You may be thinking that coming out of the shower onto a nice warm carpet may seem like heaven, but it is actually one of the worst things that you can do for your bathroom.
In this blog post, we will go over why carpeted bathrooms are bad and some better alternatives for your bathroom flooring.
Brief Answer To The Question Why Are Carpeted Bathrooms Bad:
There are countless reasons why carpeted bathrooms are bad. Below we will go over each one in detail.
Carpet in the bathroom will absorb water and moisture
When you take a shower, even if you have an exhaust fan there is a very large amount of moisture that enters the air.
This moisture will eventually settle on your bathroom floor and if you have carpet, it will absorb that moisture.
If you shower everyday, that means the carpet won’t have a long enough time to stay dry. This will result in mold and mildew growth on and under your carpet.
Carpets Easily Stain
There are countless things you do in the bathroom. Going to the bathroom is the first one. Sometimes accidents happen and allow for spills on the floor. Urine, vomit, and blood can all ruin a carpet. Even if you’re careful, things like makeup, toothpaste, and shampoo can also cause difficult stains.
On the other hand when you have a solid floor, wiping things and dispelling of fluids is much easier. It can be easily wiped down with bleach or any other cleaning agent.
Carpets Hold Odors
Have you ever noticed how a room with carpet smells different than a room with hardwood floors?
That’s because carpets are great at trapping odors. No matter how much you clean them, they will always hold some of the odor.
This is especially true in the bathroom where there are so many different odors. Even if you can’t smell them, trust us, they’re there.
How To Maintain a Bathroom Carpet
In order to maintain a bathroom carpet you would have to deep clean it every 15 days or so. You can get a professional company to do this or you can do it yourself.
This is very time consuming and maybe isn’t worth the time and energy. If you just bought a house and it happens to have a carpet in the bathroom, get rid of it as soon as you can to save yourself the hassle.
Are There Any Benefits Of Having a Carpet In The Bathroom?
After analyzing every angle we could, having a carpet in the bathroom has absolutely zero benefits other than the ground being a bit warmer when you get out of the shower.
You could also make the argument that it’s softer on your feet but that’s about it.
It is definitely not worth the headache that it will give you down the road.
What Are The Best Flooring Options For Your Bathroom?
There are many alternatives that are much better than carpet. Below we will go over each one, their benefits, and the downsides of each as well.
Porceilan Tile
Tile is one of the most popular flooring materials for bathrooms. It is very easy to clean and maintain and can last a very long time if taken care of properly.
The fact that it’s waterproof is also a huge selling point.Tile comes in many different styles, colors, and designs so you’re bound to find one that you like.
The main downside of tile is that it can be cold on your feet when you first get out of the shower. You can alleviate this by getting a heated floor mat or radiant floor heating.
It can also be pretty slippery at times which can be dangerous if you have young children or elderly people living in your home.
Vinyl Tile Flooring
Vinyl flooring is a cheaper way to get the same look as tile. It is also waterproof and very easy to take care of.
If you’re someone who likes to do projects yourself, vinyl flooring is very easy to install.
The downsides is quality. There’s a reason its cheaper than tile, it’s not as durable and doesn’t last nearly as long. Although it doesn’t last long, it can still last up to 15-25 years if you take care of it correctly.
Stone
Marble, granite, and slate are all great options for bathroom flooring. They are very durable and have a luxurious look to them.
Stone is also pretty easy to take care of as long as you’re willing to put in the effort. The main downside of stone is that it can be pretty expensive.
That’s why you mainly see it in higher end homes along with some luxury hotels.
Stained Concrete
This is another good one if you’re looking for a unique look. Stained concrete can give your bathroom a modern look while still being very easy to take care of.
the downside is that when concrete is stained, everything stands out more, including the imperfections of the floor. It’s important to get a professional for this one to make sure it’s done correctly.
What Are Floors To Stay Away From In Your Bathroom?
We already went over how carpet is a terrible idea, now let’s go over some other flooring options that could go bad as well.
Wood Flooring
Wood flooring is amazing almost everywhere except for the bathroom. The reason being is that wood is not waterproof and will eventually warp and rot if it’s constantly exposed to moisture. So unless you’re willing to take the risk, we recommend avoiding wood flooring in the bathroom.
Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring is actually similar to vinyl flooring. The difference is that it’s made to look like wood, stone, or tile. Laminate is also not as durable as vinyl and can’t withstand as much water exposure. So unless you’re planning on constantly mopping up any spills, we recommend avoiding laminate in the bathroom as well.
Can you remove bathroom carpet yourself?
Now that we’ve established carpets in bathrooms are a terrible idea, you might be wondering if you can remove the carpet yourself or if you need a professional.
The answer is that it depends on how the carpet was installed in the first place.
If it was glued down then you’re going to need a professional to remove it. If it was installed with nails or tacks then you might be able to remove it yourself.
We recommend getting a professional no matter what just to be on the safe side.
Other Popular Questions
Were carpeted bathrooms ever popular?
Carpeted bathrooms were actually pretty popular in the 70s and 80s.
They were seen as a way to make your bathroom look and feel more like a living space. Carpets represented warmth and luxury and were seen as a sign of status.
Of course, we know now that carpet in the bathroom is a terrible idea. But at the time, it was actually pretty popular.
What is a good way to keep bathroom flooring warm?
Although you can’t have carpets in the bathroom, you can still make your bathroom floor warm and cozy.
One popular way to do this is to install radiant floor heating. This involves putting special mats under your bathroom floor that heat up and radiate warmth.
Another option is to put down an area rug in front of the sink or bathtub. This can give your feet a little bit of warmth when you get out of the shower or bath.
Does every bathroom need waterproof flooring?
No, not every bathroom needs waterproof flooring.
However, we highly recommend it for any bathroom that gets a lot of traffic or where there is a lot of water exposure.
So if it’s your main bathroom that you use every day or if you have small children, then we recommend getting waterproof flooring.
In summary
We hope this post answered your question of ” are bathroom carpets a good idea?”. We think its safe to say that the answer is no, they are not a good idea.
The best bathroom flooring options are tile, vinyl, stone, and concrete. The worst flooring options for bathrooms are wood and laminate.
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