For years you've dreamt of installing rubber floors in your child's playroom; something cute with bright colors, something that doesn't hurt Junior if he falls on his little butt. Then those dreams are shattered when you find the little one covered in red blotches and hives after playing with his birthday balloons. There's a good chance that he's allergic to latex.

If you have rubber floors in your home, this could be a big problem. Natural rubber floors are made primarily with "latex." Any contact with the natural rubber flooring and Junior may have an allergy attack.

Relax! Before you go into cardiac arrest, consider your alternative. Yes, rubber is a big no-no for people allergic to latex, but there's still synthetic rubber, the artificial alternative to natural rubber.

Synthetic rubber was first created during World War II due to a lack of latex resources. Today, synthetic rubber serves as the best substitute for natural rubber, and its artificial properties make it even stronger. Since many people are allergic to latex, synthetic rubber flooring is preferred in places like hospitals and gymnasiums. Plus, they're slip-resistant, anti-static, and anti-microbial! The only setback is that synthetic rubber is not a renewable resource, for those of you who try to "think green."

With synthetic rubber flooring, you and Junior will be able to breathe a little easier. To get started on installing your synthetic rubber floors, look at the Professional or DIY section under Rubber.