Nonallergic Flooring

Ceramic Tile

• Ceramic tile is a very sturdy floor material, and is also great in homes that need to be hypoallergenic. Ceramic tile is watertight, and is very easy to clean. Ceramic tile needs to be swept and mopped daily to keep its surface free of dust and dirt. Fortunately, ceramic tile is stain-repellent, and even the stickiest mess will come up with not too much effort.

Laminate

• Laminate is not as durable as ceramic tile, but it is much cheaper. Laminate is also easy to clean, but you have to take extra care, as laminate can rip easily in high-traffic areas. When laminate does rip, it can be expensive to repair, so it is vital not to use laminate in homes with very small children. Laminate comes in a variety of colors and patterns, and can be made to look like other types of flooring, including wood or ceramic.

Vinyl

• Vinyl, as with laminate, is also available in sheets, and is easy to clean. However, vinyl is a bit thicker, which makes it more durable in a home with heavy traffic or small children. Although vinyl can be more expensive than laminate, it is just as easy to clean, and its hardiness makes it an ideal choice for a hypoallergenic home.

Natural Hardwood Flooring

• Although most hardwood material is engineered, if you can find a natural hardwood product, it can be used in a hypoallergenic home. Natural hardwood floor is fairly sturdy, but frequent traffic can cause scratches. Although these scratches can be buffed out, the products needed to repair them contain chemicals that are not safe for the hypoallergenic home. Another factor you need to think about with natural hardwood floors is cost, as they can be quite expensive.