How to Use Carpet Scraps to Improve Your Home

My friend Marty recently had new carpet installed in her living room, and I helped out. The old carpet was glued down, and had to be cut up to be removed. It had a lot of miles on it, and couldn't re-reused, so off to the dump it went. We decided the carpet scraps that were leftover from the installation could be reused, though. So, we brainstormed to see what uses we could come up with. Carpet scraps are quite handy to have on hand. Read this informative article and find out how to use carpet scraps to improve your home!

Note: To get the new carpet smell out of the scraps, we hung them out on the clothesline for a few days first. If your carpet scraps are particularly stinky, read "How to Get Rid of New Carpet Smells in Your Home."

#1 Save a Carpet Scrap In Case You Need a Patch
The first thing we did was set a square-foot piece of carpet aside in case Marty needs it later. Hopefully she'll never need to patch her carpet, but, things happen, especially when you have kids and pets.

#2 Use Carpet Scraps for Handy Entryway Mats
Carpet scraps not only blend in with the room, but they also help catch dirt at entryways before it gets tracked in. Keeping dirt out helps improve any home.

#3 Make a Scratching Post For Your Cat Out of Carpet Scraps
Anyone who has cats knows that having at least one scratching post in the house is mandatory. If you don't want to go to the bother of making a vertical post, you can simply cover a piece of a 2X4 with carpet scraps. Staple the carpet down to secure it in place. Then, just lay it on the floor for Kitty.

#4 Use a Carpet Scrap As a Cat Litter Box Mat
Place a carpet scrap in front of your cat's litter box to help improve your home. The carpet will catch the litter from your cat's paws as they exit. Carpet scraps are less expensive than buying those plastic mats. And, they work better.

#5 Make a Car/Truck Seat Pad With Carpet Scraps
I did this with an old farm truck I had. The driver's seat was shot and the springs were popping up through. I didn't want to spend the money on buying a new seat. So, I covered it with a thick carpet scrap. It kept the springs in the seat where they belong.

#6 Save Your Floors By Storing Boots and Shoes on Carpet Scraps
Carpet scraps make great places to park footwear, especially when they're wet or snowy. To dry the carpet, just shake it off outside. Then, hang it up.

#7 Add Cushioning to Your Garden Kneeler With Carpet Scraps
Gardening can literally be a pain, especially if you're down on your knees a lot. I sometimes use a kneeler when I'm working in the garden to cushion my knees. To make the kneeler even more comfortable, I put a carpet scrap on it.