July 26, 2024
Plush and Low-Profile Rug Pads: Why You Need One
Hooray, you found the runner or area rug you've been searching for! Maybe it’s a richly-hued Moroccan vintage runner, or a hand-knotted Turkish flatweave for the living room. But before you jump to unfurl your dream floor covering, you might be forgetting an essential step first—getting the right rug pad.
Rug pads are the unsung heroes of interior design. Despite its name, a rug pad isn’t something to sweep under the rug or skip all together. In fact, they’re the most important part of rug shopping and rug care. This crucial accessory protects your rug from grime, and your floors from scratches and dents. It also keeps your rug stationary—preventing you and your loved ones (including the four-legged among them) from slipping, especially in high-traffic areas of your home.
We don’t blame you for thinking you should just cut corners in getting a lower quality rug pad—after all, who’s going to see it? However, in our experience the cheapest option, like most "honeycomb" rubber pads can actually end up causing damage your floors and rug over time.
Our Plush rug pad is a 1/5" (5.08 mm) thick workhorse, made of 100% recycled felt and natural rubber which gives the rug a more cushioned feel underfoot. Its thickness supports the weight of furniture and foot traffic, so your rug will be less matted down over time.
Shop Revival's Low-Profile Rug Pad
Our rug pads come in 19 different sizes that you can easily trim to fit your rug. We recommend getting a rug pad that's a bit larger than your rug so you can trim it 1-2" smaller than your rug for a custom fit. You can watch our video tutorial here.
How do I clean a rug pad?
Although rug pads are not machine-washable, they're still quite easy to clean and care for. For routine maintenance, a simple shake out of your rug pad every few months should be enough to remove dust and dirt buildup. You can vacuum the area underneath before laying it back down.
For spills, we suggest wiping up the area as soon as possible, followed by spot cleaning the rug pad with soap and water. Once you've cleaned the spill and rug pad, make sure that the floor is thoroughly dry before placing the rug pad back down.
Why is a quality rug pad necessary, and how does it protect your rug?
A quality rug pad will help extend the life of your rug, make it more durable, and provide extra comfort. But that’s not all they do.
The right rug pad will:
- make your rug look better—a rug pad helps prevent the rug from bunching, secures it in place, and adds a subtle lift to your new purchase, making it look even thicker and more luxurious
- protect your rug’s underneath from accumulating too much grime. Though rugs naturally collect dust over time, a rug pad will mitigate the damage that grit can cause when it rests too long in the fibers
- protect your floor! Lesser rug pads are made of sticky, thin rubber which can fuse to your floorboards and damage them
- aid in noise absorption, softening sounds from rowdy pets to aspiring drummers
While we recommend a rug pad for all rugs, they're especially important for flatweaves, whose low pile is more at risk to become slippery (and dangerous) without one.
Can you feel the difference between our rug pads vs others on the market?
Yes. Our rug pad is made of 100% recycled felt and natural rubber. This pairing is the best of both worlds—the felt offers cushion and body beneath your rug, while the rubber grips to secure your rug in place. Moisture and mildew resistant, our rug pad is safe for most floors. Lastly, many synthetic PVC rug pads can cause irreversible damage to your expensive hardwood floors and finishes.
On the hunt for inspiration? Shop Revival for the latest in home decor.
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