I am moving into an apartment that has carpet in the dining room. I also have two kids (3 years and 10 months) so it is impossible to never spill anything. I am wondering what you moms out there have done--do you put a big rug under the table or are there big plastic mats to buy or do you just have a really good carpet cleaner, etc?
I used one of those big plastic mats that you can use under a desk. It has saved the carpet! Good luck!
Sippy cups, clear Koolaid, area rug, carpet shampooer. We've done that-and in military housing to boot so they're obsessive (they smell the carpets on their hands & knees) when you move out. Your older one is still young enough for sippy cups & I highly recommend them, if only at meal times. I would move my table & the area rug & vacuum/shampoo under there once every 2 mos or so-pain in the butt but worth it in the long run. Clear Koolaid or juices-self-explanatory.
It's possible to keep it clean enough, you've just got to work hard at it.
I like the first suggestion you got. Plus your chairs would slide easier (like how your office chair rolls better on it). It'd be better than a carpet because you wouldn't have to take it out from under the table to clean every so often, and it would stay perfectly still. I would check with places like RC Willey, IKEA, or maybe even JC Penney's order catalog?? If not, I would google it. Good luck finding one.
Update: I googled and found:
http://www.americanfloormats.com/
On left side, choose "Chair Mats".
Then choose for carpeted surfaces.
The largest they have is a 72-96, with no lip.
Maybe this could work?
All great suggestions...worse case scenario, pick up Woolite carpet cleaner with oxy clean. We live in an apartment with carpet everywhere...I'm surprised it's not in the bathroom! I have a dog that is sick and it cleans her messes up everytime (on white carpet no less). This stuff is amazing! It comes with a little scrubbie brush thing that lifts the knap back up too.
Good luck, isn't apartment living the greatest? (note the sarcasm)
There are some large plastic mats just for this kind of situation. If you end up getting a rug, make sure it has at least a Teflon or Scotchgard type of finish. (If you have many messes, you may need to buy a can and re-apply the finish.) The plastic mat is definitely the easiest.
We went to Walmart and bought an vinyl desk mat (clear plastic rug with the spikes on bottom so it doesn't slip around) and put it under our son's chair. It made life so much easier not worrying about how to get that smooshed banana out of the carpet! - Who puts carpet in an apartment kitchen/dining area anyway! Good luck!
We use a vynol tablecloth.
I put a plastic mat underneath my son's chair. I found it in an office supply store - it's designed for rolling office chairs. It works pretty well - even if it might look a little funny...
Plastic runners. You can buy them by the yard at fabric stores and home improvement stores. I got mine at Wal-Mart but I'm not sure if they still have it or not. Get the good quality kind that is sturdy with little spikes that hold it in place in the carpet. They are really easy to clean up with a mop or sponge and completely save your carpet! Been there, done that! :)
There were times that I just put garbage bags under my kids' chairs. Try looking at Babies or Toys "R" Us if you're looking for a mat. They always have great options - or just go to Target or Walmart and I'll bet they have something decorative that you can just throw in the washing machine. As for a carpet cleaner-the best one BY FAR is Woolite OxyClean. It has gotten EVERYTHING out of my carpet from Orange Sherbet to Red Wine. It's awesome to have when you have both kids and pets. Hope this helps:)
My mother-in-law has carpet in her dining room. It's the fancy kind - you know, only used for special occasions. And to make matters more exciting, it's light colored!
So, we bought a cheap shower curtain at like a dollar store and used that!
We always put a big rug under the dining room. We had carpet in the dining room when our girls were first born and first few years of their life - the messiest times. The rug totally saved us. Spent about $100 on it at Home Depot or Lowes. It's a piece of carpet with a trim. Cleaned up easy and looked nice under the table.
I have seen people use large plastic mats in this situation. There are clear ones with gripping spike-like things on the bottom that are made to use on carpet. I am not sure where they are available for purchase, but I do know they are out there. Good luck!
Make it a GREAT day!
S.
We've used large vinyl tablecloths for years. I like to have one that covers the entire area, since messes tend to fall wherever the carpet is NOT protected. I replace it about every 2 years or so.
