Every single elderly person I know...who fell & broke a hip...slipped on water in a tile or marble bathroom. Most end up in a wheel chair!

We're now very active empty nesters in our 70s and have good quality, low pile wall-to-wall carpeting (without padding) in our master bathroom....which we replace every 5 years. The bathroom's large (22' x 16') and we have 3 oriental small rugs to help camouflage the carpeting.

Having gorgeous, but slippery, flooring near a shower seems foolish to me.

16x22?? My HOUSE is 15x25!! Wow that's some heck of a bathroom!!

Pam, this is good insight - even with my parents in their late 70s/early 80s, I didn't necessarily think about that.

Pam, carpeting will not guarantee that a break will not occur in a fall. What most physicians are finding, is a lot of times due to osteoporosis, the bone broke and caused the fall.

Kathi, That is true that carpeting will not guarantee that a break or injury will not occur, but no flooring will.

I do have a question on your second comment "physicians are finding, is a lot of times due to osteoporosis, the bone broke and caused the fall.". I have done many seminar, presentation and teach classes for several years on fall prevention, and I have never heard that statement before. Would you send the link to the website or article that can verify your statement, because if it is supported by factual studies, I want to inform my audience and students about it. Thanks.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8206455

anecdotal....

https://www.caring.com/questions/can-you-break-hip-without-falling

Thank you, I will read the study.

https://rad.washington.edu/about-us/academic-sections/musculoskeletal-radiology/teaching-materials/online-musculoskeletal-radiology-book/fractures-without-significant-trauma/

https://www.empowher.com/community/ask/how-can-you-break-your-hip-without-falling

So I read the study, but it was done in 1994, and since then, there have been several studies and article critiquing that 1994 study. There are too many article, and this would not be the forum to discuss, as we might bored everyone else. But basically, here are three statements.

1. "the lack of quantitative validation".

2. "truly spontaneous fractures (that occur during normal daily activity) are nearly impossible, and that low-energy hip fractures are almost always due to a combination of osteopenia/osteoporosis and a fall".

3. "Indeed, a similar fraction of subcapital fractures was obtained in vitro by others. such values are found in occasional overloading events such as stumbling or miss-stepping; which are a suspected cause of spontaneous fractures".

So basically, there isn't sufficient data/evidence that a bone (femur) was broken prior by osteoporosis as the main or majority cause for falls. Sadly, it does not help if someone has it, since the injury may be more severe. I will continue to research this topic, so thank you for bringing it to my attention.

NO, NO, NO

CK, true. Mostly there is insufficient data because it is very difficult to prove which came first, so there are very few studies to see how often it occurs. But, it does happen. Especially in women and men with advanced osteoporosis.

Jeesh Emily..............maybe start a poll or something on AGING and baths? Houzz can't be this desperate for clicks? The thread veered to safety anyway: ) Help us here! Aurrggghhhhhhhh

I'm the one advocating above for low pile quality wall-to-wall carpeting that matches the walls' color. Mine is over beautiful large marble tiles that were installed by the original owner. Because the bathroom is large (16 x 22), my carpet isn't glued down and will be removed when the house goes on the market...and will have to look like a model home (sigh.) Walking barefoot out of the shower onto a small bath mat and slippery marble flooring is suicide for elderly, active people. (A small amount of water by the sink caused my barefoot active mother to break her hip and end up in a wheelchair at 84.) The carpet isn't to break the fall...but rather...it's to prevent the 'slip & fall'.

Time for new polls and featured questions in your emails, Houzz!

No, no, no.

Absolutely not, that's just disgusting. A small washable area rug is sufficient!! A bathroom floor does get messy, you need to be able to disinfect and clean properly. A carpet would harbor so much bacteria and moisture. Totally not a good idea

Since we are still discussing this, I did some research. Non slip vinyl and rubber seem to be a much better alternative. Not to mention, much more sanitary.

http://www.ageinplace.org/Blog/Post/3583/Best-and-Worst-Bathroom-Flooring-for-Aging-in-Place-Safety

There are also anti slip tapes that you can apply to tile floors.

We recently remodeled our master bathroom. We live 1 block off the Pacific Ocean. The floors are very cold particularly at night in the winter. Rather than carpet we laid heat under tile flooring. When my feet are miserably cold I can stand in my bathroom and warm up.

