How to choose a carpet for a nursery?

For decades, pediatricians have been arguing about whether a carpet is needed in a nursery or not. Most of them are still sure that the floor in the children's room does not require additional coatings, because wet cleaning in it should be carried out twice as often as in the rooms of adults. In addition, carpets are ideal storage facilities for dust mites. Naturally, a newly born baby does not need any carpets. But as soon as your child grows up, the problem will identify itself. The child takes his first steps, and it is impossible to learn this without falling. This is where the need for carpet comes in.

The baby's room is subject to change. The little master of the room grows, and his needs and tastes change with him. For a child under one year old, parents arrange a room in accordance with the characteristics of his age: a small bed for the baby, a table on which it is safe to swaddle him, a sofa or a comfortable chair for mother and baby during feeding, a small chest of drawers for diapers and baby things. Carpets in the children's room at this time are needed, perhaps, only for sound insulation.

A child's room from three to seven years old is already equipped in accordance with other developmental tasks. At this age, he is engaged in drawing, modeling, games with constructors, and begins to write. Therefore, the furniture in the room also changes: the bed becomes larger, there is a table for drawing and writing, lockers for books and toys. During this period, the room needs not just a carpet, but a "smart" covering, which will not only become a comfortable bedding, but also a bright developing design element.

When choosing products for children, we give preference to natural materials. Sheep wool carpets are the ancient companions of our homes. Their high heat-shielding properties do not even need a description. In addition, a woolen rug will last you more than one year. But is he that good? If your child is allergic to wool, then it is contraindicated for you.

A carpet made of natural silk threads does not cause allergies. It will look great in the room, but it is very expensive. Cotton products are much cheaper. They perfectly absorb moisture and perfectly retain their shape after washing. But, as a rule, they are used only in the rooms of babies up to two years old, since they are not very large.

Linen, jute, sisal and even seaweed are also found among natural materials. Such coverings bear little resemblance to carpets, as they are more like mats. They are durable, hypoallergenic, inexpensive, can only be cleaned with dry methods, and are very durable. But only they are so tough that a small child will probably not like it. Rather, it is for teenage rooms in eco-style.

Synthetic fiber carpets are much cheaper than their natural "relatives". One of the most modern carpet materials is polyethylene foam. It has high heat-shielding properties, is not affected by any microorganisms, is waterproof and is not afraid of contamination. Coatings made of this material are very light. Their surface is embossed, which helps to absorb shock in case of a fall and protect the child from injury. The only drawback is the limited choice of colors.

Polyamide or nylon carpets are absolutely fireproof and non-allergenic. Lightweight, practical and easy-to-maintain coatings can be easily cleaned in case of contamination, can be wet cleaned, do not fade and keep their shape perfectly. They have a long service life. Negative properties include low thermal insulation and softness, fading resistance and a relatively high price.

Polypropylene carpets are very similar in appearance to woolen carpets. They do not get dirty, can be cleaned in any way, do not cause allergies and last as long as polyamide or nylon. Polyurethane carpets are produced in rolls or in the form of a puzzle. They are convenient because you can take them with you to nature. Nothing will happen to them, as they are waterproof. One of the foldable options is a rubber mat in a roll. It does not slip on the surface, it is convenient to do gymnastics on it or take it with you to classes in the gym or pool.

When choosing a carpet for a nursery, you need to measure the size of the room and take into account the location of the furniture. If the room is large, then you can buy a large carpet to cover the entire floor. But remember: if it partially gets under the furniture, then dust will accumulate in these places. In addition, from the point of view of aesthetics, it does not look very nice. A large carpet is suitable for preschoolers: this is their space for play, research and experimentation. If you choose a model with developmental pictures, then your child will socialize more successfully.

Children are very fond of carpets with a high and soft pile. But such products are very difficult to care for: due to dust, he needs frequent cleaning or washing. They also build up static electricity. In the room of a school-age child, a large carpet is no longer required, since the play place is replaced by a study one. A small, or better, bedside rug is suitable here. It is easier to care for it and it does not take up much space.

In a teenager's room, carpet can be of any size, but it should not fall out of the general style of room decoration. Alternatively, an oval or round rug in the center of the room. For a room of two children, it is better to choose two small carpets so that each child has his own area for play and relaxation.

Boys are more active and mobile. For their rooms, it is better to choose a carpet from artificial fibers with a small pile: they are more wear-resistant, denser, and easier to clean. A boy under three years old will like a carpet with images of fairy-tale or cartoon characters, cars. From three to seven years old, carpets that simulate a football field, or carpets with images of roads, cities or intricate labyrinths will be more appropriate.

Carpets with patterns have recently appeared on sale. Remember how as a child you drew roads and houses on a piece of paper. The images on such carpets are more reminiscent of just such children's drawings with top views. If your child's drawing could fit on a piece of paper, then the carpet is already a huge scale, and there is where to roam the children's imagination! A child can come up with any game plots: he is a driver of a car rushing along an intricate network of woven roads, then a pedestrian crossing the road, or a resident of a small town. Such coverage can be considered a full-fledged educational aid for children.

