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Corn Carpet

jenngolightly

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jenngolightly Contributor
jenngolightly
Posted

I've got a new home that I'm carpeting next week. I've narrowed my decision down and one of them is a name-brand carpet that is produced from corn sugar - the fiber is called SmartStrand. Question, does anyone know if that will affect me because I'm corn intolerant? I'm highly doubtful, but it caused me to think twice before making a decision.

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Korwyn Explorer
Korwyn
Posted

I know it isn't funny jenn, but in a way it is - only on this forum could you find someone worrying about being intolerant of their carpet!!!!! :D I know that I only react to stuff I eat or inhale into my mouth (drywall dust has wheat starch in it)....so...I guess the question would be what about the carpet dust? How intolerant are you of corn?

jenngolightly Contributor
jenngolightly
Posted
  • Author

B)

Yes, I know it's funny. A silly question that seems to have an obvious answer.

I was second guessing because the guy selling the carpet looked worried. I don't eat off the floor (gross), so I'm not really worried about it. It's not an allergy, it just makes my stomach hurt, headache, and makes me tired. I'm pretty sure that the carpet won't get on my food. And, as most all Celiacs are, I'm petrified of anything getting on my food and cc'ing me, so if anything falls on the floor, I toss it in the trash.

I guess I just needed confirmation that all will be well.

Jestgar Rising Star
Jestgar
Posted

Can you find somewhere that sells it and has samples so you can roll around on it for a while?

jenngolightly Contributor
jenngolightly
Posted
  • Author

Can you find somewhere that sells it and has samples so you can roll around on it for a while?

ROFL. I spit out my tea when I read this. I had to wipe off my monitor. :lol:

"Excuse me. Can I roll around on your carpet for five minutes?" They'd think I was a crazy-lady!

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

ROLF. I spit out my tea when I read this. I had to wipe off my monitor. :lol:

"Excuse me. Can I roll around on your carpet for five minutes?" They'd think I was a crazy-lady!

I think Jess suggested taking some samples home with you. Then you can roll around in the privacy of your own home. In your underware so that you can get maximum skin contact with the potentially offending carpet. :ph34r:

mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted

I think Jess suggested taking some samples home with you. Then you can roll around in the privacy of your own home. In your underware so that you can get maximum skin contact with the potentially offending carpet. :ph34r:

I was thinking more along the same lines as Jen - writhing around on the floor on it, or rubbing it against her cheek like a "blankie" and sucking her thumb :lol:

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Korwyn Explorer
Korwyn
Posted

I'm sure that someone will find a kernel of sanity in this cornversation someplace... :)

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Maybe we should cut the corny jokes and cobble together an answer.

I would give it a try. Unless you have a skin reaction to touching corn. You could rub it on the inside of your wrist. If it makes you itch, it's likely not the corn but the chemical binders.

mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted

Support the New Zealand sheep industry - buy wool!! Seriously, I know it's expensive, but it wears so much better and cleans so much easier (unless you are allergic to wool of course.)

Jestgar Rising Star
Jestgar
Posted

Support the New Zealand sheep industry - buy wool!! Seriously, I know it's expensive, but it wears so much better and cleans so much easier (unless you are allergic to wool of course.)

Or knit. It has the potential to harbor wool eating moths.

mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted

Or knit. It has the potential to harbor wool eating moths.

No, no, it is anti-mothed. Although someone's probably allergic to that too :P

Korwyn Explorer
Korwyn
Posted

No, no, it is anti-mothed. Although someone's probably allergic to that too :P

So if it is anti-mothed, does that meas it's been Godzilled?

jenngolightly Contributor
jenngolightly
Posted
  • Author

So if it is anti-mothed, does that meas it's been Godzilled?

:rolleyes:

You are having WAY too much fun with this! Did you take your happy-pills today?

mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted

So if it is anti-mothed, does that meas it's been Godzilled?

Ha Ha. Carpet that's been Godzilled in Godzone :lol: Sorry, Jenn, we have hijacked your serious question because we are out of control today.

Seriously, I never heard of carpet made from corn before. I don't particularly like the thought of it because corn plays havoc with my system. And I just spent a sleepless night without any idea of what got me so I do my best to stop things getting me. Are there any alternatives you are looking at?

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

:rolleyes:

You are having WAY too much fun with this! Did you take your happy-pills today?

If you take the wy out of his name, you get KORN!

Coincidence?

jenngolightly Contributor
jenngolightly
Posted
  • Author

Ha Ha. Carpet that's been Godzilled in Godzone :lol: Sorry, Jenn, we have hijacked your serious question because we are out of control today.

Seriously, I never heard of carpet made from corn before. I don't particularly like the thought of it because corn plays havoc with my system. And I just spent a sleepless night without any idea of what got me so I do my best to stop things getting me. Are there any alternatives you are looking at?