Had carpet (off white) in large master for 18 years and loved it. When removing looked better than hallway and some bedrooms. Didn't need to be replaced but pad underneath did. We are very neat and clean so never a problem even my hair spray. It's warm soft and padded. Can even sit in bathroom to stretch in morning some days. Love it and replaced with carpet again. Two feet in front of the bath and shower have tile and in bathroom stall also but rest is carpet. If your clean then no problem with carpet. Not recommended for rentals or people who don't clean well or to many pets. Love it and wouldn't have any other way.

Wall to wall carpets are definitely a no for me. They pose both an issue with hygiene and frequent damp issues. I do however love loose carpets as I find the aesthetically pleasing and functional.

Carpets should be for bedrooms only if wanted at all. However clean you may think you are they hold lots of dirt that settles to the bottom of the fibers.

No, No, No, No, No, No, NOOOOO

Kathi: Thanks for the info. What a great website you shared!!!

buster57, thanks! Ain't Google great!!!

Heck no! That’s gross! If you live in a colder climate area, heat the floors. Washable Rugs work great in areas where your feet will be.....sink, tub and toilet.

Heck no! That’s gross! If you live in a colder climate area, heat the floors. Washable Rugs work great in areas where your feet will be.....sink, tub and toilet.

Just no! If you don't want cold feet, get some heat installed under your flooring. Experienced that at a hotel once and it was fabulous!

not only harder to keep clean, but the moisture that repeatedly gets under the carpet to the underlying wood floor will eventually begin to mold.

Had it when I was the only one living in my condo. No problem keeping it clean and it was a light beige. And when I got married it still was not a problem keeping clean.
I still can’t believe it wasn’t a problem?
Now I have vinyl every where in all bathrooms.

Had it when I was the only one living in my condo. No problem keeping it clean and it was a light beige. And when I got married it still was not a problem keeping clean.
I still can’t believe it wasn’t a problem?
Now I have vinyl every where in all bathrooms.

Noooooo I have it in my bathrooms in a townhouse that was built in the late 70's. I hate it. Would rip it out, but its the same carpet throughout and could not afford much. If I could, I would just rip out the bathrooms. but Im on a concrete slab.. Who does this????? UGH

grooooooossssssss

No, damp and heat don't mix. Anybody heard of mold before? Now if you're trying to help your kid with their science project to see what grows in a bathroom, then go for it! Otherwise steer clear of wall to wall carpet in a bathroom (or kitchen for that matter). My first house had indoor/outdoor carpet in the kitchen. It was disgusting and the first thing I pulled out when I moved in. Ewww!

I am 100% against carpet anywhere near the bathroom. Hardwoods are unconventional enough but I have seen those work in older homes with very particular clients, but still very, very rarely.

I am 100% against carpet anywhere near the bathroom. Hardwoods are unconventional enough but I have seen those work in older homes with very particular clients, but still very, very rarely.

The only carpets I use are Chinese Nichols rugs. The bright intense colors bring glamor to the room. Then I keep a tub mat handy for baths or showers.

Change the damn poll already, Houzz! That same stupid question has been up for 4 months!

No carpet in bathroom please! You could get mold under it if water or urine gets on it, then little creatures will be lurking in the crevices. I would recommend area mats if it's concrete tiles, these can easily be washed, or better yet use towel mats.

Lizzy L. - you can opt out of comments. There are many polls on Houzz, not just this one.

I guess it is each to his own - you are the one living there! You do not need to defend your choice to anyone.

Many THANKS to CT, Jan, Kathy and others who commented on the safety and "aging" or handicap issues. We are redoing our home to "age out" in and need such information to consider. A new thread on these issues would be nice.

Jeff and Lee, Google has an amazing amount of information. You just have to sift through it. Wider doorways, wider hallways, more space around furniture, no small area rugs, less stuff and clutter are good places to begin. And this was a good link....

http://www.ageinplace.org/Blog/Post/3583/Best-and-Worst-Bathroom-Flooring-for-Aging-in-Place-Safety

Never... stinks and stains really easily.

I have carpet in part of the bathroom but tile in the wet areas of the shower, tub, and toilet. The carpet at the entrance near the closets and sinks stays as cleans as any other carpeted area. It is kind to my aging feet. That said, I understand that most people find it distasteful and so when we renovate we will tile it all and add an area rug near the sinks so it is more marketable.

It's the post that will not die.

Carpet is just unsanitary, wherever you put it. A rug in a bathroom is plenty and can be easily cleaned.

No carpet around water! Easy water damage can occur even from plumbing problems which will be more costly having to pull up carpet and replace.

Now in 2022 and have 4 bathrooms to clean I would it even have carpet cross my mind for a bathroom. I like hardwood and LVP as a bathroom surface.

As a microbiologist AND interior designer...please for the love of all things NO.