Should I have a carpet in the bathroom?

When selecting a flooring option for bathrooms, carpet is not always the first choice that springs to mind for homeowners. Floors in bathrooms need regular cleaning to stay hygienic, and caring for carpets can be more time-consuming than other flooring choices. Bathroom floors can also see excess water splashed from sinks or dripped after showers, and this spillage can be far easier to mop up from hard surfaces than extract from carpets.

There are many people, however, who still select a carpeting for their bathrooms. From appearance to additional comfort, there are multiple benefits to fitting carpet in your bathroom, but there are some downsides too. Read on to discover the pros and cons of carpet in your bathroom and to discover some other options available that you might not have considered.

Advantages of selecting carpet

There is no doubt that a high-quality carpet in your bathroom can create a luxury look. Bathrooms are no longer just functional rooms to wash in, but places where people like to relax. Carpeting a bathroom can not only enhance its appearance, but also offer sumptuous levels of comfort. Instead of stepping onto cold tiles in the morning, your feet can sink into the soft fibres of a deep pile carpet. On the safety side, carpets in bathroom can be an ideal way to avoid any unfortunate accidents from slipping. Some carpets have been specially designed for use in bathrooms, but they will still need regular attention to ensure they remain in top condition.

Disadvantages of carpeting

While carpets can be cleaned, this process will always be a higher maintenance task to perform than taking care of other flooring options, such as tiles. If not cleaned properly, carpeting can become stained with unsightly water marks and quickly lose its attractive appearance. Carpet can also sometimes struggle in wet environments – damp and mildew can develop if carpets are left uncared for and can lead to a build-up of germs and bacteria. To avoid lasting damage to your carpet, it is essential to stick to a strict cleaning schedule.

Alternatives to carpet in your bathroom

Maintenance-free and simple to clean, laminate flooring is a durable option for busy family bathrooms. Specially engineered with a water sealant and equipped with an underlay with damp proof capabilities, it is perfectly suitable for wet rooms. On top of this, it can resemble a wide variety of materials, from stately marble and natural stone to high-end granite.

Vinyl is another ideal choice for bathrooms, as, like laminate, it can replicate other materials, including polished porcelain or sleek ceramics. Both durable and affordable, it can even incorporate abstract patterns for added style. Multiple varieties of vinyl and laminate flooring can also be used in conjunction with underfloor heating systems, so you can enjoy some extra comfort underfoot.

Whether you opt for plush carpeting or the latest advances in laminate and vinyl flooring for your bathroom, you will find a wealth of options readily available to suit your needs.

Can I have artificial grass with a dog?

There is no doubt that an artificial lawn offers multiple advantages to homeowners. On top of exceptional aesthetics, the high-quality manufacturing, excellent warranties and additional environmental benefits have all altered people’s perception of synthetic grass. While it’s definitely lower maintenance to look after, many people considering purchasing artificial grass are curious as to whether it’s suitable for homes with a dog as part of the family.

Artificial grass is 100 percent pet friendly. It’s well-suited to dogs, allowing owners to sidestep bad habits including digging and let their canine friends out to play even on the wettest days, with no fear of mud being trampled indoors. Read on for a more in-depth look at the reasons why replacing your lawn with this effortlessly easy option might be a wise idea if you’re a dog owner.

Animal friendly

Many dog owners worry that the synthetic materials used to construct artificial grass might not be safe for their pets. The good news is that man-made lawns are designed to provide a safe environment for both children and animals, so no harmful materials are ever used. This allows your four-legged friends to run about and roll around to their heart’s content, and you can rest assured they’ll always be safe.

No bad reaction to pet mess

While it’s always a wise move to clean it up as quickly as possible, artificial grass is quite capable of coping with pet mess. Colour defects and unsightly bald patches on your lawn will no longer be a problem, as specially designed drainage holes in your artificial grass filter away pet urine. Simply cleaning up mess straight away will ensure no odours or lasting damage remain, but if you have multiple pets, you should step up your cleaning schedule to keep on top of the situation.

No more unsightly holes in your lawn

Everyone knows that a favourite pastime of dogs is digging, which can result in a nightmare for owners of a natural lawn. Artificial grass, on the other hand, is incredibly resilient to even the most tireless attempts to destroy it. The fibres resembling real grass are made from strong but flexible polypropylene and are fixed firmly to a robust backing that has been engineered to hold up against excessive digging and scratching. While you’ll definitely want to discourage this bad behaviour, you’ll typically find dogs will get bored when they discover their attempts at excavation are in vain.

No muddy paw prints across your floor

The muddy puddles that can form in natural grass lawns after a serious downpour can result in dogs dragging dirt through the house. Artificial turf features a permeable base designed to disperse surplus water quickly and speed up the drying process, while the sub-sand layer shields your grass from the mud below. This means that you won’t have to spend hours getting muddy stains out of your carpet or mopping marks off your floor after your canine friend comes in.

