Ruggables are washable decorative rugs that can make an impact in any part of the home. You might worry about the print fading and wonder if you can use a Ruggable in high-traffic areas. We researched this question and have an answer.
Ruggables can be used in high-traffic areas such as a child’s bedroom, in hallways and entryways, and outdoors. If you spill or otherwise stain the rug, you can throw the Ruggable in the washing machine to clean it.
In this post, we'll examine whether Ruggables are designed for high-traffic areas and answer all your burning questions about these appealing rugs. Make sure you keep reading!
Are Ruggables Good for High-Traffic Areas?
Ruggable carpets come in all shapes and sizes. While you can put them nearly anywhere in the house (and outdoors!), they do best in high-traffic parts of the home, like hallways, bedrooms, and entryways.
With a Ruggable, there’s no need to stress about what could happen if you spilled something on the carpet. Whether you make the error or the kids or pets get too rambunctious, Ruggable carpets stand up to spills especially well.
A Ruggable is a two-piece carpet consisting of a Rug Cover and a detachable Rug Pad. According to Ruggable’s website, when you spill something on the Rug Cover, all you have to do is separate it from the Rug Pad and toss it into the washing machine.
You should use mild detergent for washing and then dry your Ruggable in the dryer on the low heat setting. Once your Ruggable comes out clean and dry, simply reconnect it with the Rug Pad, and the Ruggable is as good as new!
Does Ruggable Damage Hardwood Floors?
What if several of the high-traffic areas of your home include hardwood flooring? You may wonder how appropriate a Ruggable would be for these areas.
The answer is very! The Rug Pads included with each Ruggable feature thermoplastic, a latex-free rubber that's suitable for all types of flooring, including carpeting and hardwood.
A Ruggable will not damage your hardwood floors since it has nothing hard or abrasive that can rub against the wood planks. Considering the cost of hardwood, that’s a huge relief.
The manufacturer does recommend occasionally lifting up the Rug Pad and sweeping out dirt and dust from underneath it. If you have carpeted floors instead of hardwood, you can vacuum instead.
Ruggable suggests this to prevent moisture, dust, and dirt from accumulating, as hard particles could scratch your floor when they’re trapped underfoot. That would damage your hardwood.
Additionally, the manufacturer suggests not laying a Ruggable carpet down in an area with a lot of humidity and/or heat. For instance, don’t put Ruggable by any vents or a fireplace.
Do Ruggable Rugs Curl at the Edges?
Some users who bought a Ruggable carpet have reported that the carpet can curl at the edges. This then poses a tripping hazard to pets, children, and adults.
Ruggable designs its carpets with Rug Cover corners that are weighted with silicone to keep the edges flat but not always the sides. Misaligning the Rug Cover over the Rug Pad may also lead to the corners curling.
Granted, Ruggables don’t curl much at the edges, but even a little bit of curling can detract from the aesthetics of the carpet.
Fortunately, by sticking a product like Zongool rug grippers on the edge of each side of the Ruggable carpet, you can eliminate rug curling for good.
Check out these rug grippers on Amazon.
Zongool’s rug grippers come 16 to a pack. They’re washable, reusable, and double-sided. Despite the name, you can think of this product as more like rug tape. With so many in a pack, you can use these rug grippers on several Ruggable carpets if you’ve got them.
Once you affix the grippers, you can say goodbye to curled carpet corners! Your Ruggable will look better, and you won't have to worry about tripping over it in the middle of the night.
Do You Tuck the Corners on a Ruggable?
Let’s go back to those silicone corners of a Ruggable and talk about them a little bit further. Should you tuck them in?
Given the purpose of the corners—to keep the carpet from curling—you should not tuck them in. In fact, if you’ve had issues with your Ruggable rolling up, before you invest in a solution like rug grippers, check that you don’t have the corners of the Ruggable tucked into the Rug Cover.
Untuck them instead. Your Ruggable will look much better, and you may just eliminate the curling problem!
Do You Need a Rug Pad Under a Ruggable?
Going back to our point from before, Ruggables come in two pieces, the Rug Cover and the Rug Pad. Although you might not see a lot of information about the pad on any Ruggable listing on its website, the Rug Pad comes standard with most Ruggable purchases.
Thus, there’s no need for you to purchase a secondary pad.
For one, you’ll waste your money by doing so. You’re also wasting your time, as there’s no guarantee a third-party rug pad would stick.
Ruggable carpets are designed to attach the Rug Cover and Rug Pad seamlessly. Just use what’s included in the box.
That said, if you need rug corner stickers to keep the rug from curling, that’s fine.
Can I Use a Ruggable Rug Pad with Another Rug?
Okay, so you know not to try to exchange the original Ruggable Rug Pad with another pad, but what about another carpet? Can you take a non-Ruggable carpet and insert the Rug Pad underneath?
You can try, but Ruggable builds its products to be compatible with one another, not with another brand’s carpeting.
Is the Ruggable Rug Pad Machine Washable?
Speaking of the Rug Pad, how do you clean it if it gets dirty? Can you put it in the washing machine with the Ruggable Rug Cover?
No, you can’t, and that’s according to the Ruggable website.
Instead, you should regularly keep the underside of the Rug Pad clean with a vacuum or broom. For any stains or messes on the Rug Pad, the manufacturer suggests spot-cleaning them.
Besides that, you can also shake the Rug Pad or sweep it every few weeks or so to maintain its cleanliness.
How Often Should You Wash a Ruggable?
A clean rug is a happy rug. The manufacturer advises Ruggable owners to launder theirs in the washing machine at least every year or whenever stains happen.
No matter which Ruggable size you choose, even if it’s a larger one like a 9 x 12, since the Rug Cover detaches from the Rug Pad, you shouldn’t have any trouble putting it in the washing machine.
It takes about two hours for a Ruggable to finish its wash and dry cycle.
Here’s a handy table that will tell you if your Ruggable carpet fits in the washing machine.
| Ruggable Size | Washer Size (Minimum) |
| Plush 2’x3’
Re-Jute/Outdoor 2.5’x7’, 2.5’x10’, or 3’x5’ Classic 2.5’x7’, 2.5’x10’, or 3’x5’ |
1.6 cubic feet |
| Plush 2.5’x7’ or 3’x5’
Re-Jute/Outdoor 5’x7’ Classic 5’x7’ |
2.2 cubic feet |
| Shag 2.5’x7’ or 3’x5’
Plush 2.5’x10’, 5’x7’ or 6’ round Outdoor 6’x9’ or 8’x10’ Classic 6’x9’, 6’ round, or 8’ round |
3.8 cubic feet |
| Shag 2.5’x10’ or 5’x7’
Plush 6’x9’ Classic 9’x12’ |
4.2 cubic feet |
| Shag 6’x9’
Plush 8’ round |
5 cubic feet |
| Plush 8’x’10 | 5.5 cubic feet |
Do Ruggable Rugs Absorb Water?
What if you spill water or get your Ruggable wet when cleaning it? Is this carpet waterproof?
Nope! To prevent mold, mildew, and unappealing odors, Ruggable carpets are water-resistant. That’s not as good as being waterproof, so you must still dry the Ruggable when it comes out of the washer, but it’s better than nothing!
Wrapping Up
Ruggable carpets make a big impression with their variety of sizes and decorative styles. These carpets are designed for high-traffic areas throughout the home, so go ahead and feel free to lay down a Ruggable in your hallways, entryways, or bedrooms.
Since Ruggables are stain-resistant, water-resistant, and machine-washable, you don’t have to stress even if you have a Ruggable in the kids’ room!
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