The Carpeting Connundrum
- Oooooh…just rained smell!
- Oooooh…clean soap smell!
- Oooooh…chocolate chip cookies smell!
- Oooooh…new carpet smell???
Nope. One thing you will NEVER smell in a Studio Barre location is the chemical-laden odor of new carpeting, because we simply don’t believe that it contributes to a healthy and productive studio atmosphere. I had someone ask me recently why we insist on wood floors in all of our studios, and it’s not a decision we made flippantly, so I thought it best if we explain.
REASON #1: Dance studios don’t have carpeted floors. That’s right – you’ll never ever ever find a quality dance studio that has carpeted floors. And since the foundation of this workout is based on ballet positions and moves performed at the barre on hard, not carpeted, floors, we insist on maintaining that consistency. Although we don’t (currently) pirouette across the floor, we do MOVE a good amount, and carpeting absolutely inhibits that movement.
REASON #2: Carpeting doesn’t wear well. Oh sure, in your house it might wear okay in low-traffic areas, but any studio with a decent number of classes has people coming in and out all day long. Over time, that carpet starts to look pretty awful. Yuck! Nobody wants to work out on old worn carpet that people have sweat on, spilled drinks on, tracked dirt on, etc.! We’re trying to create studios that maintain easily, allowing for regular cleaning that makes you feel good about being there!
REASON #3: Speaking of germs…Wood floors can easily be washed and cleaned every day, multiple times a day, so that you don’t feel like you’re swimming in a pool of germs. Carpet can be vacuumed, but cleaning it thoroughly is a completely different matter! Remember, this is about the number of people coming into contact with the very carpet you’re currently sitting on.
REASON #4: Feet are kinda gross and socks stick to carpeting. We have our tuckers wear socks when they work out. It’s a VERY simple rule that works VERY well to keep our studio feeling clean, tidy, and safe. But wearing socks on carpet isn’t the best. The constant friction generates heat, and doesn’t feel too good to tuckers. As a result, we’ve see people working out on carpeting REMOVE their socks. Blech! Tell me the next time you want to place your hands or face near the barre or on the ground where some strangers bare feet have been!
REASON #5: We like clean air. As if we didn’t already have enough reasons to not use carpeting in our studios, the actual possibility that new carpeting can be a health hazard comes along. Truth be told, most carpets are synthetic, and contribute a huge amount of chemicals to your studio air. New carpets can leak for years, and to us that just isn’t acceptable from a wellness standpoint. I mean, we’re supposed to be making people healthier, right?!
So all of that, in short, is why we love using clean, durable, safe, maintainable, beautiful wood floors in all of our studios. In the end, it’s nothing but the best for our Studio Barre Family!
Together, we are STRENGTH DEFINED!
Happy Tucking!
Shannon
