Washable Rugs

What makes a rug washable

A washable rug is a rug its maker says you can wash, rather than only vacuum and spot-clean, and that goes for every rug on this page. Washable is a broad word, though, and the care label is what tells you how. Where it says machine washable, use the cycle and temperature it gives. Where it asks for a gentler method, do that instead, even if the machine is tempting.

Almost all of our washable rugs are made from polyester. A few are polypropylene. Whatever the fibre, treat the care label as the final word, and leave it in place rather than cutting it off, so you can check it whenever the rug needs a wash.

Washing a washable rug at home

Take the rug outside for a good shake, then vacuum the front and back, as grit and hair lift far more easily before the rug gets wet. Blot fresh spills with a clean cloth rather than rubbing, which only pushes them deeper into the fibres.

If the label allows machine washing, check the rug fits your drum with room to move, as a rug squeezed in will not wash properly, and use a gentle detergent without bleach unless the label permits it. A rug too big for your machine may fit the larger machines at a launderette. Follow the label for drying as well, and put the rug back down only when it is completely dry.

Where a washable rug earns its place

Many of our washable rugs suit the living room, where coffee, crumbs and the odd spilt drink end up on the floor. Being able to wash the rug takes the worry out of film night with the family. Many of ours suit the bedroom too, where a rug beside the bed means your feet start the morning on it rather than on bare boards.

Some of ours suit a kitchen, in front of the sink or the hob, where splashes come with cooking. Some can go outdoors too, on a patio or balcony. Check the product details to make sure the design you choose suits outside use, and bring it in when it is not needed.

Washable runners for the hallway

The hallway takes the brunt of muddy boots, wet umbrellas and whatever the dog brings in, so it is where a rug you can wash really pays its way. We stock washable runners, and many of our rugs suit a hallway. Measure the length and width of the floor before you choose, and allow a strip of bare floor along the sides and at the ends so the runner looks planned rather than crammed in.

Check that the front door clears the runner. Many of our washable rugs are flatweave, with no pile to catch under a door. On wood, tiles or laminate, lay a rug underlay beneath so the runner stays put underfoot.

Washable kids rugs for the nursery

In a nursery or a child's bedroom, spills are a question of when rather than if. We stock washable kids rugs, and many of our washable rugs suit a nursery. When a rug meets milk, juice or paint, you can wash it the way its care label says rather than scrubbing on your knees.

Lay the rug where play happens, or beside the cot where you stand for night feeds. On hard floors, put an underlay beneath so the rug does not slide when a child runs across it. A plainer design in a colour you love can move with your child from the nursery to a bigger bedroom later on.

Colours and patterns in washable rugs

We stock washable rugs in blue, green, pink, grey and natural tones. Natural shades sit quietly beside wooden floors, while green and blue feel fresh against white or pale walls. Pink warms up a bedroom without shouting, and grey keeps a busy room calm. If you want more sunshine underfoot, some of ours come in yellow.

Many of our washable rugs have a modern look, and we stock floral designs too. A busier pattern is practical as well as pretty, because it helps disguise the small marks that build up between washes. For crisper lines, some of ours carry a geometric pattern. For a period home, some have a traditional design.

Washable rug sizes and shapes

Most of our washable rugs are rectangular, following the line of a sofa or bed. Some are round, which softens a reading corner. In a living room, choose a size that lets the front legs of the sofa and chairs rest on the rug, so the seating feels joined up rather than scattered around it.

In a bedroom, let the lower part of the bed sit on the rug so you step out of bed on to it at either side. Mark the outline on the floor with masking tape before you order, and if machine washing is the plan, think about your drum as well as your floor.