Alternative to carpet.

[OldJoseph]

We've a 6 berth Vango tent with the carpet to match. The carpet however gets grubby quickly but won't fit in the machine. I've sent it to the cleaners before, but that's pricey. So I'm reviewing my options...
1 Buy a smaller carpet that will fit in the washing machine. It doesn't need to exactly fit the tent space but I'm worried it might create a trip hazard.
2 Use some other type flooring (hoping for any recommendations here).
3 Get less fussy about the state of the carpet (not going to happen as I seem to have a thing about clean floors).

Would love to hear any recommendations for number 2.

You can get awning mats , sometimes just used as grass mats, at all caravan shops. They are washable with a jet wash hose, and easy to just brush dried mud off of. We use one in our drive away awning if people are sleeping in it and it is fine.

We also use picnic blankets and hung them in the washing machine.

I did wonder about an awning mat (I've seen them but didn't know what they were called). I think picnic blankets mightn't stay flat for long.

We've also considered cutting our carpet in half and somehow sewing the seams, but I'm not sure about that.

Thanks for your help.

I have a big piece of this cut to size. The best thing about it is that all the crumbs and dirt fall through the holes to be swept up when I pack away at the end of the holiday. It also stays on the floor better than tent carpet without bunching up.

My carpet doesn't get that dirty! We only tend to eat outside or in the awning, and have no shoes rule in the tent. I take a small collapsible box that I leave by the door for shoes, and take crocs for the kids as they are easy to slip on and off.
I have a plastic mat which I put on the floor outside the tent door - I have found this really helps to stop the issue of having a mud patch outside the tent door, so we don't get much mud walked in the tent. The mat I have is from Tiger and is a woven plastic, so not too slippy and doesn't collect water.

Ikea bath mats are £1 each - i have 1 outside the tent and 1 inside (as advised on a previous very useful thread on here) with the ikea bag for shoes (ditto) next to it.

Thanks for your suggestions. I do have rules... but somehow the dirt finds its way in.

I may go with Thumbcat's suggestion OR vinyl carpet protector at the sides (we don't walk but the fridge and tables are there and DH wants something there) and a smaller carpet in the middle.

If you have a steam cleaner for hard floors you could go over it with that, occasionally do dry dirt marks on carpets and it's fab

Those play mats that fit together like a jigsaw? Halfords sell them in black, if you don't want a toddler-group look. this or this though Argos sells the coloured playmat version cheaper, I think. Not sure how you clean it - I wonder if you can put it in the dishwasher, stacked in the plate racks, on a cold wash?