Why young children change the priorities
Pediatric health organizations have raised concerns about thirdhand smoke because of how small children live in a house. They crawl on carpet, put hands and toys in their mouths, nap against upholstery, and breathe closer to the floor where settled dust collects. Adults mostly smell residue; babies touch it.
Researchers are still studying how much thirdhand smoke exposure matters for health, so this page is not a medical verdict. It is a practical plan for parents who would rather not wait for the answer. If you have specific health concerns, especially with a premature baby or a child with asthma, talk to your pediatrician before move-in.
The good news is that the surfaces a child touches most are also among the easiest to replace or clean thoroughly.
A priority order for families
Floors in child spaces
Replace carpet and pad in the nursery and main play room if smoking happened there, or remove it in favor of hard flooring you can mop.
Nursery walls and ceiling
Wash, rinse, prime with a stain and odor blocker, and paint, finishing well before the baby sleeps there so fumes have time to clear.
Furniture the child will touch
Do not bring in upholstered pieces that came with the house. Hand-me-down cribs and dressers from a smoking household should be cleaned or skipped.
Air system
Clean ducts serving the nursery and living areas and use a good furnace filter, changed often for the first few months.
Kitchen and dining
Clean cabinet interiors and counters where bottles and food will be prepared.
The rest of the house
Work through remaining rooms as time and budget allow, keeping doors closed between cleaned and uncleaned areas.
Where babies meet residue
- Activity
- Crawling and tummy time
- Surfaces involved
- Carpet, rugs, floor dust
- What helps
- New or hard flooring, frequent damp mopping, HEPA vacuuming
- Activity
- Mouthing toys and hands
- Surfaces involved
- Anything at floor and table height
- What helps
- Washable toys kept in cleaned rooms
- Activity
- Napping and feeding
- Surfaces involved
- Upholstery, crib mattress, glider
- What helps
- New or thoroughly cleaned pieces only
- Activity
- Pulling up to stand
- Surfaces involved
- Lower walls, trim, cabinet fronts
- What helps
- Washing and repainting low surfaces first
During the work
- Keep the baby and pregnant family members out of the home while cleaning, priming and any odor treatment are under way.
- Ask for safety data sheets for every product used.
- Air the home well after primer and paint before moving in.
- Wash all baby clothing and bedding after the move, even items packed elsewhere.
- Ask visitors and caregivers who smoke not to smoke indoors or in the car.
General information for Cherry Creek, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.