Crawling and walking
Small children have a lot of contact with the floor particularly when they start crawling. The contact is far more intense than for grown-ups. The floor is a playground and residence in one. It is advisable to pick an environmentally friendly, toxic free, easy to maintain and tough floor or to check the existing flooring for these criteria. Your final choice also depends on your personal preferences. But it is good to pick a toxic free floor otherwise the indoor air will be polluted. You can determine such floors by the “EU-Flower” and by checking the website of Healthy Flooring Network.
Several types of flooring exist. These include wood, laminate, natural linoleum, cork or tiles which are easy to maintain, durable and, most importantly, they prevent exposure to dust mites and therefore allergies. PVC flooring may contain many toxic substances such as chemical softeners. A child should not come in contact with them. Tiles and linoleum may be cold and therefore unsuited for a playing child. But can be supplemented with a washable rug. Laminates come in different quality categories and may contain formaldehyde and toxic glues. Do not forget a footfall insulation. Wood floors treated with non-toxic and natural oils and waxes are ideal. And cleaning can be done with just a wet cloth – no cleaning agents needed. If larger scratches occur the damage can be ground off and the floor treated again.
