Dirt

[DutchmenSport]

Previous 3 travel trailers all had wall-to-wall carpet. Thought we were doing a good job keeping them vacuumed all the time. We now have a 5er with no carpeting, except the small amount in slide outs. Every time we break camp, or prepare to move, we always sweep, and often mop the floor in the 5er. This way, once home, all we have to do is remove dirty laundry and we're done.

As we use the camper at home all the time too, we always sweep the floor before pulling in slides and heading out for a new trip. In other words, the floor gets swept a lot, just like when we had the travel trailers.

We've had the 5er with no carpeting for a year now. From the very first time we swept the floor, I've been amazed how much "stuff" there is on the floor, regardless of how many times it's been swept in the past. It seems some locations are worse than other for dragging in the dirt.

At home, the camper sits on asphalt. It's concrete and asphalt from the door of the house to the door of the camper. Still, dirt gets drug in. I'm glad now for not having carpet. It's much easier to keep clean.

However, I am also scratching my head in unbelief at how MUCH dirt gets drug in, over and over and over, and even the best of vacuum cleaners cannot extract everything from carpeting. I suppose that's why after about 5 to 7 years folks replace carpeting in their homes, it just gets too nasty.

I think back on our Springdale TT we had for 8 years. We traded the camper with the original carpet. It still looked good. It got vacuumed all the time, and we went through 2 or 3 carpet shampoo-ers over the years. But still, the thought of all that dirt trapped in that carpet... yuck!

Makes me glad we don't have carpet now.

FYI, it took 8 years remodeling our house, one room at a time and all the carpet was removed from it too. It blows me away ever time we sweep how much get's swept up!

Where does all this dirt come from? Feeling glad now we don't have carpeting! :C

[toedtoes]

I'm not obsessive about dirt. But I much prefer floors to carpet. I just find carpets require too much work to maintain. I hate vaccuuming up pet hair. I hate trying to clean up a spill on carpet - try cleaning up spilled bubble bath!

I much prefer a quick sweep when needed and a rag to wipe up a spill.

[Terryallan]

fj12ryder wrote:
Nope, my house is to be lived in and having to take my shoes off when I come in and put them back when I go out is too much of a hassle to live with.

I guess I'm just not as obsessive over a spotless house as everyone else. Shoot, I've heard of people that wash towels after just a couple uses. Go figure.

I live in mine too. I'm just lazy. that is why I love the hardwoods, well that and the shine. I like shiny.

as for towels. I like a fresh towel every bath. Makes me feel cleaner. On the other hand DW uses the same towel several times. But them she don't really use it. More like just hold it up and looks at it. There is still water running off of her when she puts her night gown on. I like to be completely dry, so I get my towel really wet. people make fun of me. but I like a clean towel. I don't ask for much.

[opnspaces]

I'm with fj12ryder, I love my carpet. I may vacuum it on occasion, but not obsessively. I also have no problem laying down on it at any time. It's warmer, it's softer, and it looks better than most of the engineered hardwood floors I've seen.

[CavemanCharlie]

I don't have carpet in my house or camper. I can't imagine having it on the camper, that would be awful. It's so much easier to just walk in without having to take off your shoes every time and then just sweep up the dirt if you need to.

The house I live in had the same carpet in it for 40 years. My god was that stuff awful when we hauled it out. It had so much dirt in it that even fairly small rolls of it were heavy to carry. Under the carpet was hardwood floors. I had them redone and I'm sooooo much happier in this house now. It made the 65 year old stinky old house into a much better living space.

[fj12ryder]

Nope, my house is to be lived in and having to take my shoes off when I come in and put them back when I go out is too much of a hassle to live with.

I guess I'm just not as obsessive over a spotless house as everyone else. Shoot, I've heard of people that wash towels after just a couple uses. Go figure.

[pasusan]

I may have missed it... But - anyone take their shoes off going into their house and their RV? We always have and that's why our floors are clean. A small hassle, but we feel good about it.

[Thermoguy]

Just a comment on wood vs tile. My dog gets so much dirt and grime in the grout. Impossible to clean. I steam clean the tile, but have to scrub the grout once a year. Best to have no grout and place the times up to one another. Our grout is light in color so it shows all the dirt.

just saying...

[JAC1982]

We have a Roomba at home and it gets filled up with dust/dirt and dog hair every day. I'm glad our carpet in our living room is a dark color so it doesn't show as much stuff. But we plan on replacing it and the wood floors with tile. The wood we have is easily scratched (not good with 3 dogs) and dust and stuff gets into the cracks between the boards. Tile can be easily steam cleaned.

In the camper we use cheap throw runners from Costco at both the entrances and they do help with what gets tracked in.

[jkwilson]

Yeti plus wrote:
We bought an Astro turf entry mat when we had a pop up. That got moved to the trailer and we bought another for the camper. Floors look not too dirty, but I dump the Astro turf mat about once a day. Forgot a few days when we were camped at a sandy place. I think I had enough to fill a sand box. That captures it near the door, so I hear you about sweeping.
We have throw rugs we use for warmth underfoot, and they can be washed.
Brian

We have the AstroTurf too. Best thing I’ve found. Been thinking about adding another to have one at the top and bottom of the stairs.

[Edd505]

wa8yxm wrote:
I got rid of abouit 1/3 of my carpet this summer.. another 1/3 is scheduled (Save for the slide out flap) Not sure if I'll do the bedroom

Washable Throw Rugs NICE.. Nailed down carpet NOT NICE (Personal opinion)

Harddood LOVELY

Yep, throw rugs and carpet runners when it's cold. Daily or twice daily sweeping in warm weather.

[fj12ryder]

Each to their own, had wood floors wouldn't have them again. We'll just have to agree to disagree.

[Chum_lee]

I like the added insulation that carpet on the floor provides in my Class A. My feet get cold easily. That said, I never vacuum it. I only shampoo it about once every three weeks with hot water and no soap.

Using two exterior floor mats, one with brushes and one with felt helps keep a lot of dirt out of the MH to start with. RV's see a LOT of in/out traffic in a very confined space. Combining that with cooking/washing smoke/vapors is a recipe for rapid filth accumulation no matter what the floor surface. In short, if you use it regularly, RV's get dirty real quick.

I'm looking for a deal on some quality washable, easily removable carpet pads to mount on my kwikee stairs for next season.

Chum lee

[Terryallan]

Fact is carpet is filthy. I don't care if you vacuum it every 2 hours, and shampoo it every day. It is just filthy. You can't get it clean. It may look clean, but it is not. I would not have a camper with carpet, and I will not have carpet in my house. tile, and hardwoods are so much easier to keep clean it is just unreal.

Also. for you folks with allergies. You really think that filthy carpet is helping you? Nope, it is not. My son had / has allergies. Had to take a shot every week. We pulled the carpet up, got the hardwoods refinished, and soon after. he was able to stop taking his shots.

[CFerguson]

After keeping a clean house, then replacing the carpet I will never have it again in anything I own. The amount of dirt under the carpet and again under the padding was immense. The is no amount of cleaning from above the pile that will get that stuff.
Rugs are the answer for those places I want warmth, at least for me.