Terri’s 1960s bathroom had non-descript 1980s ceramic floor tiles — so when making suggestions to brighten up the space, Pam suggested I search for machine-washable, cut-to-fit-, soft, cushy and comfortable wall-to-wall bathroom carpet. I found five places to buy this retro product. Hey: Keep it clean by machine washing often, and your toes (and blah floor tile) will thank you for it!
Reasons for carpeting in the bathroom
While we know that many people today squinch their noses at the idea of carpeting in a bathroom, there are several very good reasons other like the idea:
- To enjoy the feel, comfort and livability of wall-to-wall carpeting.
- To make unheated, cold tile floors feel warmer.
- To cover up a damaged, unattractive, or slippery when wet bathroom floor in an inexpensive and easy manner instead of spending more money or undergo construction to retile.
When was cut to fit carpet in bathrooms popular?
To begin my research into wall-to-wall bathroom carpeting, I asked my Mom if she ever had any herself. She told me that in her and my Dad’s first house — a 1962 ranch that they purchased in the mid 70s — had bright yellow wall-to-wall carpeting and original 1962 fixtures. To make the space more groovy, she removed the original wallpaper and put up new white and yellow butterfly wallpaper. She also reminded me of my Nana’s bathroom in the 1972 ranch house they built that had mint green wall-to-wall bathroom carpet. Nana installed the wall-to-wall carpet in her bathroom because the builder accidentally put slick wall tiles on the floor — a mistake she initially thought would be ok — but later proved to be a dangerous fall hazard. Adding carpet was a quick and inexpensive way to remedy the situation.
What is the best carpet for bathrooms?
Now of course you can’t just put any old kind of carpet in a bathroom. Bathrooms are high moisture areas and moisture is the enemy of carpet. Here are a few things I learned in my research to consider when choosing wall-to-wall bathroom carpet:
- Buy carpet specially made for bathrooms. This will likely be a 100% olefin material, or a water resistant nylon carpet.
- Make sure you install it according to the manufacturer’s directions — you want to make sure it is secure, to minimize the risk of slips and falls.
- Go for the wall-to-wall bathroom carpet that is machine washable. Note, you may need to take it to a laundromat with a bigger machine depending on the size of your room/carpet.
- Choose low pile carpet. The lower the pile, the less carpet there is to soak up moisture.
- Use a separate bath mat on top of wall to wall carpet near the tub or shower. This will help soak up excess water where it is most problematic and can easily be taken up to dry or be washed.
- Keep it clean.
- Replace often. Know that wall-to-wall bathroom carpet may not last as long as more permanent flooring choices in a wet space like the bathroom. Even if you are fastidious in your cleaning regimen, know that you will likely have to replace the carpet after four or five years.
Where to buy cut to fit carpeting made for bathrooms:
Townhouse Linens has 17 colors of Royale wall-to-wall bathroom carpet by Mohawk ranging from neutral to bright. They offer three sizes — 5’x6′, 5’x8′ and 6’x10. This carpet is advertised as being machine washable, fade and mildew resistant and made in the USA.- Townhouse Linens also has two other types of wall-to-wall bathroom carpet — Elegance in 6 colors…
- … and Madison Reflections in 9 colors — which are available in several colors and sizes, too.
