The Best Washable Rugs, According To Our Testing

Best Overall Washable Rug

Tumble Tabor Washable Rug

View On Tumbleliving.com

The Tumble Tabor Washable Rug lives up to its name—in our testing, we found that all stains, from wine to coffee, were able to be removed without a trace. Plus, it looks elegant and comes in a chic neutral tone that matches most decor styles. (Tumble also sells a variety of other styles.)

The rug consists of two parts: a jigsaw foam pad that you have to put together yourself, and the fabric rug which you’ll lay on top. The foam bottom is necessary because the fabric is thin, and the pad adds a little cushioning and prevents it from slipping on the floor. While it’s not plush like your average rug, it’s still soft to walk on.

To check the rug’s stain resistance, we spilled things like coffee, dirt, and wine on it. We were seriously impressed by how well the rug seemed to repel the substances, with them simply beading on the top instead of being absorbed. When we blotted the stains with a paper towel, the liquids were absorbed so much that it was hard to tell that we spilled anything in the first place. Ditto for the potting soil we poured on it: There was nothing left when we vacuumed the rug. 

After two months, the rug remained stain-free despite multiple spills and other messes. We could remove all stains by wiping the rug or washing it in the washing machine. Although the rug looked big, we were able to fit it in our washer by folding it up.

We were impressed that the rug looked brand new after six months of use and regular washes in our washer. It was by far the easiest-to-clean rug we’ve ever owned. Overall, this rug is incredibly durable and a good choice for pet owners. It comes in standard rectangle and runner sizes, so you could fit in hallways, dining rooms, living rooms, and more. Our only wish is that it had more colors and styles for us to choose from.

Material: Polyester rug; EVA foam with TPR (thermoplastic resin) rug pad | Size Range: 7 sizes ranging from 3 x 5 feet to 9 x 12 feet | Pile Height: 0.25 inches

Best Budget Washable Rug

NuLoom Brielle Machine Washable Area Rug

View On Amazon $35 View On Walmart $160 View On Target

While many rugs are too thick to fit under entryway doors, you won’t have that problem with the Nuloom Brielle Machine Washable Rug because it’s thin enough to fit under most doors. We observed that it stayed firmly in place, thanks to a non-skid backing, and didn’t curl up around the edges. 

Despite it having low to no cushioning, it felt incredibly soft and silky. But, it might be a good idea to get a rug pad for it if you want more softness underfoot. This lack of pile also means you likely won’t have to deal with any shedding fibers.

We placed the rug in our busy front entryway during our tests. The rug performed well and we found it to be tough, and easy to clean dirt off it. But, removing wet stains was quite hard—we could hardly remove the coffee and wine we spilled on it in our mess tests.

Six months later the rug was as soft as ever, and it did not incur any stains, although it was light colored. Overall, it is a simple, inexpensive rug that doesn’t look or feel cheap. Just take care where you put it, and don’t plan on putting it in areas where drinks are likely to spill if you can help it.

Material: Polyester | Size Range: 15 sizes ranging from 2 x 3 feet to 9 x 12 feet | Pile Height: Less than 0.5 inches

Best Washable Rug for Pet Owners

Better Homes & Gardens Abstract Machine Washable Area Rug

View On Walmart $89

If you have furry companions living with you, getting a rug that you can wash frequently is a smart idea to guard against muddy paws and other pet stains. This rug from the Better Homes & Gardens Walmart line is a great pick for pet owners because it’s durable and stain-repellent. (Better Homes & Gardens is owned by Southern Living’s parent company, Dotdash Meredith.) Not only that, but the abstract pattern means that it can easily hide stains or hair until they’re removed.

It’s a low-pile rug, which means there’s not much for Rover or Lil’ Mitts to mess up with their claws or teeth. In fact, we noticed zero abrasions when we brushed it and no fibers came out.  We were also able to clean the carpet from all traces of coffee, chocolate, wine, and dirt. 

The rug doesn't have a rug pad or non-skid backing though, which you might want to purchase separately to prevent skidding. The rug held up well at the front entryway to our home, requiring only basic maintenance from us to upkeep its look. The rug got plenty of foot traffic from kids and pets yet didn’t show any signs of dirt, stains, or snags. 

This rug would have been our dream rug if it was thicker for added comfort. We suggest getting a rug pad if you want more cushioning for your feet. Besides that, we loved the abstract design which really helped to disguise stains plus the fact that it’s one of the more affordable picks on this list. If you need a sturdy rug for high-traffic areas in your home—we recommend snagging it up.

