picture of how to fix the carpet, you can read the numerous instructions presented on the Internet.
Laminate
This material appeared on the market not so long ago, namely in 1977. Since that time, laminate coatings have been changed more than once, and therefore modern version very different from the original prototype.
Technology has changed, but the idea remains:
- A material made of several layers, the base of which is wood, and the connecting links are polymer resin. Also applies
- Sound and moisture-proof film with protective coating, which is applied by lamination.
Modern floor laminated coating consists of several parts:
- Layer of protection. In order to form a protective transparent film, a special resin, aluminum oxide and corundum are used.
- Decorative layer. The base on the surface of which a pattern is applied. Made from special paper or furniture foil.
- Support layer. In the role load-bearing structure stands out as a board made of dense fiberboard, plywood, plastic or other materials. Laminate high quality made from HDF. Fastening locks are also placed on this layer, thanks to which the boards are fastened to each other.
- Stabilizing layer. This is a substrate that gives greater rigidity to the structure. It also provides moisture and sound insulation. This underlay is a soft medium applied between the coating and the floor. Mainly made from polymer materials or balsa wood.
This is the minimum number of layers. In reality, there can be as many of them as desired, depending on the requirements for the coating.
Installation
When installing laminate flooring, a so-called underlay is often used - a material that softens the contact between the floor and the coating. The backing also protects the coating from moisture. The question is often asked: is it possible to lay laminate flooring over carpet?
- The first thing you need to remember is that modern laminate flooring already has a backing and does not need an additional one.
- It is also necessary to take into account the softness of the carpet, which can lead to breakage of the locks.
- Carpet does not have insulating properties, so it will not be able to protect the laminate flooring from moisture rising from below.
- When laying laminate over carpet, it is impossible to determine the quality of the screed under the laminate, and the possibility of repairing it also disappears.
- Finally, carpet that has already been used for some time is not the best suitable material, on top of which a hard covering can be installed.
10.02.2014 16:24
One of the most common misconceptions of late is this: carpets are dust collectors - they accumulate dust, pollute the air in the apartment, make breathing difficult and cause allergies. This misconception forced many of the “Russian” Israelis, who were accustomed to living in apartments with carpets on the floors and walls in the countries of origin, to abandon carpets altogether. Now we walk on cold stone floors, catching colds and illnesses every year. So is it true that carpet creates dust in the air and is harmful to health?
Carpet is the “light” of apartments
Research by German scientists has shown: the most more quantity The dust that we inhale and which is harmful to health accumulates not in carpets, but in apartments with smooth floors.
IN standard apartment Three rooms produce up to 40 kg of dust per year. Researchers at the Institute for Water, Soil and Atmospheric Hygiene in Berlin installed containers in 400 apartments in which food was collected over the course of a year. house dust. Research has shown that per day on each square meter About 3 grams of dust accumulated on the floor, and in living rooms with smooth floors, 2 times more dust accumulated than in rooms with carpeting, which captured some of the dust.
The slightest breeze or draft instantly lifts dust from smooth floors into the air - and we breathe this dust, which is the most dangerous allergen. Whereas carpets trap dust and prevent it from becoming airborne. The pile of carpets holds and does not allow us to breathe another powerful allergen - pet hair. So the carpet can safely be called the “lungs” of our apartments.
And, of course, floors protect us from colds and inflammation of internal organs caused by cold floors and winter drafts - after all, we live in Israel, as a rule, in traditionally unheated apartments.
Thus, not only should we not give up carpets in our home, but it is even useful to decorate and insulate the apartment by laying our favorite carpet on the stone floor, on which children can play, which will purify the air, become an interior highlight and warm us in winter.
Healthy carpets are absolutely clean carpets
It turns out that the opinion that carpets are harmful and pollute the air is a pure myth? Not really: carpets can release dust and cause allergies when they become overloaded with dust. In order for carpets to purify the air and protect our health, it is necessary to deeply clean them once a week - to the very base of the pile.
How to ensure that the carpet pile is completely cleaned, so that every lint is freed from dust down to the base? For this purpose, special washing vacuum cleaners with an aqua filter have been created.
The most powerful of modern vacuum cleaners(power 1700 watt) - Thomas - equipped with aqua filters, thanks to which Thomas destroys 99.99% of dust and 100% of pollen. Thomas works on the principle of volumetric dust destruction. First, the clean, humidified air passing through the aquafilter and leaving the vacuum cleaner fills the dust floating in the apartment with moisture, making it heavier. The dust settles on the surface, and here it is “finished off” by a vacuum cleaner. The vacuum cleaner injects cleaning liquid under high pressure deep into the carpet fabric and pile, then rinses the fibers along the entire length - from the base, collects all the dirt from them, then straightens the carpet pile. You will see that the carpet is not just clean, but its color has been renewed and refreshed. After cleaning, the carpet remains almost dry. The most popular model of vacuum cleaners with an aqua filter is Thomas Twin XT - the “star” of TV programs. Housing issue" and "Dachnaya answer".
For apartments with pets, a special vacuum cleaner model has been developed - Thomas Pet & Family. In addition to the aqua filter, this vacuum cleaner is equipped special nozzles, which leave no chance not only for dust, but also for animal hair, removing them from the floor, furniture and carpet pile. So that the carpet again becomes the “lungs” of the apartment and protects us from dust and colds.
Thomas washing vacuum cleaners can be purchased throughout Israel - in selected Shekel Electric stores, in electrical goods stores licensed to sell and service Thomas in Israel, in Ashdod, Petah Tikva, Bat Yam, Tel Aviv, Ramat -Ghana, and other cities: list of stores Where you can buy Thomas vacuum cleaners in Israel is presented on the company’s website. When purchasing goods from an official supplier, delivery is free.
Order washing vacuum cleaner Thomas by phone 03-6745988 or on the website in Russian
