Por qué tienen los ingleses moqueta en el baño?

30/5/2018

¿Por qué tienen los ingleses moqueta en el baño?

This is one of the mysteries of the world and even I don't understand it. I always try to use a conversational style in my classes and at one point the inevitable question arises: "Why do English people have carpet in the bathroom?...It's not hygienic!" Lots of my students have been to the UK to improve their English and one of the things that shocks them is the "carpet situation". Some have even told me that they stayed in houses where there was carpet in the kitchen! So how can I explain this phenomenon?

Well, like many things, it is cultural and I think that the fact that the UK is a cold country has a lot to do with it. As I am sure you know the UK is a country of tea drinkers and the reason we drink so much tea is that it warms us up! The same theory can be applied to the carpet in the bathroom! After a shower you don't want to get out onto a cold floor, so, carpet is required.

If you have a better theory, post it in the comments below!

4 Comments

Daniel Duenas

13/6/2018 13:05:04

Hombre, dudo mucho que en Reino Unido haga más frío que en Finlandia, Canadá o Zamora en diciembre.
No creo que esa explicación nos valga.....sin acritud

Pedro

13/6/2018 13:20:59

It doesn't still convince me.
First of all, Poland is much colder than UK and Polish are equally shocked about the carpets in UK, they also consider them antihygenic in bathrooms and kitchens.

In Spain, we don't like either get out of the shower onto a cold and dirty surface but we used movable and cleanable rugs instead of permanent carpets which absorb the spills from the toilet.

Anna

14/6/2018 20:09:01

I agree with you. I think it is a mixture of tradition and old fashion house decoration

Michael Whitehead

27/6/2018 23:34:38

Ahh, but no-one has mentioned the 'lovely' fluffy rugs/mats that are put down, on top of the carpet, around the loo for those little accidents, or bath / sink mats to absorb the drips from the bath/shower/sink, which can then be washed regularly. Warm feet, no risk of slipping on a wet floor and as hygienic if washed as often as hard floors are cleaned.

Daniel Smith
Transforma tu inglés profesional con COACHING online