To think carpets are grim?

[flawedflooring]

I never gave much thought to carpets until a couple of years ago. We moved from a house with wooden floors to one with carpets and it grosses me out a bit.

I used to mop our floors once a week and the water would be pretty filthy. Now that we have carpets all that grossness is just sitting there in the carpet. Not to mention that I have been potty training DC too, which brings its own new level of grossness. Obviously I vacuum and could get it professionally cleaned, but in between times it'd still be pretty grim.

Also, with wool carpets there's a good chance you'll have some moths making themselves a nice home within, and now, knowing what we know about micro plastics, synthetic doesn't seem like the best plan either.

I'm just baffled, why do they exist? I know they're nice and warm underfoot, but so are slippers. We lived briefly in a country where carpets were nonexistent and now I understand why. Are we the only country that covers our houses in something that's pretty impossible to clean properly?!

YABU = carpets are the best thing ever
YANBU = carpets are grim

I don't like carpet downstairs. Upstairs I think is fine as it's not walked on as much. I had carpet in my last home and it doesn't mix well with a baby with reflux and kids eating food.

Agree OP
Carpets are dirt magnets

I prefer carpets in living rooms and bedrooms. Much cosier and warmer, gentler on the feet. Of course they get cleaned. You hoover up the dirt and dust, and then steam clean them when you need to.
But when we moved in, there were carpets in the bathroom - ew! first thing to get ripped out.

I mop the kitchen floor once in a blue moon, the odd stains get wiped up. It is never that filthy. But we don't wear shoes in the house, don't smoke, don't have pets.

so the carpets don't get that bad either, and are of course vacuumed a couple of times a week.

bathroom carpets admittedly daft because, water.

Not something I can get worked up over to be honest. I have a mix and the carpet is no more dirty than the wood floors.

Christ the stuff people give headspace... A bit of dirt is good for you... The rise of allergies and such in kids had been linked to super clean and sterile homes. 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

YABU. We went ages without carpets because we were re-doing our house and it was bloody freezing. Having underlay and carpet put down made a huge difference.

I also vacuum daily (we have four animals) and steam clean them a couple of times a month.

When we moved into our house there were carpets in the kitchen. They were filthy, gross and even had an iron stain on them! Removing the carpet was on our to do list, but (thankfully!) the dog had a really bad upset tummy so they came out much quicker than anticipated! I was so relieved! Do prefer carpets in bedrooms though, and I am obsessed with our carpet cleaner which makes me feel better!

Agreed about allergies.

Anytime I stay in a place with carpets I sneeze all day and night like a mad thing.

Just got a vax. Problem solved.

YANBU

I can't have carpets as I have to Labradors. Hair, mud, wet, slobber...

Currently in a rental with cream carpets and the house I'm buying will need carpets removing.

I hoover every day, sometimes twice, have a fashionable hoover and I'm pretty sure my dogs don't shed what my hoover picks up. I swear these really sucky hoovers ruin carpets, it's surely the fibres from the carpet I'm hoovering up too?!

I don’t let anyone wear outdoor shoes inside to keep the carpets clean. But the colour of the water when emptying the carpet cleaning machine would make you 🤢
Shudder

Is it a Dyson? They do have a reputation for ruining carpets.

Is it a British thing carpets? I love them. So soft and warm.

Only if you have a crap hoover.

I agree OP, I don't like carpet, although I have carpet on the stairs, landing and bedroom. I don't wear outside shoes in the house but still the carpets get grubby (I do vacuum and wash them). It's similar to the way I hate fabric seats on public transport, (thinking about the piss, sweat, beer and whatever else is embedded in the fabric makes me heave). I realise I'm in a minority, but i'm not wrong! I'm slowly swapping my carpet for hardfloors with rugs and wondering how I can avoid carpet on my stairs? My dream home would have marble floors and underfloor heating

Hate wooden stairs. I grew up in a house with wooden stairs, and thought it was normal to slip and fall down the stairs frequently. As an adult I have carpeted stairs and my DS never fall down them. Visited my DSis at Christmas, she has wooden stairs and youngest DS fell from the top to the bottom.
I agree about no carpet in kitchen, dining room and bathroom though.

I never understand the issue with carpets being dirty..... you're walking on them, not licking them. Also, how do they get dirty? As a no shoe house, mostly it is just dust ie: skin, and cat hair, which is the same stuff you wipe up from hard floors, and hoovering will do the same.

We have had our pale cream carpets for 15 years, and only just got them cleaned . BUT, they were not stained, and tbh not much dirt came out. We bought a VAX because we felt guilty for not having done them. Did bring the pile up though. We have them in the lounge and dining room. Hard wood floors in hall, kitchen and conservatory.

Haven't ever cleaned the upstairs ones. Are you all grossed out now?

We've always had carpet upstairs, but moved to a house with carpet downstairs a few years ago. I love them!

We swapped the hallway carpet to hard wood floors, because it wasn't practical but still have the rest. DH would probably get rid, but I just really like the feeling of warm, soft carpet.

We do clean them regularly and I must admit I love the satisfaction of pouring away the dirty water Carpet is much more homely IMO.

"As a no shoe house, mostly it is just dust ie: skin, and cat hair, which is the same stuff you wipe up from hard floors, and hoovering will do the same."

Hoovering doesn't though. See my comment above about pet dander.

"Is it a British thing carpets? "

Yes. They're not as common in other countries I've been to. I haven't been everywhere though so maybe there are other countries where they're very common as well.

"In southern Europe they tend to have lots of tiles everywhere

But we don't have the same climate."

Yes, but people don't have carpets in other parts of northern Europe either. It's not just a climate thing.

"I have laminate, I would love a house with real wooden floors."

I'm happy with laminate. Easier to clean I think.

Yes, but people don't have carpets in other parts of northern Europe either. It's not just a climate thing.

What they do have are well insulated, well heated homes. That’s not universally true of the U.K.

I have friends in Norway, I’ve spent some time there. I’ve never once felt cold in a Norwegian home. Lots of houses here are old, draughty and hard to heat.

I absolutely hate laminate, even the more recent stuff.

We had hardwood floors put in downstairs and could not believe the difference. So much warmer, better to look at, even the scent they have is lovely.

Carpet upstairs though!

I steam clean my carpets once a week