The industry produces such carpets with different colors and designs.For greater realism, in some models, different pile lengths are combined in the coating: for roads - a small and smooth pile, for trees, flower beds, houses - longer, softer and fluffier. This helps not only to realistically convey the terrain, but also to develop tactile sensations. Coverings with different textures can be massage mats at the same time.

Some firms include a set of toys with a carpet: cars, road signs, small houses, railways, bridges, figures of people and animals. Your baby will never be bored to play on such a carpet. The industry offers a variety of color combinations for these products. Don't be afraid that they are short-lived. They are made of polypropylene, and it is resistant to abrasion and mechanical stress, does not get dirty and is easy to clean. In addition, it is absolutely hypoallergenic, does not accumulate static electricity, does not fade or burn.

Nursery puzzle carpets are slightly different. These are products from several parts (mini-rugs) that the child can combine at will. This is a convenient folding option, each particle of which is either a separate microdistrict of the city, or a certain piece of the landscape with its own functional purpose. They can also include game tasks with numbers and letters. This design option makes it easy to fold it and take parts of the rug outdoors or on a trip so that your favorite game is always with your child.

The floor carpet in the girl's room is also selected according to her age. If your princess is still young, then the carpet in her room should be colorful and bright. On its surface there may be images of fairy-tale cities, heroes of your favorite fairy tales and cartoons, or flower drawings. Just like boys, girls will love carpets with maps and cities. So, the little hostess of the room will be able to imagine herself as a fairy princess living in an imaginary fairy land.

A carpet with an alphabet image will also look very nice. It will help your child learn to put together the first words and read. School-age girls will love the classic carpets, the girls' favorite game. Pink is most often adored at this age. A very interesting option for a room in pastel colors will be a carpet with a colored pattern - mosaic. It will become a bright accent in the child's room.

When choosing a carpet for a nursery the following criteria are important:

• the material must be absolutely safe for the child's health;
• the composition of the fibers of the product must have good heat-shielding properties;
• the coating should be well cleaned or easy to rub off;
• the design of the carpet should not violate the overall style of the nursery;
• the size and number of items must correspond to the size of the child's room.

We have already said above that cleaning in the child's room should be done often. Accordingly, the carpet must also be cleaned. This is especially true for rooms where pets enter. The peculiarities of carpet care depend on the composition of the fibers included in it and the nature of the pollution.

Many new carpets already have their own specific smell, the reason for which is the chemical treatment that improves their appearance. The specific smell of a new coating usually disappears within a week. During this period, you need to stay in this room as little as possible and ventilate the room in which he lies for at least two hours a day. Some indoor plants, for example, three-lane intensifier, help to purify the air in the room more quickly and neutralize harmful substances. They are absolutely safe for the child.

If the carpet is used in a damp environment, it may smell damp. Getting rid of this is not so difficult. It is enough to take out the carpet for ventilation outside or on the balcony (but not in direct sunlight, because of which the carpet can lose its rich colors). It usually takes about a day to completely dry the product. The smell of dry cleaning from the carpet just obtained from dry cleaning is eliminated by ventilating the product in the open air or by frequently ventilating the room.

Smells of organic origin (mold and mustiness) indicate the presence of fungus in the pile. To do this, you can contact a dry cleaner, where they will carry out a special treatment. If you do not have this opportunity, then you can do it yourself, using antifungal agents (for example, from Delu).

• Carpet should be taken out into the street and carefully rub the front and back surfaces of the carpet with a stiff brush. Work only with gloves and a gauze bandage!
• Apply the product, according to the instructions, to the surface of the carpet. At the same time, make sure that it completely saturates it.
• Allow the carpet to air for a certain amount of time (usually the packaging indicates how long to wait). Then rinse on both sides and dry thoroughly (at least 3-4 days).

Home oxygen carpet cleaning also helps remove odors and fresh stains. To do this, prepare a solution of soda and vinegar (300 ml of water and vinegar), which is applied to the contaminated area with a swab and left to dry completely. After that, this place is sprinkled with baking soda, which is then sprinkled with a solution of 300 ml of water and 100 ml of hydrogen peroxide. The place of application will immediately be covered with lush foam, which is left for two hours. After that, just vacuum the carpet well or wipe with a damp cloth and dry.

Soda, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide and any washing powder will help you wash stains from a synthetic carpet and remove odors from it:

• cover the stain with baking soda with a thick layer;
• prepare a solution of 100 ml of peroxide and the same amount of water and add a teaspoon of washing powder to it;
• gently shake the resulting solution and apply it to the stain on top of the baking soda - foam will appear immediately;
• after two hours, rinse off the residue from the carpet with warm water.

Bright colorful cotton rug is easily washed in case of dirt and is perfect for babies up to one year old. A rug with numbers will help your child learn to count, and arithmetic will never be boring. Round bedside rug for the real astronaut and adventurer. A rug with roads, houses and traffic signs will help you learn traffic rules in a playful way. This option is suitable for children of any gender.

This option is suitable for a school-age boy who is actively involved in sports. Carpet with an unusual shape will perfectly complement the fabulous interior of the little princess's room. Such an unusual coating will become a bright design solution for a teenage girl's room.The bright mosaic pattern of the flooring accentuates the floor covering and perfectly complements the laconic interior.

For information on how to choose the right carpet for the nursery, see the next video.