No matter how much love and care you put into your carpet, there will come a time when it needs to be replaced. After years of wear and tear, every carpet will start to show signs that its time may be running out. Or maybe your old carpet isn’t worn out at all – you’re just remodeling and replacing the flooring.
Either way, when the time comes to tear the old flooring up, don’t let installers just throw it in the trash. Experts at Carpet America Recovery Effort say more than 4 billion pounds of discarded carpeting ends up in landfills annually, and scientists have found that it can be 20,000 years before it decomposes.
Consider some of these unique ways to reuse and recycle your old carpet:
- Have it hauled away. Check out this map to find a carpet reclamation center in your area that will take your old carpet and turn it into something new again.
- Pad your pocket. If your carpet still has some life left in it, consider selling it.
Websites like craigslist.org offer a place to put your old carpet up for sale and can help you make a few dollars in the process. - Build a kitty city. Old pieces of carpet can make your cat very happy! Why not save a few pieces and create a unique scratching post or toy that will send them into a feline frenzy?
- Don’t forget about Fido. Add a scrap or two inside your dog’s house for insulation and fancy flooring.
- Carpet the garden. Make your garden weed-free by placing scraps of carpet underneath your mulch. You can also use a scrap as a kneeling mat to protect your knees while managing your garden.
- Quiet appliances. Muffle your noisy washer and dryer by placing a piece of carpet under the appliance.
- Walk all over it again. Create doormats to clean off your dirty shoes.