Since I’ve already discussed the advantages and disadvantages of carpeting before, it won’t be a shock that I prefer anything over wall-to-wall carpets in a home. I also thought giving you the Top 10 Reasons Not To Have Carpet will help you understand exactly what happened in my home today.
Are you ready?
Here we go…
The Top 10 Reasons Not To Have Carpet
#10 Stains
No matter how diligent you are at keeping your carpet shampooed regularly, all carpets stain. Even stain proof carpet stains especially in areas where there is constant spillage or wear on the fibers.
#9 Matting and Crushing
Unless you know how to levitate, carpeting gets all matted and crushed. When the carpet is new, it looks so fluffy and welcoming, but after a bit of wear, it takes on that smooshed look. “Smooshed” is only good when we are talking about food. Ahhh…food.
#8 Color
Stuck. Yep! Once you choose a carpet color and install it, you are stuck with that color until the carpet is changed again. I don’t think most people change their carpeting every season or at whim, so I hope you like the color you choose for your wall-to-wall ocean of color.
#7 Maintenance
Although I do love the way vacuum marks look after I immediately finish vacuuming, carpets are harder to maintain on a daily basis. Even if you vacuum and shampoo regularly, small dirt particles will penetrate the weave and just la-a-a-a-a-a-ay there. Ewwwww!
#6 Wear
Everyone that enters your home needs to learn to levitate if you are going to prevent the carpet from having wear in high traffic areas. No matter how much you fuss, it will start to look worn. I don’t even wear shoes in the house and the carpet still gets worn out! Obviously I can’t levitate. Anyone want to teach me?
#5 Dirty All The Time
Just like I said in the maintenance reason, carpet is impossible to keep one hundred percent clean because dirt will accumulate under the weave and padding. You may not see it, but it is always lurking underneath.
#4 Durability
Carpeting doesn’t last as long as hardwood flooring or many other types of flooring. Some carpets can last 10 to 15 years. Depending on the carpet quality, traffic and how you maintain and care for it, the carpet could last even longer. However, it will not last as long as a nice, shiny hardwood floor.
#3 Toxic Chemicals
Since carpet is manufactured from synthetic materials, they contain toxic chemicals. These chemicals release gas for many years. When you walk into a carpet store, that smell wafting through the air is the gas/chemicals from the fibers, color/dye, fire resistant coating and stain proofing.
#2 Allergies
Carpeting equals dust. The more you walk on it, the more dust it creates. Plus, it holds onto the dust and dust mites. Yes, I said “mites” which means buggies. Ewwwww! Critters live in your carpeting! I’m telling you, I want to run through the house and rip it all up right this second and live on a concrete slab until it can be covered with something else!
Finally, last but not least…
(Using a deep announcer type voice)
The #1 Reason Not To Have Carpeting is….Cleaning vomit out of the fibers is one of the worst jobs ever!
Yep! Today I had to clean Alyssa’s chunky, chicken vomit out of her bedroom carpet. Alyssa has the flu and one of her barfing explosions missed the trashcan. Oh yeah! It ran down her dust ruffle and splatted into the carpet fibers. In case you didn’t know, nineteen year old vomit is worse than baby vomit.
In order to clean the carpet, I had to first convince myself that I could do it. Then I wrapped my nose and mouth with fabric, filled a bucket full of very hot water with cleaner, grabbed a big rag and knelt in front of the sickening puddle.
Got the picture in your head yet?
As I leaned over the spot scrubbing with the towel, I actually tried to think of happy thoughts like:
- I’m so glad that Alyssa still lives at home.
- I’m so thankful that I have a beautiful daughter.
- Children sure do grow up fast, but I have so many sweet memories.
While lost in this reverie of lovely thoughts while scrubbing the vomit spot, Bella decided she was going to try to eat the barfed up chicken chunks.
Please don’t throw up on my blog. I’m almost done.
Dogs can be so gross sometimes. Anyway, I didn’t let Bella eat anything that disgusting. Bella just sat and growled at me for moving her up on the bed where she couldn’t get to the action.
Alyssa is loaded with medication to keep her temperature under 103F/39C. I have been giving her crushed iced with Sprite and she’s had a couple slushy drinks. It has been several hours since Alyssa had to hang her head of the trashcan, but I’m not counting my chickens or chicken chunks yet.
