Stair Glow Up: Challenge non-optional carpeting
August 7, 2024 10:54 AM Subscribe
Our rental apartment has ugly, blue, faded and frayed carpeting. We are not allowed to remove it. It is my nemesis. What are my options here?
Our landlord is adamant that we not remove the carpeting, even if it at no cost to him. He is generally a good landlord and he feels strongly about this. It's not going to happen.
Current situation: The carpeting extends all the way across each stair to the wall over two flights of stairs. One which should really be indoor/outdoor carpeting as people are wearing their outdoor shoes and this is New England. The other is an internal staircase leading to the bedrooms and covered in the same carpeting. There is no carpeting on the landing between them. I think the carpet is some kind of polyester blend.
Could we...put a runner over the existing stair carpeting? The internet says no because of dust maybe we don't care? Could we put stick on carpet rectangles on top of the existing carpet? Internet says tripping hazard. Are there other things I'm not thinking of? I deeply and truly hate this carpet.
Our landlord is adamant that we not remove the carpeting, even if it at no cost to him. He is generally a good landlord and he feels strongly about this. It's not going to happen.
Current situation: The carpeting extends all the way across each stair to the wall over two flights of stairs. One which should really be indoor/outdoor carpeting as people are wearing their outdoor shoes and this is New England. The other is an internal staircase leading to the bedrooms and covered in the same carpeting. There is no carpeting on the landing between them. I think the carpet is some kind of polyester blend.
Could we...put a runner over the existing stair carpeting? The internet says no because of dust maybe we don't care? Could we put stick on carpet rectangles on top of the existing carpet? Internet says tripping hazard. Are there other things I'm not thinking of? I deeply and truly hate this carpet.
Best answer: If the hook half of hook-and-loop tape (Velcro) will stick to the bad carpet, you can use it to adhere stair tread rugs to it.
posted by mezzanayne at 11:53 AM on August 7 [1 favorite]
posted by mezzanayne at 11:53 AM on August 7 [1 favorite]
If you rent a steam cleaner and then use Folex inside it, it might make enough of a difference that you can manage to live with the carpeting. Folex is a carpet miracle worker.
posted by BlahLaLa at 3:52 PM on August 7
posted by BlahLaLa at 3:52 PM on August 7
Best answer: Carpet and rugs have a grain, and will almost always 'walk' when you put carpet on carpet, rugs on carpet. On stairs, dangerous.
posted by theora55 at 7:35 PM on August 7
posted by theora55 at 7:35 PM on August 7
Best answer: Could we...put a runner over the existing stair carpeting?
We had great joy using a discarded swatch book from a carpet shop to rainbow the treads of our staircase.
posted by BobTheScientist at 11:20 PM on August 7
We had great joy using a discarded swatch book from a carpet shop to rainbow the treads of our staircase.
posted by BobTheScientist at 11:20 PM on August 7
Best answer: Can you clean the carpet so it's not completely disgusting before you do anything else?
Even if you can't maybe you can just nail these on top of the carpet without cleaning it. The rubber tread is easy to clean, and you can tell the landlord treads are easily removed by pulling the nails, and there would be no way that you could see where the nails went through after the carpet is 'fluffed.' Meanwhile it could be easy to clean, easy to wipe up if wet, and would 'protect' the existing crap carpet?
posted by BlueHorse at 10:06 AM on August 8
Even if you can't maybe you can just nail these on top of the carpet without cleaning it. The rubber tread is easy to clean, and you can tell the landlord treads are easily removed by pulling the nails, and there would be no way that you could see where the nails went through after the carpet is 'fluffed.' Meanwhile it could be easy to clean, easy to wipe up if wet, and would 'protect' the existing crap carpet?
posted by BlueHorse at 10:06 AM on August 8
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posted by mhoye at 11:28 AM on August 7 [2 favorites]