Carpet on Outside Steps: Does It Keep Inside Carpet Cleaner?

[Jeannine]

I'm thinking of getting carpet covers for the outside steps, but only if it will help keep us from tracking dirt, leaves, etc. inside.  We have a small outside doormat, but often park in places without a patio.

Would like to hear pros and cons.

Jeannine

 

[Tom]

We installed the covers sold at Camping World. They help to some extent, but we usually remove our shoes on entry to the coach (and our house) to prevent dragging all the dirt and other stuff onto the carpet.

 

[Ned]

We've always had the covers that Tom mentioned and they do help.  I always remove my shoes when I enter any RV, but with the laminate floor, which is easier to clean than the carpet, we don't insist that our guests remove theirs.

 

[Ernie Ekberg]

If you have the engineered wood, luxury vinyl tile, or full thickness wood, it's best to have carpet and shoe removal as dirt will scratch these floorcoverings.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

We have always used them, but was never sure they really did much to keep things cleaner. And we do NOT remove shoes in RV or house.  Nancy thinks they look nice and I think they are less slippery, so that's mostly why we have them.

 

[maddog348]

We put them on for the dogs.  Kept getting their toenails caught in the little 'holes'.

 

[Jeannine]

We take off our shoes in the trailer, but the entryway in our new 5W isn't large enough for both of us to stand there and take our shoes off at the same time.  (Only a problem when the weather outside is nasty.)  I've been experimenting with inside throw rugs and runners, but am battling carpet creep.

Will be near a Camping World tomorrow, so will probably pick up a set of covers--unless I hear more negatives.

Jeannine

 

[Jim Godward]

We changed from the carpet coverings to a nubby rubber step cover that clips to the front of the steps. It seems to collect a lot of stuff but I find that taking my shoes off is the only way to keep things fairly clean. 

In bad weather, Pat lays some old towels in the entry, we changed from carpet to a wood entry area, and on the front of the carpet to help out even more.

 

[Tom]

[quote author=Jeannine]I've been experimenting with inside throw rugs and runners, but am battling carpet creep.[/quote]

We have a runner down the center, which helps since we don't insist on guests remove their shoes in the coach. Chris has used a 'carpet grip' material from Wal*Mart that usually, but not always, does a decent job of keeping the runner in place. I don't recall the name, but it's a sheet of "tacky" material that comes in IIRC 2' x 4' or maybe 2' x 6' sheets. Chris cuts the sheets in half, placing one at each end of the runner. It's not 100% effective, it eventually loses it's tackiness (aka non-slip capability), and has to be replaced periodically. We've used some of the same stuff from the same source that don't work very well, and the runner moves.

On our last coach, I tacked the runner down with small nails (I can hear folks saying "arrrgh"), and 15 years later it hadn't moved.

Chris has also used the tacky stuff on the large rug at the entry to the salon on our boat, to protect the light colored carpet. The rug is large enough that guests can't complain they don't have room to remove their shoes (in this case, we do request they remove shoes if they don't volunteer), although most remove their shoes before stepping over the threshold. Again, we've seen varying success with the tacky sheets. A few months ago Chris switched to a different and more lightweight rug with no tacky sheet, and it drove me nuts every time I entered or exited. I recently put snaps on the rug, and screwed the corresponding half of the snaps into the floor (through the underlying carpet), and it hasn't moved.

 

[carson]

On a positive note: In all my years I have steadfastly refused to take off my shoes entering my own home. I keep telling myself that I am the boss/owner of the home. (Stick or RV). If I dirty the rugs, I'll clean them... (Until it is time to replace them)..   ;D 

  Naturally, one doesn't enter with wet mud on them but normal in and out is called normal wear and tear. I don't expect a visitor to tell me that my carpets are dirty..that's their problem. If I am happy, that's all that counts.  BTW...my RV carpets are spotless.

  I don't know whom I am trying to convince here, but my Home is my Castle..

Just a thought to ponder.

carson FL

 

[Tom]

I don't expect a visitor to tell me that my carpets are dirty..that's their problem.

Understood Carson, but our issue is that we prefer not to look at dirty carpets on our own floors. We also respect other folks' property, and automatically remove our shoes when we visit their houses, RVs or boats, unless we see that they're wearing their own shoes. Even so, we try not to tramp mud, dirt or leaves in.

 

[carson]

Understood Tom, to each his own. Maybe that's why I have only a few friends left. I'll figure that out after I leave this wonderful World.. Most of my friends have already left. Getting old sucks..

  Very happy in Florida..

carson FL

 

[ArdraF]

Jeannine,

We don't use the carpet-style (astro-turf?) step covers that Camping World sells.  What we do use is their "nubby" outdoor floor mats, cut down to size and held on with those nylon ties that come in various lengths.  They're much better because the nubbies stick up and you can wipe more off your shoes.  I don't know how to describe these better but the green ones often have a white daisy in one corner.  We've never taken our shoes off except when it's really muddy.  Got tired of cleaning carpet and changed to tile when we got this motorhome.  Only have carpet in the bedroom.  We've been thankful for the tiles many times.  Oil and grease wipe up easily.  ;D

ArdraF

 

[Jeannine]

<<Tom>>

I originally had some of the "tacky" stuff under a runner going from the entry to the rear of our 5W (the dining area).  I have to roll up the runner every time we run the slideouts in and eventually threw away the tacky stuff when it had too many fir/pine needles clinging to it.  Last week I gave the carpet and the runner a through vacuum cleaner treatment and now have a bad case of carpet creep.

<<Ardra>>

I recognize the green "nubby" mats, thanks to your description of the white daisy.  We've used them as outisde door mats.  Wish we had considered tile or wood flooring when we ordered this trailer.

Last time I looked at outside stair mats in Camping World, there were some that had a "bristly" surface.  Will see if tomorrow's CW has them.

<<To All>>

Thanks for the feedback!

Jeannine

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

CW has several varieties of step carpets. Some are more bristly than others.

 

[Tom]

[quote author=Jeannine]I have to roll up the runner every time we run the slideouts in and eventually threw away the tacky stuff when it had too many fir/pine needles clinging to it.[/quote]

Interesting Jannnine. In our coach, the runner sits nicely between the two opposing living room slideouts when retracted, so we've never had that problem.

 

[Tom]

Kinda makes me smile to read about "my stubblies are better than your grassies" or whatever. Chris would like to change to tile throughout, except the bedroom, but we figured that would wait until our next coach, if and when that ever happened. I really like the entry to Terry & Betty's coach, which is neither tile nor carpet, but I'm having a brain fart over the material.

 

[papahog]

My next trailer will have tile or lamanet over everything but the bedroom.  This one is a 2008 29' with a living area slide out for the couch and dinnett area.

Maybe I will get a bid on replacing this carpet with tile or vinyl when carpet needs replaced.  Cleaning the carpet is a pain in the knees.  And I like it clean so it is a must do every 2 or 3 months.

 

[ArdraF]

I really like the entry to Terry & Betty's coach, which is neither tile nor carpet, but I'm having a brain fart over the material.

Tom, I think it's Corian.

ArdraF

 

[Tom]

I believe you're right Ardra, thanks.