What kind of covering would be best under a dining room table?

We are moving into a house with a seperate dining area that has beige carpet in it from wall to wall. I have several little ones that of course are going to spill things at the table. How in the world am I going to keep the carpet underneath the dining room table clean and dry? I need something easy to clean and maintain. Removing the carpet is not an option. Thanks!What kind of covering would be best under a dining room table?
They have these big roles of clear thick plastic floor protector at home improvement stores, Like Lowes or Home Depot. My mom has it in the entry way at her house. You can't even really tell it's there until you walk on it. and all she does to clean it is she takes is out back on the patio and sprays it off with the water hose. Her carpet looks brand new and there isn't any stains under the plastic. You may try that, especially if you don't want it to ruin the look on your dinning room.What kind of covering would be best under a dining room table?
a plain white, non expensive cover
Well that would have been my suggestion,but since you do not want to remove the carpet,I would use a large picnic type table cloth where your children sit while they eat,easy to clean and cheap enough to throw out if needed,get something attractive something to match your decor like the color of your rug,so that it is not unsightly,hope this helped
I would get a decorative outdoor area rug and center the table on it. It will make the room look pretty while you will be able to wipe anything up easily.
I'm with Regina: An attractive indoor/outdoor sisal-style area rug under the dining table will add style and save your dining room carpet too. I would consider getting a painter's drop cloth and cut it to fit under the area rug, in case of grape juice or tomato sauce spills.