Which Rugs Work Best for Messy Households? (2024)

FAQs

Which Rugs Work Best for Messy Households? ›

Polypropylene and Other Synthetics

Wool rugs are great for high-traffic areas of your home like entryways, living rooms, and hallways.

If you want to add color to your carpet while avoiding stains and dirt, earth tones could be your best bet. Neutral shades, like dark beige and tan, or spurts of color, like navy blue or earthy green, offer striking colors while still concealing grime.

Shades. Deeply shaded colors like burgundy or charcoal are excellent at hiding dirt and stains. High traffic areas or homes with pets and/or children benefit from darker shaded rugs but just be mindful of the overall design scheme—a balance between light and dark elements helps create a harmonious environment.

While most new rugs will shed a bit at first, wool is naturally shed resistant, and it is a sturdy natural fiber. It is a favored rug fiber for heavy foot traffic areas because it holds up so well. Wool rugs offer natural stain resistance, and are easy to clean, although you cannot throw them in the washing machine.

Typically, an 8' x 10' rug works for most living rooms. For living rooms smaller than 11' x 13', try a 6' x 9' rug. Unless your living room is very small, avoid a 5' x 8' rug for the space. It often ends up simply floating beneath the coffee table, which ends up making the space look smaller.

Wool rugs are known for their durability without compromising on style. In addition, this strong material is water and stain repellent, making it a great option if you have kids or pets running around or for areas with high foot traffic, such as the living room or hallway.

Square or rectangle rugs are perfect for high-traffic areas and can help a small room look larger, while round rugs can give you more flexibility in terms of placement (or less, depending on your furniture) and make great accent pieces.

What carpet to avoid? ›

The multi-level loop carpets are prone to snagging, which can cause unraveling. Larger loops should also be avoided when it comes to durability in high-traffic areas. Their carpet fibers tend to bend, giving the carpet a dirty and worn-out appearance.

"What carpet colour goes with everything?" Neutral colours such as beige, light grey, and ivory are versatile options when it comes to carpet colours that easily blend with any decor style. These shades act as a blank canvas, allowing other elements of the room's design to stand out.

If your budget allows, you can go with acrylic or wool for low-traffic areas. Acrylic has many of the perks of nylon with the added benefit of being electrostatic resistant—meaning it will not attract dust. Wool, while the softest and longest lasting, is the most susceptible to staining, mold, and mildew.

In general, synthetic fibres like polypropylene, nylon, and polyester are thought to be quite hygienic and easy to clean rug materials. These substances can be less prone to stains and require less maintenance than natural fibres.

Light colors like beige, tan, and white are good choices since they won't show any dirt or stains as easily as darker colors do. Patterned carpets with designs such as stripes or swirls can also help mask any messes while adding visual interest to your space.

Match the rug to your room

Choose light colors if you have a small space that you want to look bigger. Pastel shades, white, or pale and bright colors are ideal for such rooms. For a room that is too loudly decorated or a space where you want to imbue calm, go for muted tones of blue or green.

Carpets made of nylon fibers are some of the most durable and easiest to clean. Nylon is a strong fiber and stands up very well to abrasion. It is also resilient with good texture retention to maintain its original appearance. Plus, nylon carpeting responds very well to steam cleaning.

Nylon. This is a strong man-made fibre that is resistant to mould so there's no concern about it growing in the carpet and spreading spores around the house.

Polyester- Polyester makes the top of list for its stain resistant attributes. It is an oil based fiber which aids in repelling anything that is water based. Pet owners should highly consider this type of carpeting!

Cut Pile– Cut pile carpeting is mostly found in residential homes. The fuzzy layer that cut pile provides, leaves a soft layer of cushion around your house that is hard to beat. One of its only downsides is, it can be difficult to clean.