New carpets - when can you sleep in the room?

[whereisthejoy]

Having new carpets installed soon and been reading that they need to off-gas for a few days. Of course will be ringing the installer in the morning to talk through, but wanted to see if anyone knew anything on here (anyone know any carpet guys?? ). I'm only concerned as we are doing my DC's room first (age 2). This won't be wool of course as impossible to clean.

2 weeks.
Hope your sofa’s comfy

It is well known that carpets release VOCs which are used in the manufacturing process - I don’t have the references to hand but I saw some suggestions that you ventilate a child’s room for 2-3 days before sleeping they sleep in it. Apparently, VOCs decline fairly quickly but personally I would leave it a bit longer than that if possible. We air new mattresses etc for a few days before using as well.

Just had the whole house recarpeted, never heard of off-gas, we slept in the bedroom the same night the carpet was fitted

When we had new wool carpets fitted in bedrooms I just got them fitted first thing in morning then gave each room a really good hoover after the fitter had gone. Slept in bedrooms the same day.

But they don’t make the carpet in your house...

Even if the carpet shop has had to order them in instead of having them in stock, they’ve still been delivered there, and sat about till the carpet fitter is booked

Why would there be a set amount of time before they’re safe when it could have been any amount of time between being made and being in your house

Good point tabulahrasa the carpet will have been in a shop/van/warehouse anyway so getting “aired”
I used to work for a large flooring manufacturer and I have heard of this, admittedly we did commercial rather than domestic but it’s the same stuff and there was no advice to “off gas” anything

You'll get VOCs coming off for a while, it's mostly unavoidable (unless you are buying some very niche products). You get the same with mattresses, sofas, cars (upholstery and dash).

In fact cars plastic dashboards off gas forever. You know when you clean the inside of the windscreen and there is a fine layer of something slightly oily? That mostly comes from your dash. VOCs are everywhere.

There's a grand designs where they build the house to be allergy free for their children and have to go to extreme lengths with absolutely everything that goes into the house to avoid VOCs etc. Worth a watch, even just to be aware of how often you come across this stuff and never even know. And also to be grateful you don't need to worry about it!

our bedroom carpet was fitted in the morning kept the windows wide open all day (summer) and we slept in that room the same night no choice

@TheRattleBag

Slightly off topic, but if I was very rich with a very big house, I'd have one room which was kept empty of furniture, and fresh carpet laid every few months.

There's just something weirdly appealing about a freshly carpeted empty room!

Love this ^

I love the smell of new carpet, I'd be in there immediately

there are UK regulations on this, although as others point out the greater risk is to those making the carpets. No-one is going to fit something so dangerous that you have to evacuate the house.

it is a bit of a stink, which is why it is best to do carpet fitting at a time of year when you want windows open. Same if you are getting a new mattress; I did that last January, never again! (the expensive one that was delivered in error absolutely STANK, disgusting)

do not try to cover the smell with plug ins, air 'fresheners' (just extra stink) etc etc. Put on more clothes, open windows.

You've given me an idea for my new business OP - Hazmat pyjamas😉

New carpet has to be up there as one of the best (non-food) smells. I wouldn’t be missing out!

We can't smell a 'carpet smell' at all, I wonder if this is one of the things covid took from us?! Most things I can smell again but definitely no new carpet smell!

I did ask the fitters before they arrived about it and they said there shouldn't be an issue sleeping in there tonight - no adhesives etc. So hopefully that puts a lot of PP minds at rest!

However we will keep our daughter out for a couple more nights just to be safe all the windows have been open all day - I like airing the house anyway!