Material: Polyester | Size Range: 2 x 7 feet, 5 x 7 feet, and 7 feet 2 inches x 9 feet 10 inches | Pile Height: 0.2 inches

Best Non-Slip Washable Rug

Ruggable Kamran Rug

View On Amazon $349 View On Ruggable.com

The Kamran Rug by Ruggable is one of the best washable rugs we’ve seen, but also one of the most expensive models on our list. Why? This rug is dense and cushy, almost like a regular rug. You can even make it more fluffy by opting for a tufted version, which is three times thicker. In fact, this rug is full of options—not only can you choose the comfort level, but you can also choose from 13 sizes (including runners and round rugs) and nine colors.

It’s stain resistant, too: After spilling red wine and coffee over the top, we were able to remove all traces by scrubbing it with a cleaning solution. We also observed that the stains did not soak through to the other side, and dirt was instantly removed by vacuuming. Because the fibers are tightly woven, we had no issues with shedding. And although we clawed and scratched the rug’s surface many times, the rug remained in pristine condition. 

We observed that this rug is truly non-slip. Not only was it heavy enough to stay in place, it didn’t budge when we pushed it with our feet. You can opt for a standard rug pad or a cushioned rug pad, but just keep in mind that if you want extra padding, it will cost a little more. And, you might want to think twice about having it near a door, as it might have some problems passing over the rug. This particular rug is available in a few different traditional-inspired styles, but all of Ruggable’s rugs are worth checking out for their comfort and quality. 

After two months, we never had issues with it sliding around, especially since our cats were obsessed with it and spent lots of time lounging or running around on the rug every day. We found its short pile made it easy to get stains out with just a stain remover and a rag.

And after six months, the rug was still in great shape. Whenever it got stained, we threw it in the washer and dryer, and it came out brand-new. Overall, this rug holds up well, making it an ideal choice for pet owners. The only issue we found was that its borders were slightly weak, and tended to snag when our cats scratched them.

Material: Polyester with polyurethane barrier | Size Range: 13 sizes ranging from 2 x 3 feet to 10 x 14 feet | Pile Height: 0.07-0.4 inches depending on selection

Best Washable Shag Rug

Ruggable Shag Rug

View On Ruggable.com

It might sound risky to throw a shag rug in the washer, but with Ruggable’s Shag Rug, it’s doable. We tested this rug in every kind of way: stain tests, abrasion tests, wash tests, and more to see how well it would fare. The result? Despite a little shedding after brushing the rug, it maintained its appearance. And considering it’s a white rug, the fact that there were no visible wine or coffee stains is pretty amazing.

This rug feels soft and buttery to the touch, making it the perfect choice for anyone who wants a plush rug. Like the other Ruggable rug on our list, this shag rug has a grippy bottom thanks to the rug pad that comes with it, and you can choose a standard rug pad or a cushioned rug pad. To make sure it didn’t slide we did a Hank Aaron-inspired short-stop jump, and to our delight, it stayed put. 

While the rug did lose some softness after we washed it, its long shag hairs still felt pliable enough to move in all directions. After two months of use in a home with pets, we did find that it trapped hair (which isn’t unusual for shag rugs) and showed some discoloration. Although a simple vacuum was all it took to clean off the hair and dirt, we weren’t able to do much about the grey discoloration—which was a major issue for us. 

Overall, we think this rug would be best placed in bedrooms or pet-free homes. However, if you need it for a high-traffic area of your home, we strongly suggest choosing another color besides white.

Material: Polyester with a polyurethane barrier | Size Range: 7 sizes ranging from 2 x 3 feet to 6 x 9 feet | Pile Height: 2.13-2.4 inches depending on rug pad

Softest Washable Rug

West Elm Waterfall Washable Rug

View On West Elm $39

We were quite impressed with how well this West Elm rug held up in the wash, given that it’s a soft medium-pile rug. After one wash, the fibers on the rug remained just as dense, and the colorful pastel design on the rug did not bleed together. We also liked that it did not slip and slide around no matter what method we used to try and move it (we had a few up our sleeves!). 

We liked that it was soft without being too fluffy, so we had no problems swinging our door over it. It was also the perfect size for front entryways and looked very attractive at our front door. Over the months of testing, we regularly tossed it in the wash, without the rug’s quality diminishing.

In terms of quality, we found that the coffee and dirt stains were easy to remove, but cleaning the wine stains was an issue. We were only able to remove 50% of the wine stains, even with a cleaning solution, which was disappointing.

Still, the rug did not pill or abrade easily when we clawed through it with a brush. In fact, there was no difference between the brushed part and the areas we left alone, so we think this rug would be well-suited to medium to high-traffic areas of your home. The rug has a thick backing, which is great for any accidental spills and pet accidents, as it is able to absorb liquids and prevent the floor from getting wet.

