Rugs, Carpets and Carpeting - Need suggestions for protection over carpeting

I need some sort of protective covering, like a vinyl chair mat protector only larger, for covering carpeting in a bedroom used by an elderly parent. First I will need to get the carpet cleaned - have various bodily fluid stains on it, not to mention the spilled soda, juice, etc. type stains also. I have soaked all of these with an enzyme cleaner as best as I could but want to either get a pro in to clean or rent a steam cleaner. I need some kind of a solid piece of protection, at least 6x8 or larger, that is leakproof, easy to clean and sanitize and non-skid, non-slip for elderly prone to falls. Ripping the carpeting out would be a miserable last resort since it attaches to hallway carpeting and the other bedrooms.

Any good (and reasonably priced) suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Parent is currently back in hospital so this weekend is my only real chance. Thank you in advance- I'm desperate for some good advice.

sounds like ripping that nasty old carpet out would be the best & cheapest solution. it can be cut off at the doorway of the room - no need to rip up the hallway or other bedroom carpets. then lay down cheap sheet vinyl flooring or self stick vinyl tiles.

you'd save on the cost of having the carpet cleaned and you'll spend the same amount on actual vinyl flooring (maybe less) than on any kind of large chair mat, etc.

and you wouldn't have to worry about any kind of mat slipping around on the carpet.

ripping up carpet is a no-brainer. slice it down the middle so you've got more manageable size pieces to work with, grab a corner & pull. same with the pad. pulling up tack strips is easy, too, just takes an old flathead screwdriver, or prybar & hammer or pliers (whatever) and some time. and i've heard that laying vinyl tiles is easy.

that's what i'd do.

Thanks Annette for responding.

I really hoped for another option than the ripping out. I guess I didn't clarify - it isn't nasty, old carpeting but various stains and spills (only over the past few weeks that have been immediately treated with the spot and stain enzyme cleaners) on newer carpeting in my own home. My Dad is terminally ill, hospice, and I would like to get through these next few months without ruining the room, house. I would rip out only as a last resort, since I would then be left with a bast**d room. Can't afford to recarpet new house either once that's done. In light of this do you have any other suggestions?

My husband wanted to put sheet vinyl down over the carpeting in the bedroom (temporarily) after cleaning but I don't know if that will somehow ruin the carpeting by either smothering it or backing from linoleum flacking off. This spare bedroom, which was pristine until a month ago, is going to get a lot more traffic and abuse over the next few months.

Thank you again for any suggestions - I'm still hoping there are other suggestions. :)

i see.

i thought about the vinyl just laid over the carpet, too, but then if you put the legs of a bed on it, or chair legs, etc, i'd be afraid they'd puncture the vinyl, and then there goes your "leak proof" feature.

have you checked office supply stores to see what the largest chair mat size is? they might be your best option. those are rigid enough that furniture legs won't puncture them when laid over cushy carpet, and they have the little teeth on the underside to keep them from moving around at all.

Thanks Annette.

The largest office protectors I've seen are approx. 43-46" x 53-60". I was thinking of "duct-tapping" two of them together (another use for duct tape :D ) but thought I'd check to see if something better (different) was available. Seems like I could get one custom made but would cost too much and I'm time-limited. Even 2 chair protectors will be around $100, but that's probably the way I will have to go since this all has to be done by Monday.

Thanks again :)

i think taping several mats together would work fine. use clear packing tape instead so it looks slightly better! :o

best of luck & sorry about your father.

what about this stuff? (http://www.pro-tect.com/carpets.shtml) it's a roll of clear self-adhesive plastic. you could lay it out in overlapping strips & get the whole room covered. not sure exactly how thick or durable it is. it says it lasts up to 45 days. maybe you could even do 2 layers of it?

It lasts up to 45 days but carpet mask cannot be left down for more than thirty days. Have it cleaned and scotch guarded.

Annette & Daniel,

That carpet covering would have been nice but probably not practical even if it did last beyond 30-45 days since my Dad uses a walker to stand and move around (and slowly shuffles). We purchased two 4 x 5 rigid chair protectors and will tape together for now. Unfortunately with the upcoming holiday I couldn't get anyone in to clean before Monday ( I'm rural) so I went over any stains I could find with more enzyme cleaner, blotting up etc. I want it to be thoroughly dry before I cover it. Decided against the rental or buying a steam carpet cleaner. Wasn't sure how good either would be. Hope I won't have any other problems from not having it fully cleaned before laying down the chair protectors.

We have always had tile and wood floors so wall-to-wall carpeting is a new issue for me to deal with. It's nice to bare feet but beyond that a real pain to keep clean, even with scotchguarding. I imagine the enzyme cleaner probably removed any stain protection I had. Seems like wherever I clean it picks up dirt quicker - and there is a procession of daily people (nursing staff etc) besides us, walking on it even when still wet. I can't cover with anything to keep people off until dry since Dad could walk into/ trip etc. Had I had the forsight to anticipate problems and protect with something BEFORE he came to my house this wouldn't be an issue - oh well...

Thanks for your help :)