Incubation time for this germ is about a week. Let’s see if I can muster up some good, strong, flu resistance and stay healthy. I guess we will just have to wait and see.
If I get sick, who volunteers to wait on me hand and foot if I promise not to miss the trashcan like Alyssa did today?
P.S. I hope you’re not disappointed that I didn’t take pictures of the carpet before I cleaned it.
(Said with a deadpan voice, but I’m roaring with laughter inside!)
I am like you – I don’t like carpets and I am lucky enough not to have any… just hardwood throughout and tile in the kitchen.
Lucky you Stéfan!!
Oooooog! If ever there were a reason I’d want carpet, it’s gone now! Fortunately, I’m safely free of it here. I hope Alyssa’s doing better, & especially that you stay healthy. As for the carpet… I vote for pulling it up – or covering it all with tarps! 🙂
Tarps! LOL That’s funny, Skip! I will tell Alyssa that tarps are the new fashion. Do you think she would go for it?
I don’t think so. LOL
We just switched to hardwood laminate in the main areas of the house, 1 bedroom is done, and 2 more to go for all of those reasons. And because I have 2 rescued dogs, one who literally lived in a cage in a puppy mill as a breeder, who have trouble holding it. She tends to stop and go like she did her whole life before even when I take her out on the hour. She only does it on carpet though, so when she switched to no carpet in most areas and keep the other doors shut, she holds it better. Unless someone leaves a blanket or shirt on the floor. And there is my gross sharing for the day. Lol hope your daughter feels better!
Heather,
Your “gross sharing” made me laugh! Thank you!!!!
Sorry, I like carpet. It’s cosier – a must when you live in a large house, in a cold country. It’s softer under the feet, and, if nowhere else, I must have carpeted stairs. With three kids running up and down all day – let’s just say, when the stairs were uncarpeted, the noise was horrendous! I have neutral carpets, grey and beige – you hardly notice them – and change the colours about with large rugs (extra cosiness). Yay for carpets. Hard floors are for kitchens and bathrooms. I have had hard flooring and hated it! Far too cold and noisy.
PS, I hope you don’t catch the flu bug, and that Alyssa gets well soon.
Nicola,
You sound just like my Mom! She loves, loves, loves carpeting. The big pros for wall-to-wall carpeting is the cozy-noise reduction factors. There just isn’t any denying it. 😉
I hope I don’t catch the flu either!!! I guess I will know I’m “safe” from all buggies!
You poor baby! How many nights did you cover your bed, the floors and even once your sisters hair with vomit? Plus, how many times did you cover your lap and back seat of the car? You did it so much I took clean clothes for you when we went on a trip to your grandmothers. lol
Finally you feel like me and this is just once that Alyssa’s done it to you.
I love carpet! Mine does not get dirty. You were never allowed to wear shoes on it either. Matter of fact, no one wears shoes on white carpet!
Love you! Kiss Alyssa for me.
Mom,
Alyssa has thrown up many times on the carpet, but it has been a very long time since she’s done it. Besides, I do know what it feels like to clean up vomit and have done it many times because I have thrown up so many times. Why you kept sticking me in the back seat of the car knowing that I got car sick in the back every time is really craziness! Think of all the sickness you could have prevented!!!
Yeah, I know all about your white carpet. That’s why I need levitation advice.
I love you too, however, I will not be kissing Alyssa until she is COMPLETELY well. If you want to come over and kiss her while she is crawling with flu buggies, you can come on over and do it. 🙂
Brings back fond memories of the throw up bucket.
I hate wall to wall carpets too… dusty and germy.
Good luck with the flu.
Thank you, Louise! Hopefully, with a little luck, I won’t get the flu! (crossing all fingers and toes)
I cannot stand carpeting! Even in a cold climate and in an old house, I will not have it. Did you read how it almost killed John Travolta’s baby years ago? It is toxic and it is bad for anyone who has pets in the house. I love hardwood floors with throw rugs here and there. The kind of rugs you can put in the washing machine.
