Carpet Remnants: Uses and Benefits

Before you prepare to throw out the carpet remnants or other scraps from your carpeting project, consider first the many different ways that you can put those pieces to use. Because carpet materials can cost a great deal of money, it makes sense to fully consider the ways that you may be able to use the leftover pieces of your carpeting project before you let them go to waste. Read on for a few common uses and benefits to carpet scraps around the house.

1. As Smaller Rugs and Space Fillers

One of the best uses for carpet remnants is as a smaller carpet or rug in another part of your house. By binding the torn edges of the carpet scrap and cutting it to the appropriate size and shape, you can ensure that the carpet will be appropriate for other areas. Consider using a scrap as a welcome mat outside or inside of your front door, as a place to wipe your feet before you enter from the yard, or as a mat in the bathroom or other part of your home that has a tiled floor or another type of floor that isn't carpet.

2. To Catch Laundry

Consider placing a piece of carpet remnant below your drier or washer. With that, if you happen to drop an item of clothing as you're doing the laundry, it won't fall directly onto the floor, but will rather just fall onto the piece of carpet.

3. For Pets

There are a number of ways that carpet remnants can be used for pets. If you have cats, consider fastening the carpet remnant around a small wooden post to make it into a scratching toy for your cat. For dogs, a carpet piece can be a good place to lay or can serve to help protect an outdoor doghouse from the rain.

4. To Protect the Garage Floor

Although carpet remnants in the garage will not likely stay very clean, they can be used to help protect the floors. If you have a concrete or tile floor in a part of your garage and you also have tools or other heavy items that you may need to use, lay down a piece of carpet in the area so that if you drop any of those items, they'll be less likely to damage the floor.

5. To Protect Against Weeds

Lay carpet scraps down in the yard to help protect against weeds. Simply lay down the carpet over the soil, then cover the carpet scrap with an additional layer of soil, gravel or other top layer material. Weeds and other plants will not be able to grow up through the carpet.

There are many other potential uses for carpet scraps as well. Be sure to look all around the inside and outside of your house to come up with as many uses for the scraps in your home as possible, before you throw them away.