Washable Rugs

Are you thinking about buying a washable rug? You’ve seen them all over social media, right? I want to give you a few tips before you go buy one. 

Despite what all the influencers say, these are not the greatest thing since sliced bread. They work in some places, but not in others.

4 Things to Remember When Buying a Washable Rug 

1. Rug Location

The first question, I want you to ask yourself is, do you want to wash the rug that’s in your living room, your bedroom, or your dining room?

The chances are, you’ve got a lot of heavy furniture sitting on the rug. If it is a big rug in the room, it’s not as easy as picking up a towel and throwing it in the washing machine. 

2. Texture of Washable Rugs

You need to think about the texture of a washable rug. What makes it washable is it’s not very thick. I’m going to use an example here of Ruggable. I do own several Ruggable rugs. I’m not saying they’re bad, but they are a two-part process. 

There’s a top layer and there’s a pad. If you decide on Ruggable, I like the thicker pad since it feels more like a rug. This is not your typical rug. I don’t know how I would describe it, but I don’t think it feels like a rug. I don’t want this as the main rug in my bedroom or my living room. 

What it’s great for is in front of my kitchen sink and in front of my bathroom sink. This is easy enough that I can pick it up and throw it in the washing machine. 

3. Washing Large Rugs

For my bigger spaces, I don’t want to pull up the rug every time I spill something. You can get stains out of a high-quality rug with a little machine and some elbow grease, or even with some soap and water. 

One time, my son spilled blue Gatorade onto my wool, 100% wool rug, but I could get it out. You don’t necessarily have to have a washable rug to be able to wash things that spill on your rug.

4. Where to Buy a Washable Rug

Is Ruggable the only washable rug in town? No, they’re not.

Wayfair has washable rugs and so does Boutique Rugs. These companies do not have a two-step system. The washable rugs from these sources are a little bit thicker and more rug-like. 

I would not buy a super large washable rug. It is like washing a giant king-size comforter in your washing machine. It’s not quick to wash them. 

2 Tips for Choosing a Washable Rug

If you decide you want to go with a washable rug, here are my tips for getting one that works for you: 

1. Pattern on Washable Rugs

Get a washable rug that has a pattern. The whole reason you want a washable rug is because you’re putting it in a place where it gets dirty. The pattern also helps to hide dirt. 

2. Avoid Light Colors on Washable Rugs

Don’t get a washable rug that has a light background. If you’re putting it into a place that gets a lot of traffic and dirt, a light color tends to look dirty more quickly than a darker color. 

I hope this helps you find the washable rug that works well for your living space. If you want to see more about how to choose a rug for your space, be sure to see this Rug Buying Guide: An Essential Part of Decor.