Yes Katlupe! I did hear about John Travolta’s ordeal and I would be so happy not to have any carpeting at all ESPECIALLY after this latest ordeal with Alyssa. We both don’t want carpeting and we are currently turned off of chicken. LOL
Oh Sherry, I avoid using this verb at any cost, but this is a unique case so I better make it capital. I HATE carpet. 🙂
Your clean freak friend…
Andy, HIGH FIVE, my clean freak friend! 🙂
I hope that Alyssa gets better right away and that you don’t pick up the bug. You don’t have to, you know.
I’d prefer polished concrete myself, because who can afford real terrazzo? But my loved ones are all carpet-lovers. So, that’s that.
Enjoyed–well, admired your post and found it amusing and perversely fun. ;)TX
Perversely fun! That gave me a big smile! Thank you, Texanne!!
I’ve actually seen a whole lot of polished concrete and it looks pretty nice! I definitely prefer it over carpeting. I prefer everything over carpeting…Well, as long as it isn’t grass, straw or dirt. LOL
They are renovating our apartment buildings and I am SO thrilled that they will be installing wood! Nothing makes me feel worse than little bits of whatever quickly accumulating. AND, having a parakeet, complete with moulting…..I can NOT wait!
Aprilee!!!! I am so happy for you! That will be marvelous!!!! Okay, now I’m jealous. LOL
I am hoping that Alyssa is much better.
When I lived with shiny wood floors, I wished for wall to wall almost white carpets. Wouldn’t my 3 and 5 year old babies love the cushy feeling under their lil toes? Yes, I got my wish. We moved to a huge apt. with brand new wall to wall ‘you know whats’. Fast forward. My children are now 29 and 31 yrs old, have their own homes with…shiny wood floors. I am left behind with wall to wall, I can’t tell what the color is anymore ‘carpets’. They also left me with a sofa size chocolate stain…under the sofa. It was fun while it lasted. It didn’t last long. I want shiny wood floors again.
Wouldn’t that be wonderful?
Thank you, Sandy. Alyssa is feeling much better now.
I DO think it would be wonderful for you to get new wood floors! Maybe the kids should buy them for you. LOL
Hardwood floors and tile mostly in my house and oriental rugs ~ beginning to wonder about the one I have in the LR though ~ even though it is an oriental it is not a real expensive one ~ have a dog and had 2 dogs so carpeting Does Not Work ~ ^_^
So you think critters are growing in your oriental rug, Carol? LOL
Just ran across your “blog”…
I have argued the wall to wall carpet vs. wood floor dilemma for 30 years!
I hate carpet too. I could tell you all the hours I’ve spent trying to get stains out of carpet. The last straw was when I was married and we had two baby Shih-tzu’s and two children in the house. The pee in the living room was so bad that I would have to take allergy medicine in order to sit in the room. Well, one day I just ripped up the carpet and threw it out the front door. My ex-husband came home and had a major meltdown. We divorced. (Not JUST because of the carpet ordeal 🙂
I made the argument that day and every day since: “If you laid a shirt or sweater on the floor for one week and walked on it…Would you wear it again?” Hell no! You MIGHT get some of the stains out, you might not. Well….that’s what you are doing with carpet. Take that same shirt/sweater and lay it there for 5 years. Walk on it daily. Dab at it here in there with some chemicals. Yeah, real healthy isn’t it.
Now my grandson lives with me. He makes messes and slops along….I don’t mind at all. I take a paper towel to my faux-wooden floors. Clean! Clean! Clean!
(Feel free to use my “Laying a shirt down on the floor and walk on it every day” stand and watch people try to squirm out of that one!
Love your blog!
LOL You are so right about the shirt on the floor thing!! Brilliant analogy! I also love the way you just tossed that yucky carpet out the front door! Way to go!!
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and I’m so glad you love it!!! {{hugss}}
I have another angle. At age 60, I have health issues. I don’t have the physical energy and strength to lug around a vacuum on a daily basis. I cannot afford a maid or housekeeper.
I am diabetic and have osteoarthritis of my feet. Diabetics are supposed to keep their shoes ON indoors and out to prevent injuries to feet that could lead to diabetic foot ulcers and resulting LOSS OF FEET. With osteoarthritis of my feet, it is necessary for me to wear orthotic footwear to protect my feet from further trauma and injury as well.
