Tuesday 29 March 2011

A new aesthetic


Cheaper to get the slurry stains recently donated by Florence* cleaned professionally than to make a fire ceremony of the sitting room carpet in the back lane, and then either replace it or paint the rest of the floor. But cleaning it was expensive enough.

It was only cleaned last summer. An ageing Yorkie, a mud-bearing, sensitive-stomached labrador, and four cats who indulge in recreational barfing are less than kind to a pale wool carpet.

My next house is going to be floored throughout in garage-forecourt cement, each room having a central drain. I will hose it down every week with a pressure washer, and swab it with mega-stinky industrial-strength disinfectant.

That'll learn 'em.

(Yes, I do know that beautiful polished concrete floors are available and probably a very sensible option, but today, because I'm feeling slightly embittered, I'm going with the grimmer, more punitive version.)

*Not that I love the girl any the less for it, of course.....

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Those floors sound just the thing - you're so practically minded!

And who could stay mad at Flossie, looking perfectly adorable with her new little friend?

Floridagirl said...

What a cute picture! It's hard to stay mad at her isn't it?

Susan said...

OMG that photo of the girl - stop !!!
we're coming right over ... now
we can no longer resist that face ...

les recreational regurge, uh huh hear ya

I've always dreamed of hose-able polished cement floors with central drainage and hair disappearing, dissolving qualities

Frances said...

Mmmm..love your choice for the new floor! Florence looks so cute with her new baby ( toy)...my Dillon ( dog!) always has a toy in his mouth whenever anyone arrives,( or anytime he gets excited really) and he leaves them all over the floors......he has 3 soft toys and I am forever picking them up!

Dan said...

That floor idea sounds very appealing! Ours are in full moult at the moment.
And who could stay mad at that face?! Impossible.
Dan
-x-

Lyn said...

Oh dear, pet and carpets!
made me giggle though.
love
Lyn
xxx

Anonymous said...

You could have a little bit of comfort, with linoleum flooring - I believe it has natural antibacterial properties ...... after all you have to live there too (or are you going to have one dog-and-cat-free room?)

Maggie Christie said...

Oh that picture! Wonderful. Could you send the carpet cleaner here please - after two babies, a Flossie lookalike and now a puppy, my poor carpet is looking very much the worse for wear. Off now to investigate polished concrete alternatives...

Unknown said...

Oh my, a central drain that would really help. I am loving the phrase "recreational barfing".

Lucille said...

Have you thought of having your courtyard roofed over? I'm kidding. You couldn't bear their sad eyes gazing out of the house at you.

SmitoniusAndSonata said...

Reading about slurry and barfing , I felt a sudden pang of sympathy for valiant little Lady . Has anyone warned her ?

rachel said...

Lucille, I think that's an inspired idea. When I move, I could have a large shed, just for me. A cat- and dog-free zone.....

love those cupcakes said...

We appear to have a bulimic cat but his choice of, er, dumping ground is usually a bed (ours, not his, and preferably just made with fresh linen).

Arthur Ransome said...

I'm amazed that so many others are thrilled at the thought of cement with a central drain - I thought it was just my lot that make this kind of floor the animal lover's dream.

flwrjane said...

Oh the Flossie, she can't help it.

My God, we are all suckers for a well written blog topped with a picture of an adorable lab.

You do not disappoint Ms. Rachel.

xo jane

Bee said...

I don't let my family walk on our pale carpet, but every now and then I do spy little muddy pawprints. . .

Hazel said...

I too have a bulimic cat...it comes out in a long snake, not even chewed. Delightful! If I ever build a house I would definitely have a polished cement floor and if ever I get any more pets, they will be bald! Only joking!

Rattling On said...

Concrete is like denim, goes with anything. So I think you're onto a winner there. Keeps their toenails filed as well...

June said...

I remember reading about a house that cleaned itself via a ceiling mounted shower system. It was a little like a giant multi-room car wash. Sprayed everything down, dried it and everything was pristine.
The plastic furniture did not look comfortable, however.

Lesley said...

I like the slight look of alarm in FLossie's eyes - you are joking, right??

My 2 not too bad on the barfing front and don't seem to have sensitive tummies so I am blessed. Just the industrial quantities of black AND white fur smeared into the carpets which resist all brands of vacuum cleaners to contend with then.

Lesley x

judy in ky said...

I think that when we put our house up for sale, we will have to look for fellow cat lovers. They will understand when we confess that our carpets are made of 90 percent cat fur.

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