Washable rugs are everywhere — but are they worth it?

When it comes to home surfaces, carpets and area rugs take more than their fair share of wear and tear. Pets and humans track dirt, water and germs back and forth over them all day, every day, and keeping them clean feels like an impossible dream.

Enter the washable rug. Ruggable, Surya and other companies promise the ability to deep-clean your area rugs by simply tossing them in your washing machine. Sounds great, right? But does it work? The reviews are mixed.

Overwhelming. Tricky. A hassle. Flimsy. These are some of the ways people have described their experience.

“My hot take on washable rugs is … lukewarm,” says interior designer Galey Alix. “I can appreciate the convenience, but I’ve found it difficult to source a larger-sized washable area rug that isn’t sacrificing too many qualities simply to carry the title of washable.”

So — with apologies to Jerry Seinfeld — what's the deal with these washable rugs? Here, we break down what you need to know, including where they do and don’t work.

What is a ‘washable’ rug, anyway?

Typically made of synthetic fibers like nylon or polypropylene, washable rugs are thinner and more lightweight than traditional rugs, especially in larger sizes. That means you can pick them up and clean them in a washing machine.

To make up for the loss of heft, most washable rugs rely on a rubber backing and/or a rug pad made of felt or rubber to keep them in place. The rug pads also add a layer of cushioning that can lend a plusher look and feel to washable rugs, and they can help to muffle sound.

They might not be the best solution for every space, though.

Go small or go home

With washable rugs, size does matter.

Kirsten Lile, designer and owner of Kirsten Lile Interiors, has used washable rugs in clients’ homes, as well as in her own, and she recommends them — with caveats. “I prefer to use them in areas of high traffic patterns like entryways, kitchens and hallways where wear and stains are common,” she says, adding that rugs in those spaces are typically no larger than 4-by-6 or 5-by-7 feet. That makes tossing them in your home washing machine more feasible. “The larger they get, the harder they are to clean and fit in your home washing machine,” Lile adds.

Natalie Biles, a co-founder of Shine Interior Design Studio, has used several washable rugs in her home, including a 5-by-7-foot rug in her breakfast area. “It’s manageable, but anything larger would be a challenge without commercial machines,” she says.

Hannah Pregont, a creative director and an expert in home appliances at AJ Madison, says Biles is right to be concerned. “Generally, rugs larger than 5-by-7-feet push the upper limits of even full-size washers,” she says. “If you’re working with anything larger, or if the rug includes a heavy rubber backing, we recommend commercial equipment or a trip to the laundromat.”

Location, location, location

Size should be the primary consideration when buying a washable rug, but where you put it also matters. The thought of tossing your rug in the washer is grand indeed … unless you have to move an entire living room’s worth of furniture just to pick the thing up.

“The rug that’s under my huge dining room table is never coming up,” says Nicole King, a PR consultant in the Dallas area who bought several washable rugs when she moved to a new home in 2023. “You’d need five people to do this. It took four of us just to get it down — it was a whole production. Same goes for the living room: Moving the couch and coffee table to lift the rug would be a major effort.”

Experts say washable rugs are best for open spaces. “I often recommend them for high-traffic areas and casual spaces where easy maintenance is a priority,” Biles says.

The trouble with underpads

After hearing great things about Ruggable, King purchased several of their rugs, including three styles with an underpad. In real life, though, those pads can be somewhat cumbersome, she says. “It took me a few months to realize the rugs with pads would always bunch up and be a pain to vacuum or keep flat,” King says. “Unfortunately, by then it was too late to return them — so now I’m stuck with them.”

Bunching isn’t the only problem with the underpads. “Larger washable rugs are uniquely lean on material so that they can physically fit inside of a washer,” Alix says. “The thin nature of these, especially after they’ve been washed, is why the sides often curl up so you don’t get a clean flat edge.” Visible padding lines are another issue. “Because the top rug material is so thin, you can see and/or feel the falloff where the underlayment stops short from the end of the rug,” Alix says, adding that curling edges “often partially expose the padding around the border.”

Vacuuming can be a challenge …

Thinner washable rugs that require a pad can also make vacuuming difficult, King says. “They bunch up constantly, and I’m always lifting the top layer and trying to smooth it back down,” she says. And because larger washable rugs, in particular, are so lightweight, Biles says, “sometimes they shift or get pulled by the suction if they aren’t anchored.”

Lile suggests using the lowest suction setting on your vacuum. “If I do the highest setting, the rug will pull up,” she says. Or you can try sticky pads to help keep the corners in place.

… But spot-treating works like a dream

It’s not all bad news! Washable rugs tend to release stains more easily than their more-traditional counterparts, making daily cleanup and spill remediation easier.

“Washable rugs are easier to spot-treat,” Lile says, “as the material can withstand harsher cleaning treatments. They are also flatter than a more traditional rug, so spills or stains don’t get stuck in the pile.”

Your washer has feelings, too

King has never washed her washable rugs, and not just because the prospect of moving all her furniture is so daunting. “Because the rugs are so big, I’m nervous about tossing them in my own washer,” she says. “I’d probably take them to a dry cleaner instead because I don’t want to risk ruining my washer or rugs.”

Pregont says the risk is real. “Even lightweight rugs can become deceptively heavy when saturated, stressing your appliance in ways it wasn’t designed for,” she says. She shared some tips for machine washing rugs:

• Check both the rug’s care label and your washer’s capacity guidelines to confirm compatibility before washing.

• Use a high-capacity front-load washer when possible.

• Avoid washing bulky loads in a top-loader with a center agitator.

• Vacuum the rug before washing it.

• Wash in cold water, using either the delicate or bulky cycle. “These settings are gentler on both textiles and your washer’s mechanical components,” Pregont says.

• Add towels to balance the load. An unbalanced load can trigger violent spin cycles, strain suspension rods and cause premature bearing wear.

Read the fine print

Finally, before purchasing a washable rug, make sure it’s actually washable. “Look closely at the fine print,” Biles says. “What are the real washing instructions? Some rugs are marketed as ‘washable’ but in reality, they are only meant for spot cleaning or professional laundering. Make sure care instructions align with your expectations.”