Toxic Air and other pollutants can harm your newborn baby and be a threat to your family.

Every expecting parent looks forward to setting up their baby’s first nursery. You spend the months leading up to the birth shopping in stores and online for the perfect crib, furniture, and decorations. You choose a theme and pick out paint, carpets, and other items to transform the room into the ideal sanctuary for your newborn. The thought of creating toxic air has probably not occurred to you.

Toxic Air can be Any Where!

Toxic air can have many sources, and it is nearly impossible to predict the off-gas stage of a furnishing with only your eyes. The source of toxic air could even be a toy! Often however, contaminated air does have a more down to Earth source such as mold, water damage, or moisture presence that causes mold. key is, the toxic air can have many sources, but mold is most commonly associated with natural toxic air formation from within the home.

You imagine of your precious baby dreaming away in their crib with colorful pictures and stuffed animals surrounding them on the shelves. But what kind of harmful microbial growth spores could be floating around the air, unnoticed? What else creates toxic air in the home?

“Air pollution may indirectly harm lung development by causing low birth weight, early birth, or improper immune system development. The health implications of this exposure are especially important as air pollution during the prenatal period may interfere with organ development and organogenesis.” – Effects of Pollution on Pregnancy and Infants

Importance of Indoor Air Quality

According to The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air quality is the 4th greatest pollution threat to American households. Unfortunately the air in your baby’s nursery is no safer than the other rooms in your home. If there is toxic air, the whole home can be contaminated.

But since we can’t see or smell these harmful air spores or toxic air, it’s hard to imagine these “invisible” enemies could harm your newborn.

Since babies breathe more often and they usually spend most of their time crawling around the floor at ground level. This makes babies at a much greater risk for ingesting harmful contaminants in toxic air. If you like, read more on Air Quality in our recent blog.

Use “Safe” Paint

It is very hard to find safe paint nowadays. Many brands claim to be low-VOC, but those levels do not include the other pigments or colors in the mixture. Colors are the leading source for VOC’s in paint. We recommend looking for paints with the Green Seal. These paints are certified to meet the strictest indoor air quality standards in the country.

Imagine if someone didn’t consider this and covered your home in a toxic paint not meant for indoors. This would rapidly create a toxic air for the home and only the painters know what the can warnings say. If your indoor paint shows signs of not being typical indoor paint or gives off an odor, this could be contributing to toxic air in your home.

Do Not Buy New Furniture

Sticking away from brand new furniture and instead buying used cuts down on formaldehyde that is emitted by both furniture finishes and glues. Formaldehyde resins “set” after five years, but it could be contributing to toxic air beforehand. Once it sets it becomes safe enough for a baby to be exposed to. The best part is that used furniture is it can be cheap! Check out your local thrift store or estate sale.

Stick with Organic Bedding

Take the money you saved by buying used furniture and invest it in a quality organic baby mattress and bedding. Traditional bedding can include the same harmful formaldehyde that is in new furniture. Regular mattresses have been treated with toxic flame retardants that can cause toxic air contamination and lead to breathing problems.

Avoid Pressed Wood or Particleboard

If you decided to go with new furniture after all, we recommend sticking with solid wood options. They will probably include finishes that have formaldehyde, but letting the furniture sit in a garage or storage area will help air it out.

Keep Chemicals Away

So now that you have a healthy area for your newborn, the next step is to keep it that way. It is important to only buy safe cleaning products, low in VOC’s.

Call Orange Restoration For Air Testing and Evaluations

Knowing your nursery is safe and your baby isn’t in any danger from indoor air pollutants you can rest easier at night. It can be a painstaking restoration process to find the right paint and materials but the extra effort is well worth it. If you have any questions or concerns about indoor air testing you can visit us online or give Orange Restoration a call 24/7.