Unaffected by the seasons, artificial grass will provide your dog with a safe, clean place to play all year round.

Council’s carpet binning policy criticised

Richmondshire District Council has been criticised over its policy of throwing out carpets before new tenants arrive at their authority-owned housing. This appears to go against the council’s policy of moving towards zero-carbon emissions.

One of the critics of this policy, councillor Stuart Parsons, said that housing officers should speak to incoming tenants about whether they wish for the existing carpets to remain. A three bedroom home can cost £1,000 to carpet and many tenants cannot afford this – it is much cheaper to have existing carpets cleaned.

A charity that funds new carpets for tenants who cannot afford them reported that carpets only two months old and still in excellent condition have been thrown away from council houses.

Senior council officers said that it was easier from a management perspective to throw carpets out and expect new tenants to install new ones.

Carpets in North Wales and Chester rental properties are changed before new tenants arrive if they are in a bad condition, but if they are stained or dirty, they can usually be revived by professional carpet cleaners.

A quality carpet should last for many years, even in a busy household. Provided it is regularly vacuumed and deep cleaned at least once a year, it should be useable for a long time. Some stain-resistant carpets are bleach cleanable to keep them virus free, and even those that are light-coloured can remain in good condition.

Landlords should install high-quality carpets in their properties, which will not need replacing during tenancy changes.

How much does it cost to install vinyl flooring?

There’s no doubt that the modern approach to designing vinyl flooring has resulted in a stylish solution for homeowners seeking a cost-effective but highly attractive floor. Vinyl flooring is incredibly durable and supremely simple to maintain, ensuring those who select it get an exceptional return on their investment. Today’s vinyl floors are presented in planks resembling natural wood or tiles that recreate both the look and feel of stone, but how much does it cost to install these modern floor coverings?

Vinyl flooring is readily available in a wide range of formats of varying quality to suit different budgets, but how much it costs to install your chosen style will depend on multiple factors. The following sections will detail the various points that can impact an installation, so you can consider your own circumstances and decide whether vinyl is right for your rooms.

Who’s installing your floor?

Most reliable companies selling vinyl flooring will typically give you the option of either buying just the materials you require or assisting you with a comprehensive installation service.

If you request that they only supply the flooring, you can opt to fit it yourself, but make sure you feel confident in your DIY skills and have time to take on the task. Alternatively, you can hire a local handyman to help out, but to get the most out of what can be an important investment, you might be served better by a professional installer of vinyl flooring.

When you select to use a professional floor installer, you’ll typically find it’s more efficient and less costly to take advantage of the service available from your supplier. Experienced in your particular product, they will be ideally equipped to install it quickly and correctly and often supply the service free of charge.

Do you require additional services?

Whether it’s carpet or linoleum, any current flooring option will need to be removed prior to your vinyl installation. Many specialist floor fitters will offer an additional service that will not only remove existing flooring but dispose of it for you too. This can be an incredibly convenient option worth considering.

In rooms with a lot of furnishings, you can also use a service that removes items beforehand and replaces them perfectly following installation.

How complicated is your room to floor?

Professional vinyl floor installers take pride in being able to perfectly fit flooring in even the most complex rooms that have multiple corners. If you use the free fitting service available from your supplier, you can avoid extra costs, as hiring your own contractor by the hour may become expensive if the task is tricky.

Leaving it to the professionals

Flooring in your home represents a long-term investment and replacing it should be infrequent. To ensure your vinyl flooring is installed properly and to save time, unknown costs and disruption around your home, it’s always wise to seek out skilled assistance. Correctly fitted, you’ll be able to appreciate your new vinyl flooring for many years to come.

Artificial grass sales soar during lockdown

According to suppliers of artificial grass, sales have boomed during the coronavirus lockdown.

Many people have been spending more time in their garden during lockdown, and families that were concerned about the bad state of their lawns were looking for a solution. Nicola Daniels from Manchester described her particular problem to the Daily Mail:

“The kids wore the grass away. It became like a mudbath, the kids were constantly dirty. It just didn’t look very good.”

Her solution was to spend the money saved from a cancelled holiday on an artificial grass lawn. After the transformation, Daniels said:

“Everybody who comes in can’t believe how good it looks. It is amazing. We’ve had a stripe put in it so it looks like Wembley.”

Up until about ten years ago, artificial grass did not look realistic, but technology has improved since then, and a modern artificial lawn now looks very similar to real grass. Before the pandemic, sales were increasing, but the lockdown has boosted sales further.

Artificial grass can be used in all weathers and does not need watering in heatwaves. In addition, there is no problem walking on the grass after heavy rainfall, which means that families can spend more time in the garden.

There will always be people who prefer a natural lawn, but it’s estimated that around eight million square feet of artificial grass lawns are installed every year in the UK. There are a large number of artificial grass lawns in Chester, whose owners like the appearance and the time-saving benefits of artificial grass.