There are drawbacks, perhaps most visible among them the difficulty of keeping carpeting clean. Every bit of food that is dropped and speck of dirt that is tracked into the house can get ground deep into the carpet if not immediately cleaned, and will prove reluctant to come back out. Pet stains can alter the color and leave an odor that can linger for a long time after. In recent years, a related problem has come to the fore. The fact the carpets retain so much of the surrounding environment means that they also retain allergens and have been blamed for exacerbating allergy related problems and asthma — not to mention their capacity to absorb water, harboring and hiding mold. These problems can be mitigated by frequent steam cleaning, but this at least partially negates the initial savings in cost.
CERAMIC TILE
Tile is one of the most durable options available. It will take a hit from nearly anything you drop on it. Should the tile get scratched, it can easily be buffed out. Tile is also highly stain resistant and still fairly inexpensive at $2-9 a square foot. Tile is also advantageous from a design perspective, as there is a nearly unlimited number of options available for creating eye-catching designs. Ceramic’s strengths are also often weakness in other ways. That same durability can lead to breaking anything you do drop on it. And if the tile does chip, it can be very difficult to do a quality repair job on your own. Tile can be harder on your feet as well, making you want to rush back to those carpeted areas. Dirt also tends to collect in the grout lines, making it difficult to clean.
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