More and more parents are looking for environmentally friendly things they can do when they put together a nursery. The good new is that there has never been a better time to do just that. From using better nursery paints to changing the type of flooring, there are some things you can do to make sure the space you create for your family is as safe as possible.
- Start with the right kind of nursery paint. There are a lot of things that go into some paints that should not be around your young children. Many kind of paints have what are known as “volatile organic compounds” or VOCs. When these are in paint products they can have a profound impact on the quality of the air in the rooms where they are used. It has been estimated that when the level of VOCs top 500 parts per billion (PPB), people who suffer from issues with allergies to chemicals can be impacted. It is important to get nursery paint that is labeled “low VOC paint.” When you are looking for nursery paint, ask about getting non-toxic clear coat paint and other options for your paint coverage.
- You have more options for flooring. Getting the right nursery paint is only the start. There are some great, eco friendly materials that work great for nurseries. If you are starting from scratch, you should look beyond warm and fuzzy carpeting. Dust mites, allergens and other problem substances love to live inside carpet. If you look at eco friendly bamboo or hardwood floors to get the look you want. There are things you can do to clean any carpet that may already be in the room you want to use as a nursery. Many carpet cleaning companies do have green options for doing this kind of work.
- Make the bedding organic. When you are getting the furniture for your child’s room, look at mattresses made from organic materials. Many non-organic bedding has a lot of chemicals applied to them. They have chemicals to stop fires. The chemicals they use to stop or slow down a fire are dangerous themselves. The bedding will give off fumes that can cause health problems for your child. Keep in mind, your little one will spend a lot of time in their bed so you need it to be as safe and healthy a place as possible.
- Skip the “DIY” furniture. There are a lot of shops out there that sell furniture that you can put together yourself. That may work well for your entertainment center or bookcases, you should look elsewhere. The best kind of furniture you can get for your nursery is solid wood. If you cannot afford to buy new, wood furniture, you can go for used. Buying used furniture is the ultimate way to recycle items. The only time you should think twice about used furniture is if you are looking at really old items. They might have been made before we knew some of the dangers of some of the materials in furniture. For example, lead was put in a lot of paint before the health issues were clear. Just make sure you steer clear of items that use particle board or fiberboard. These have formaldehyde and that can cause cancer, at the worst edge of the spectrum, or headaches. Never get a used mattress. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents not buy used mattresses for their infants.
- Keep items made from cheap plastics out of your nursery. Many toys and fun items are made from cheap plastic that has chemicals such as phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA). These can absorbed by the body and cause health problems. Also, items that were manufactured overseas may have other chemicals that can be dangerous for your and your child. Not all countries are as stringent as the United States.
More and more items are becoming available to help parents create more environmentally friendly nurseries and homes. When you are looking for cleaning products to use in your eco friendly rooms, get the greener options. You can keep yourself and your family healthier with better nursery paints and other products.