Bathroom Rugs: Pros and Cons

Carpeted bathrooms become a small trend from time to time. In certain periods, such as the 50s of the 20th century, rugs were seen as a luxury, and people often chose to use it to cover their bathroom floors. Despite the growing popularity of carpeted bathrooms, it has never really gained momentum. Bathrooms, especially those with bathing facilities, are in a high-humidity environment. When moisture penetrates inside and underneath carpets, especially underneath upholstery, moisture can cause mold growth. Moisture will inevitably get inside or underneath the carpet.

If you do want to install a rug in your bathroom, consider a few aspects and take some precautions before starting this project.

Pros and Cons of Installing a Rug in the Bathroom

Pros

• Warm and soft to the touch
• Quieter than hard surfaces
• Non-slip surface
• Unique visual appeal
• Simply keep it clean and fresh

Cons

• Mold and mildew
• Drying slowly
• Reselling can be difficult
• Frequent replacement
• Difficult to clean and resistant to bacterial growth

7 Tips for Installing a Rug in the Bathroom

Synthetic Materials Used

Look for 100% nylon, polyester, PTT (Triexta polyester) or polypropylene (olefin). Avoid carpets made of organic materials such as wool. Synthetic materials dry much faster than organic materials. In addition, if the synthetic fiber is wet, its smell will not be as bad as that of wool.

Tile the Wettest Areas

Downsize the project to keep everything dry and easier to maintain by adding tiles to the wettest areas.

Although you may want to carpet the entire bathroom, you can lay a tile or other hard floor in front of the bathroom sink, along the shower or tub, and around the toilet. These are areas that are frequently used and often get wet. Keeping them isolated goes a long way in keeping your bathroom carpets clean and antiseptic.

Choose the Right Type

Look for a ring or needle type. While not exactly extravagant – more used in public or other high-impact areas – these styles ensure that the heap remains low and flat. Low-pile carpets also dry faster, while thick-pile carpets can accumulate moisture and are difficult to dry. There is still a risk of mold on short-plush carpets, but mold growth will be easier to see and stop. Overall, carpets with a lower pile (thickness) mean fewer problems because less moisture can be absorbed.

Acupuncture is commonly used on outdoor carpets. However, if your ideas about outdoor rugs are stuck in the past, you may want to renew those ideas by looking at contemporary outdoor Berber rugs. These rugs are thick enough to feel like real rugs, but thin enough to dry quickly.

Install a Waterproof Subfloor

If possible, install the carpet on the concrete subfloor. If this is not possible, lay a cement backing board, such as a Durock or Wonderboard, on top of the existing subfloor and install a bathroom rug. In any case, make sure that the base material of the carpet is strong and impermeable.

Use Carpet Tiles

When the entire carpet is soaked and damaged beyond repair, the only option is usually to rent a roll-in bin, as the carpet needs to be removed and replaced. What if you had a way to cut off a portion of your carpet without tearing off large chunks?

Carpet tiles represent the perfect balance of bathroom rugs, as they provide you with the rug, but parts can be removed and replaced. Most carpet tiles are synthetic, such as 100% nylon. Most carpet tiles are short-linting, so they dry quickly.

Tip: Rug tiles are very easy to install on their own: just peel off the backing, expose the adhesive and press down.

Use the Best Adhesives

Make sure to use indoor/outdoor carpet adhesives. Look for high-quality, solvent-free, water-resistant, commercial-grade adhesives.

How to Care for Bathroom Carpets

Unlike other types of bathroom floor coverings, which you can largely install and ignore, bathroom rugs require more effort to function, such as:

• Vacuum: Vacuuming bathroom rugs frequently. When it comes to mold, water isn’t the only culprit. Laboratory studies have shown that clean carpets are less susceptible to mold than dirty carpets, even if both carpets are subjected to the same amount of moisture. In short: adding water to a dirty carpet equals mold.
• Compartment waterproofing: Make sure the bathtub or shower is watertight and avoid too much water. Just as you want to wipe down puddles on impervious surfaces, do the same with bathroom rugs.
  Have a wet and dry vacuum cleaner: A vacuum cleaner that can absorb water is the only way to quickly remove moisture from your carpet. Don’t leave wet carpets moist for long periods of time, as moisture will eventually migrate to the underneath the underlayment.
• Use a non-slip bath mat: Spread a non-slip bath mat on a carpet. While it may seem unusual to lay a rug on it, the first layer will absorb most of the water from the bather who leaves the shower or bath.
• Loosen one side: If there is an edge that is most susceptible to moisture, such as near a tub, leave an unbonded or unbonded strip along the tub. This way you can pull the rug back when you need to. If the carpet is very wet, pull back one corner or side of the carpet to expose the padding. Vacuum the water with a wet vacuum and aim the fan at the area until it is completely dry.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How to protect bathroom rugs?

To keep your bathroom carpet as clean and fresh as possible, use a bath mat to absorb excess water when necessary (e.g. in and out of the shower). If the rug does get wet, try to absorb the moisture as quickly as possible. You can use a wet vacuum cleaner to help with this. Upgrading your bathroom fan is another great idea to dry your space faster and reduce humidity.

• When did carpeted bathrooms become popular?

In some periods of history, carpeted bathrooms were more popular than other types of flooring. In the 50s of the 20th century, advances in carpet technology made it cheaper to buy and install carpets. More homeowners can opt for it and cover the entire house with carpet if they wish. At the time, it was seen as an upgraded flooring option.

• What kind of subfloor is best for a carpeted bathroom?

Your bathroom may or may not have a subfloor. If not, it is better to install one or add a layer of dimple polyethylene to the existing base. This will allow air to flow between the carpet and the floor and give the moisture a chance to dry before it becomes moldy. This can also be achieved with a moisture-resistant cement backing.