# Solution for Apt dwellers who hate carpet?



## sora (Oct 7, 2006)

I have wall to wall carpet in my apartment. I think Western carpet culture is something I cannot understand. In Asia, we think it's very dirty. Sometimes I have some people over and walk in my apartment with shoes on, which drives me insane. I am renting so I can't change though.
Is there something I can put over the carpet, at least in dinning room, where my baby spalsh food all over! I thought about a big rug but most of them cannot be washed in a washer. They either have to be professionally cleaned by carpet cleaner or washed flat - I don't know how to wash a big rug by hand and dry flat. Machine washable ones are too small.

Any idea pls?


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## jsmith2279 (Jan 12, 2007)

We just used a big blanket.


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## Yooper (Jun 6, 2003)

How about linoleum "rugs". You could inquire at a tile or flooring store. I am not sure they are still made but we have a bunch of really old ones in our attic and I thought they would be a good solution to cover unsightly floors/carpet. Not to mention much easier to clean.


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## es1967 (Oct 31, 2007)

I know how you feel about carpet. I made sure to put tile everywhere in my condo when I moved in. Were thinking about moving and thats something I will not compromise on. My husband doesn't understand that but just the thought of not being able to wash my floors with a baby would drive me mad. Sorry, I have no advice for you. What type of flooring do you have mostly in Asia. I've always thought it so smart that your culture takes off its shoes in the home !


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## KnockedUpButtercup (Feb 20, 2007)

In the apartment we had before we bought this house, I tried putting down a big square of tile under the table, because the carpet under there was suffering...I bought a "tile remnant" at Lowes and cut it with scissors to fit the area. There were some problems:

1. the edges curled

2. it used to give us the equivalent of a giant "paper cut" when someone would accidently scrape their foot along the edge

So we scrapped it. I just wound up buying a home carpet shampooer and using it about once a month (imagine a small apartment, 1 husband, 2 sons, 2 dogs, 1 cat, and pair of guinea pigs in a big cage). I bought a huuuuuuuuge bound carpet remnant (also at Lowes) to cover the floor in the living area, and shampooed that too.

Don't worry about washing this kind of rug (carpet remnant)...they're really sturdy, in my experience.

Oh, and we vacuumed every day. I'm fairly OCD, but my sons were big enough to take a turn vacuumming, so that helped.

OH! I thought of something for your dining room situation...why don't you check out an office supply store for those hard "floor saver" things they use under desks, where people are going to be rolling a chair back and forth?

AND! I just remembered something else...you can buy these rubber-type tile squares that fit together like puzzle pieces, at the hardware store...they come in a million colors. People use them for garage flooring, or to make a padded area that's comfortable for standing in front of a workbench or stove. That might allow you to cover your dining room floor in some way.

Good luck with a solution,

Holly


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## lirpasirhc (Oct 26, 2007)

i hate my apt carpet also. we have beautiful hardwood floors underneath. management is pulling up the carpet when ppl move out of the apts, but they won't let us remove the carpet or pay them to do it.







have you heard about canvas "rugs." i read about it in martha stewart (june 2004 issue). apparently women used to make them often. i ended up not making any b/c i have no where to paint, but i saved the instructions for later. it would be more work than buying a linoleum "rug," but you could paint it any pattern/color you wanted. they looked amazing in the mag.


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## EdnaMarie (Sep 9, 2006)

Linoleum "carpet" would work for the kitchen but you would need to install it well which would be hard to do for a temporary job. You could also put a big square in front of the door with a shoe rack right outside of that square.

It is not unheard of in the northwestern US to have a polite sign when you walk in, something cute, that says something like, "Please leave your shoes at the door. Thank you!" I don't know about Canada but when we go to the US we are definitely going to have such a sign. Also you can just stand there politely when they come in and gesture to the shoe rack: "This is for the shoes." or "You can put your shoes here." when taking coats.

Also we eat Asian-style (on the floor) and use a big tablecloth on the floor. Could you put a light tablecloth, which is easy to wash, under the table like a rug?


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## Purple*Lotus (Nov 1, 2007)

Thanks for these tips! I was lurking in here because my apartment also has wall to wall carpet, even in the kitchen! I can not imagine why anyone thought that was a good idea. I could just cry when I accidentally drop a spoon while cooking or something, it is a pain to get it clean. I will try these suggestions


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## MidgeMommy (Mar 22, 2007)

I grew up on the west coast of the US, near the beach, and ITA - CARPET IS GROSS!

Thanks for the tips, I have been trying to figure out ways to cover ours, I can't even imagine the germs baby girl could find in it. She's been playing on blankets and a sleeping bag, but once she's fully mobile that won't be an option.

Going to find the canvas rugs.....


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## mothragirl (Sep 10, 2005)

we have carpet too. i get it steam cleaned once a month. guest leave their shoes by the door. i tell people "you can leave your shoes right here" when they come in, they get the message.


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## sora (Oct 7, 2006)

I have puts a sheet or towel under the high chair, but I had to remove them after eating because it really doesn't look good. I have tried putting sheets and blankets all over the living room when my dd was starting to crawl, but it also look really gross so my hubby didn't allow me to. I heard when you get your carpet steam cleaned, you have to be careful about carpet shampoo. The residue can trap more dust. Also have to make sure the carpet is totally dry (better to do it in a dry day).

In Korea, we don't use carpet at home. We use hardwood, laminate or linoleum even in bedrooms. We have wonderful heated floors. Traditionally they were heated through stones underneath. I remember sleeping on our warm floors and waking up so fresh next morning....Now they use natural gas.


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## ***Heather*** (Sep 28, 2006)

I know how you feel. I live in an apartment and I hate our floors. Ugly, gray, thin carpet. After 4 years of going crazy, I finally bought our own little carpet cleaner. It makes a world of difference.


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