If you are physically capable of brushing your teeth, whether you have to take them out to clean them or not, you are probably just as capable of removing that indoor-outdoor carpet from your front porch.

Most folks equate the installation of glued-down carpet with how vinyl flooring is installed a full layer of adhesive. But just the opposite is true with carpeting ordinarily, only a very small amount of glue is used.

Whatever you do, don't wet the carpet to remove it. Wetting old carpet that is in a deteriorated state may cause it to disintegrate. It will be much easier to remove it dry.

Use a razor knife to cut a cross in the carpet that will section it into approximately four equal pieces. Then, start from the center and simply lift. It should come up very easily. Don't try pulling the carpet up from the edge. This is where most of the glue usually is, and it may make removal more difficult.

Once the carpet is up, use a solvent such as De-Solv-It or Jasco Adhesive Remover to clean away the old glue from the concrete.

Removing the old carpet will give you an idea of how it was originally installed. Once you find out how easy it is to remove, you will be anxious to reinstall a new do-it-yourself layer of something similar.

If you really are an amateur, and want to use ceramic tile or stone, we strongly recommend that you contact a licensed contractor who can supply and install the material of your choice. Installing tile or stone is not a challenge for the weak-at-heart.