When installing a new carpet, it’s expected to get some carpet leftovers. Don’t let these leftovers go in vain; instead, you can use them in making various things around your house. So, what to do with leftover carpet?
Firstly, sort the bunch of scrapes. Anything less than 18″ wide should be tossed right into the dustbin, and the ones that are 18″ are what we’ll be using and uncover the inner artist in you.
In this guide, we’ve compiled all the information about how you can make the best use of carpet remanents and how to store rugs and carpets when you don’t need them anymore.
How To Store Rugs And Carpet With Care?
Whether it’s moving to a new place, keeping the carpet remanents safe, replacing your old carpet with a new one, or keeping the carpet or rug away for the season, it all brings a new problem of where and how to store it.
It’s crucial to know that stored rugs and carpets can lose their shape, attract pests and molds, and accumulate unwanted odors if not stored appropriately.
If cared for properly, an area rug or carpet can last as long as 5 years. Fortunately, mastering how to store the carpet or rug is easy peasy and requires only 5 steps to follow.
1. Thoroughly Clean The Rug Or Carpet
According to the Carpet And Rug Institute, one square foot of carpet contains up to one pound of dirt. For this reason, it is recommended to clean the carpet once every 12 to 18 months.
So, before you do anything, thoroughly clean the carpet or rug using a good-quality vacuum and try to lift as much dander, dust, and debris as possible.
Once you have vacuumed the carpet, clean it according to the manufacturer’s instructions given on the label. Different carpet/rug material requires a different method to clean them. Check the label on the carpet/rug and proceed with the steps given below:
2. Protect The Carpet/Rug From Pests
Moths and other types of insects can make your carpet their forever home and completely damage it. Before storing the carpet in your garage, attic, or basement, make sure you take extra care to protect it from pests.
You can apply insect and moth repellent on the carpet/rug. Remember that these repellents must be safe to use on the fabric.
3. Tightly Roll The Carpet
Rolling the carpet or rug is the best way to prep it for storage. To figure out which way to roll it. look for the more delicate side. Generally, the pile is more delicate, which means that you should roll the carpet with the pile facing inward.
- Begin by rolling the rug as straight as possible.
- Use a rod to keep the carpet straight. If not a rod, you can also use anything like a wooden dowel or a thick curtain rod.
4. Wrap The Rug/ Carpet In A Protective Fabric
The next step is to wrap it in a protective fabric. This is extremely crucial if you are transporting the carpet or rug.
This extra layer of protection will help keep out the bugs and other kinds of pests.
- Roll the rug by wrapping a cotton or muslin sheet around the carpet for at least one and a half times to keep it protected. Then, secure the sheet with cotton or twill tape.
- For expert-level protection, wrap the rug or carpet in a polyurethane rug storage bag. These bags are created to provide a barrier against dampness and insects.
4. Store The Carpet Off The Ground
When storing the rug or carpet, it’s important to keep it off the ground and safe from any harmful elements.
Also, make sure nothing is stored on top of the carpet. Boxes and other items, if stored above the carpet, might result in causing crack and ruin the shape of the rug.
What To Do With Leftover Carpet?
Professionals always recommend buying a few extra inches of the roll of carpet when installing a new one. But this might result in a bunch of carpet scraps lying around your house. The very first thought that often comes is to dump the carpet but wait, they can be very useful.
For instance, a BBQ sauce stain or, say, red wine stain appears in the middle of the room, and you have tried every method to remove the BBQ sauce stain, and it’s not working.
This is where carpet leftovers come into play, as you can use them as area rugs to hide the spot in a smart way without bearing the cost of replacing the whole carpet.
You can also use them for many other uses, like for making door mats or a cat scratching post.
9 Brilliant Ways To Use The Leftover Carpet
Listed below are some brilliant ways you turn leftover carpet into something exceptional:
1. Carpet Small Rooms
The most obvious application of leftover carpets is to use them in small rooms. This will not only give a fresh look to the rooms but will also save you money from buying new rugs.
Carpet leftovers are ideal for bedrooms, offices, guest rooms, game rooms, and family rooms.
2. Using As Doormats
Making your own doormat out of carpet remnants is as simple as making custom rugs. Simply cut the carpet leftover to the size of the doormat you want, and attach trim to prevent fraying.
You can also try your hand at painting the doormat with latex paint and add a bit of character.
3. Upholstered Ottoman
A new ottoman can cost you a fortune. Instead, you can go for a more budget-friendly option of upholstering your old ottoman using the carpet remnants.
If you don’t have an ottoman, then you can also buy it from a thrift store, which would hardly cost you $10.
4. Enhance Your Staircase
The next best use of carpet remnants is to use them as stair runners or treads. Depending on the size of the carpet scrap, you can either turn it into tread or let the scrap slide down the length of the stairs, turning it into a carpet runner. It will not only elevate the look of your stairs but also add safety by reducing the risk of slipping.
5. Make Pet Beds
Craft a comfy pet for your furry friend. Cut the remnants to the appropriate size and layer it to provide a plushy and durable surface.
To make it super special, you can also put the remnants into a soft fabric cover, and your super comfy pet bed is ready.
6. Throw Pillows
If you have a sewing machine, you can make anything. One of our favorite things to make from carpet leftover are throw pillows.
You can use loop-pile or lightweight carpet material to make throw pillows.
7. Cat Scratching Post
If you are a cat owner, then one of the ways to use the carpet leftover is by making a scratching post for your cat.
The carpet remnants will lie at the bottom to make it scratch-worthy, and if you have one, then you can replace the material with your amusing carpet remnants patterns. This will also help you prevent the cats from scratching the carpet.
8. Carpet Drink Coasters
As we know, carpets are great at absorbing any kind of liquid, so turning the carpet left over will be a great idea. Simply use the mug to shape the circles and cut the shape.
9. Decorative Items
You can also use the strips of the carpet left over to make wall hangings. You can just start with carpet as a base and use a crochet hook to add colorful tassels with yarn.
Conclusion
These are some wonderful ideas on what to do with leftover carpets. Repurposing carpet leftovers is not only an economical way to use them, but it is also fun.
And if you don’t have any plan to use them at the moment, you can just simply store them in a safe place by using the above-mentioned methods.
FAQs
Where do you store leftover carpet?
Ideally, leftover carpets can be stored on a metal rack that has been padded with bubble wrap. You can also store them in basements and attics by properly wrapping cotton or muslin sheets.
Is it worth keeping carpet remnants?
Carpet remnants can be very useful. If a hole appears in the middle of your living room that can’t be cleaned, then these leftovers can save you money for replacing the whole carpet.
What are leftover peices of carpet called?
Leftover pieces of carpet are called carpet remnants or sometimes scraps of carpet. These are the end pieces leftover from the roll of carpeting.
Daleyza knows a lot about carpets! She has worked with carpets for over 7 years and can help with things like putting them in, keeping them clean, and replacing them. She really likes carpets and spends most of her time learning about new ways to work with them. When she’s not learning about carpets, she enjoys reading books. She’s really good at helping people choose the right carpet for their homes and making sure they’re happy with it. If you want to know more about carpets, Daleyza is the person to talk to!