This rug comes in six sizes but only one pattern. Also keep in mind that it does not come with a rug pad, although you can buy one separately on West Elm’s site. But, considering the grip that it has on the floor, you might not need one anyway. 

Material: Recycled polyester | Size Range: 6 sizes ranging from 2 x 3 feet to 8 x 10 feet | Pile Height: 0.2 inches

Best Washable Rug for Kitchens & Dining Rooms

World Market Iman Washable Area Rug

View On World Market $50

This polyester area rug from World Market is a fraction of the cost of Persian rugs you’ll find at other retailers, yet feels like walking on fine silk. However, it’s very thin, with little pile to speak of, so it’s not a good option if you want something thick and plush. On the other hand, we didn’t expect to take out much fiber when we brushed it. True to form, other than the rug becoming a little wispy, hardly any carpet fibers came out. 

Additionally, the rug’s thinness made it easy to vacuum, using both a robot and a regular vacuum, and the dirt we poured on came out immediately. We also spilled coffee and wine on the rug to see if the stains could be removed—the coffee stains took a little longer to come out, but in the end, we were successfully able to remove both. 

Throughout our six-month testing period, we saw no signs of deterioration in terms of staining or in texture. The rug was mostly in the same condition as when it first arrived. At $50, this rug is a deal as well as a prime choice if you want to buy additional rugs for other areas of your home. The downside is that there isn’t a wide design selection and you’ll have to buy a rug pad separately. Just note that although it’s machine washable, your washer needs to be at least 4 cubic feet for it to fit.

Material: Polyester | Size Range: 5 sizes ranging from 2 feet 6 inches x 8 feet to 5 x 7 feet | Pile Height: Not listed

Best Washable Rug for Bathrooms

Uphome Round Floral Rug

View On Amazon $69

Non-slip and super soft, the Uphome Round Washable Rug is a good pick to go in the bathroom, or any room where you want a kitschy look. We liked that the rug felt grippy with a rubber latex backing, which is perfect for when you’re stepping out of the tub or shower with wet feet. And while it features a tufted fiber weave, it's not that thick, making it less likely to harbor mildew. 

We found this rug to be fairly stain resistant, so you don’t have to worry about leftover residue or traces if accidents happen. It’s small and easy to fit in the washing machine, but vacuuming could pose some issues because of the fringe detailing. Also, watch out if you have a pets—the pom poms may not last too long if they sink their claws (or teeth) into them.  

Six months of washing and vacuuming the rug did not reduce this rug’s quality, and it felt just as clean and soft as when first we got it. We were impressed that the rug’s rubber backing was also dryer safe.

This rug is also inexpensive, which is a bonus if you need an affordable option. It comes in multiple sizes and five cheerful colorways that would alternatively look great in a nursery or kid’s room.  Just watch out for the tassels—they tend to pick up dirt and need a little extra TLC to keep them spotless.

Material: Polyester | Size Range: 4 sizes ranging from 2 feet to 5.3 feet | Pile Height: Not listed

Best Indoor-Outdoor Washable Rug

Rugs.com Washable Indoor/Outdoor Rug

View On Rugs.com

This rug gets brownie points from us because it doubles as an outdoor rug, plus features a chic, reversible pattern so you can use it on both sides. It’s also quite plush and has a surprisingly soft texture that feels nice to stand on—not typical for an outdoor rug. 

Although we found the rug’s quality to be nicer compared to other rugs we tested, it tends to absorb stains easily which makes us wary of making it a kitchen rug or bathroom. But, it is machine washable, so you can always throw it in the washer if it gets too dirty. We also found that vacuuming was easy because we were able to suck tiny particles from all the nooks and crannies in the rug. 

A rug pad is included with the rug, which we felt didn’t do enough to keep the rug in pace. The rug often slipped around as we walked on it, so be prepared to readjust it if it’s going in a high-traffic spot. There’s no pile to speak of on the rug as it features a braided rope texture. Due to the texture, it is recommended that you air dry it rather than place it in a drier to keep the rug in good condition. 

Overall, the rug was durable throughout months of testing. It was low maintenance and easy for us to clean by vacuuming or washing. However, we noticed that it has a propensity to collect lint, so you’ll have to vacuum frequently for it to stay looking its best. The rug comes in rectangle, runner, and square sizes.

Material: Recycled Material | Size Range: 11 sizes, ranging 2’2 x 3 feet to 7 x 10 feet | Pile Height: 0.75 inches