Source: Canva.com

Figuring out what carpet to get for a playroom is an exercise in patience, planning, and persistence. Finding the right size, color, and pattern is not an easy task when it comes to home design décor. However, design becomes even more of a headache when you need the flooring to withstand baby barf, toddler tinkle, Koolaid spills, and pet pee!

As a Mom to two kids, and a dog mom to four poodles, I know messes! Plus, I recently spent the past four years designing and building our home and gathering advice from many industry experts. After all that research and planning, I wanted to share some key flooring factors to consider when looking for options that can withstand accident-prone pets or messy kids. As you shop for your next playroom flooring, consider these options for your busy household.

Source: Canva.com

NO-CARPET OPTIONS

Consider foregoing carpet altogether and stick with tile or laminate. Tile and laminate flooring are easy to mop. These flooring materials are great options for pets that shed or kids with allergies because hair, dust, and dander do not get stuck in carpet fibers.

Laminate Flooring
Laminate has come a long way since its 1970s popularity. With tons of options and a realistic look, it can look like real hardwood or tile, but it offers a low-maintenance cleaning routine and a durable, scratch-resistant surface. It is a great choice when the toy truck gets dropped on the floor or when the sippy cup spills.

Tile
Tile has also come a long way in recent years, and ceramic tiles are getting more durable. On design shows, you can see tile designs that look like hardwood or even marble! Ideally, stick with quartz or ceramic stone.  Due to its strength, if something drops, the stone is less likely to crack. Also, these two materials are less likely to absorb stains. One design tip: Consider getting larger tiles so there is less grout to maintain.

Source: Canva.com

PLAYMATS

If you want something softer than tile or laminate, but want the benefits of those harder materials, consider vinyl or rubber flooring, similar to what is used in commercial gyms or home gyms. These options are great at absorbing shock and can easily be disinfected.

Vinyl Flooring
Just like the tile and laminate options, vinyl flooring can also resemble wood or marble tile. It is cost-effective, simple to install yourself, and easy to clean.

Rubber Flooring
Parents with babies who are about to walk may prefer rubber flooring options over tile since it is much softer. It is also easy to mop and offers scratch resistance that can withstand rough and tumble toys. Foam tiles are also a trendy flooring option because they are often thicker (and thus offer more padding) than rubber tiles or rubber rolls.

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CREATIVE CARPET OPTIONS

If you want the warmth of carpet but need the rug to be easy to clean, there are a lot of options on the market now that give homeowners the ability to have their rug and clean it too – without expensive carpet vacuums or service calls.

Carpet Tiles

Carpets often come in tile sizes now, ranging from 12- to 20-inch squares. The benefit to carpet tiles is that you can remove the dirty tile and clean it, or replace the tile without having to clean or replace the entire carpet.

Washable Carpets

With the surge of indoor/outdoor rugs and websites like Ruggable.com, many carpets can be washed with soap in water. You can bring the carpet outdoors to wash and dry with soap and a hose, or toss in the washing machine! Cotton Rugs are another option, with their natural fibers being washing machine friendly, too.

Source: Canva.com

One last tip: If you really want a classic carpet, consider getting a dark or patterned option. The busier the pattern, the less likely it will show stains; and the darker the carpet, the less dirty it will look.

Good luck finding the best carpet for your creative playroom space!

About the author

Charlene DeLoach

Charlene DeLoach

Charlene DeLoach is a contributing editor at The Toy Insider where she primarily covers parenting topics. Charlene has been featured in print and on television more than 100 times. Before joining The Toy Insider, Charlene was an attorney, real estate broker, and interior decorator. In her current life, she has vowed to get grownups using toys as decor and to teach parents and toy companies to think outside the toy box at her websites playroomchronicles.com and totaltoycreative.com. Follow Charlene on Instagram where you'll see that her account is mostly dedicated to pics of her cute dogs, kids, and fun finds.

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