No problem. I have a good sense of humor and it wasn't a terribly important question... I'm well past the intro to Celiac phase...

I went through books and books of samples - all manufacturers put together sample books. I ended up with two books with really soft, thick, durable carpets with colors I liked, of course they were both made from this new synthetic fiber. The dealer was really excited about it - he's not a salesperson. When I told him about my problem with corn, he was uncertain about the carpet. I took the sample books home and spent a lot of time touching them with no lingering effects.

The corn industry... it just takes time until corn is literally in everything we own and eat. :angry:

I understand your suggestion to look at something else. It's something I'll consider. Although I'm not really worried, I also don't want to make myself sick.

Korwyn Explorer
Korwyn
Posted

If you take the wy out of his name, you get KORN!

Coincidence?

Bwahahahahaha....I think not!

GlutenFreeManna Rising Star
GlutenFreeManna
Posted

Y'all are too funny!! :lol::lol::lol:

In all seriousness, I can totally understand your hesitation. If it were me and the carpet was made out of gluten I would not buy it. Even though I don't eat carpet or eat things off of the carpet the chance of gluteny carpet dust would worry me. If it was made out of soy, however I MIGHT buy it just because soy is more of an intolerance for me than an allergy or autoimmune response. So I can see where you might think it's not a big deal if you just have an intolerance to ingested corn. I think I would ask, besides having colors you liked what are the advantages of this corn carpeting over traditional carpeting? You need not answer here, just saying think it over. You could also ask if there are any local public buildings (esp hotel chains) that have used this carpet already. Perhaps if you could go spend a day in a room that is carpeted with it you would get a better idea of if it would affect you. Or maybe not, just an idea. I think a valid concern would be whether vacuuming it would put corn dust into the air since I have read that vacuuming puts regular dust into the air for up to four hours.

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

You might write the manufacturer. Maybe they would let a chemist explain it. I think the corn is mixed with other chemicals to make the "plastic" carpet. There probably wouldn't be dust. Usually what you hear about new carpet is the fumes. Chemicals sort of evaporating out. I wish the neighbor's son was home, he's getting a doctorate in chemical engineering. If we are really worried, I could e mail him and see what he knows. He'll think I'm nuts be he's is super polite. :huh:

jenngolightly Contributor
jenngolightly
Posted
  • Author

You might write the manufacturer. Maybe they would let a chemist explain it. I think the corn is mixed with other chemicals to make the "plastic" carpet. There probably wouldn't be dust. Usually what you hear about new carpet is the fumes. Chemicals sort of evaporating out. I wish the neighbor's son was home, he's getting a doctorate in chemical engineering. If we are really worried, I could e mail him and see what he knows. He'll think I'm nuts be he's is super polite. :huh:

I emailed the company earlier today and I'm waiting for a response.

I'd love it if you emailed your neighbor's son! I'm pretty sure the chemical composition is changed significantly so it's no longer in a form that is dangerous, but it would be really helpful to have an expert confirm. Here are a couple of links so he can dig right in:

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Thanks!

Jenniferxgfx Contributor
Jenniferxgfx
Posted

I'm a chemist and from what I understand, all these plant derived fibers are so processed they resemble plastic more than any of their original starches or proteins. That bamboo derived "green" cloth that's so trendy now is basically just polyester, and I think corn is very similar. It's so far removed from corn, a reaction is really unlikely. I'm not an expert in this area but I'd buy it!

How cool there's corn carpet!

bbuster Explorer
bbuster
Posted

You might write the manufacturer. Maybe they would let a chemist explain it. I think the corn is mixed with other chemicals to make the "plastic" carpet. There probably wouldn't be dust. Usually what you hear about new carpet is the fumes. Chemicals sort of evaporating out. I wish the neighbor's son was home, he's getting a doctorate in chemical engineering. If we are really worried, I could e mail him and see what he knows. He'll think I'm nuts be he's is super polite. :huh:

I am not directly familiar with this, but yes, I think the corn would be broken down to the molecular level and used as part of the polymer building block, so in the end it is chemically reacted as part of the "plastic". There certainly would not be dust that is still chemically corn.

A crude analogy would be if you baked a cake that contained a batter with some corn starch in it, the final product would not be separable as corn starch (well, maybe in your digestive system).

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

I am not directly familiar with this, but yes, I think the corn would be broken down to the molecular level and used as part of the polymer building block, so in the end it is chemically reacted as part of the "plastic". There certainly would not be dust that is still chemically corn.

A crude analogy would be if you baked a cake that contained a batter with some corn starch in it, the final product would not be separable as corn starch (well, maybe in your digestive system).

Thanks.

jenngolightly Contributor
jenngolightly
Posted
  • Author

I talked to my boss yesterday - a chemist in her previous life - who assured me that the process they used to create the corn-carpet changed the corn into a synthetic material. So no worries! It's set to install next week.

Thanks for the lively discussion! :)

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