I also have a cat. Years ago, we had pet cats when I was growing up, and I don’t recall those cats throwing up in the house. But today’s cats are fed oddball cat food–ingredients list looks like recipe for feed for horses and cattle and pigs–whereas a cat by nature should be a carnivore. All that “hay” in cat food, I believe, is what makes cats throw up nowadays.
You definitely have a great point. You really don’t have a choice except to wear shoes in the house and that just drags everything into your home and into the carpet. Thanks for the insight and perspective.
I think that the things we feed our animals and ourselves is just not that great. So many things have been added and it really hasn’t been for our good. Shame on “them” for adding all that stuff!
This is a great resource. Good article.Important and numerous information. Thank you.
Thanks!
I recently moved to the U.S. and it was hard to find an appartment with no carpets! I am not used to carpets at all, back home we use tiles or hardwood and I love using bleach to clean. The only place we could find with no wall to wall carpets, it does have carpets in the bedrooms, it makes me want to levitate like you ! Of course my cats love it but it is not hygienic. I was looking on line to find why carpets here are so common and I found your blog. Salutations!
Isabel, welcome to the U.S. and I know it is sooooo hard to find non-carpeted places to live. I’m so glad you found my blog. How has your first few months been?
By the way, I found your comment in the spam folder, but now that you have one approved comment, it shouldn’t happen again.
Thanks for this insight into carpet floors. I prefer having polished concrete floors to be honest. I found my information on concrete floors here… http://www.myfloor.net.au
I agree w/ u Sherry as well because u can get stains and everything else wrong with carpets but as well it is very hard to move heavy cabinets. When re doing rooms.
I’ve come across your blog. I moved into a flat about a year ago wall to wall carpets apart from kitchen and bathroom. I hate carpets too. It so much harder to vaccum them and I find I don’t do it as regularly as I like. The trouble is its a 1st floor flat above another flat. Any other floor will increase the noise. I’m thing of Luxery Vinyl Tiles. They are a little better on the noise level. All the carpets are brand new well year and a half old but I want to get rid it asap. At the moment I can’t afford the LVT so I’m saving like mad. I do want to donate my carpet to poorer families who cannot afford carpet or flooring. Your blog is fab and gives me motivation to get new floors ASAP.
Thank you so much for this article! I am printing this article and showing it to my husband. We moved into a fixer-upper with 30 year old carpets. They are NASTY! Ever since we moved in, I’ve had allergy problems. He thinks it’s the area(we are new here) – I know it’s the carpets. We’ve been watching home improvement shows and NO ONE is putting in carpets. I may convince him by the article and comments (thank you all for supporting my theory!) as well. I look forward to my new hardwood floors.
How you care for your carpet will determine how to answer this. Carpet catches all the dust, allergens, and other air borne particles. Carpets need to be vacuumed on a regular basis to remove dirt and help keep it clean. If it is professionally cleaned on a regular basis, then carpet is great.
If you have pets, high children use, and lots of spills, I would recommend hard surfaces. You will have to clean more frequently because hard surfaces can’t hold on to the particles carpet does so they either make the floors look dirty or they get introduced back into the air as the floors are walked on.
I’ve never understood the obsession with carpet. Get a nice rug instead and throw it on-top of some hardwood floors instead if you really want some fabric to walk on; it looks better, it’s easier to clean, and it can be easily replaced if it gets ruined (or if you change your mind and you can sell the old rug).
All carpets look the same after a few years, dirty and disgusting (because they are). Whatever color someone chooses never lasts, either it looks bad in a few years or it’s so dirty that it might as well be a bad color. Meanwhile, hardwood floors have a natural beauty highlighted by the staining (which is easier to restain than remove carpet then stain) that just isn’t ever matched by any carpeting. Just look at houses on the market, the houses with dingy carpets never sell as fast because nobody wants to deal with it.
I’m convinced the people who add carpets over hardwood floors are the same type of people who paint over nice wood trim and solid-wood doors whenever they see them.
“I’m convinced the people who add carpets over hardwood floors are the same type of people who paint over nice wood trim and solid-wood doors whenever they see them.” LOL! I think you’re right!