Guides
Rug size guides
Most people buy a rug that is too small. These work the measurement through in inches, so you can see what each size leaves on the floor before you buy it.
Sizing and placement
What each size leaves on the floor once the furniture is on it, worked through in inches.
What size rug for a king bed
A king bed is 76 by 80 inches. Here is what each rug size actually leaves you on the floor beside it, in inches, and which one fits your room.
What size rug for a queen bed
A queen bed is 60 by 80 inches. An 8 x 10 leaves exactly 18 inches of rug on each side, which is the measurement the rule is built on.
Bedroom rug placement and sizing
There are three placements that work in a bedroom, and the one you pick is decided by the width of the room rather than by the size of the bed.
What size rug for a living room
A living room rug is sized by the seating group, not by the room. Start with the width of the sofa and work outward from there.
Rug placement under a sofa or sectional
Three layouts work under a seating group, and an L-shaped sectional rules out one of them. Center the rug on the furniture rather than on the room.
What size rug under a dining table
The rug has to hold the chairs when they are pulled out, not when they are tucked in. That is 24 to 36 inches past the table on every side.
Entryway and hallway runner sizing
A runner is sized by what it leaves at the edges and the ends, not by the length of the hall. Four to five inches of floor each side is the measurement.
Cleaning and care
What each fiber will take, and what ruins it. Most of these differ by material, so start there.
How to clean a wool rug
Wool holds lanolin, which repels a spill for the first few minutes. What you do in those minutes decides whether the stain comes out.
How to clean a jute rug
Jute is a plant fiber that absorbs water and browns as it dries. Almost everything about cleaning one comes down to using as little moisture as possible.
Do you need a rug pad
A pad does four jobs, and only one of them is stopping the rug sliding. Whether you need one depends on the floor, the rug's own backing and what is standing on it.
How to clean an outdoor rug
Most outdoor rugs are polypropylene, which does not absorb water. That single property is why they can be hosed down and why they must be dried off the ground.
How to wash a washable rug
Washable covers two different things: rugs made for a domestic machine, and rugs made to be hosed down. The listing says which, and the difference matters.