I am pregnant and my new carpet has a chemical odor. Is it possible that the chemicals in the new carpet can be dangerous to the fetus and my young son? If, so what should I do?

Your sense of smell is alerting you to chemicals present in new carpeting. Carpeting, its backing material, adhesives and carpet padding can all contain volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, which evaporate – causing the smell. And, unfortunately, some VOCs may indeed have health effects on your fetus as well as cause respiratory problems for your young son.

Do not try to clean the carpet with more harsh chemicals. The best course of action would be to thoroughly steam clean your carpets with plain water. Ventilation (opening windows, turning on fans) is also essential to keep VOCs from building up in indoor air. It will also help your carpet dry completely and quickly. The safest way to get rid of VOCs from carpeting is to remove it entirely. Since it was probably recently installed, this may not be a realistic solution. It’s important to continue to maintain a clean carpet as it can easily become a haven for dust mites and other toxins.

Also, visit the Marketplace section of our website for companies that specialize in eco-friendly cleaning products.