I have found shopping for household items to be more challenging with a health and environmentally conscious mindset, but I’ve enjoyed the challenge and am much happier about the things I’m bringing into my home. This past week, I was shopping for a 5×8 rug for my entry way and a rug pad. I thought I’d share some of my experience and what to look for.
Many carpets and rugs are made out of petroleum, increasing our reliance on oil and bringing more chemicals into our homes. Healthier options include wool, or natural fiber rugs like jute and sisal. The rugs in our house are all made of wool or jute and I have to say I just love the wool ones–they are stain resistant and very durable.
Many rug pads are made with petroleum based products as well and I found they often contain PVC. I accidentally bought a PVC one and it smelled horrible. It was promptly returned and I was pleased to find environmentally friendly pads made from 100% plant oils instead (like these sold at West Elm and Crate and Barrel). I’ve even seen them at discount stores like Home Goods, so you just need to look around to find them. I couldn’t be happier with the price, free shipping, or quality of the ones we bought from West Elm.
