Is Ruggable Worth the Hype and Hefty Price Tag? Our Editor Put It to the Test

My boyfriend and I often laugh about the fact that one of the only disagreements we’ve ever had was over a rug — specifically, the one I used to have in my living room. On one of our first dates, we ordered takeout and sat on the couch watching movies. Not long after starting our meal, he dropped a full container of dark brown mole sauce on my white shag rug. I saw terror flash across his face as he awaited my response. 

The traumatic event did not spur a breakup, and we’re still happily dating. While I did remove the stain, between a messy partner and potty training a puppy, it became clear that I needed a more practical floor covering. A washable rug was a must in my house. 

Ruggable is one of the largest names in the washable rug game. The brand has collaborated with famous interior designers like Jonathan Adler, movie franchises including Barbie and Star Wars, brands like Pantone and Architectural Digest, and so many others. 

It was one of the first brands (if not the first) to embrace washable flooring fibers, and one of the few options (if not the only) when I first forayed into pet- and mess-friendly home decor.  

How Ruggable rugs are washable

No, you don’t have to stuff a stiff rug into your washer or invest in a larger appliance. Unlike other washable rugs, Ruggable is a two-part system: There is a velcro-like rug pad and a blanket-like topper, which is the “pretty” part of the rug. For both parts, you can choose from different levels of cushion depending on your preferred plushness. While the brand is known for its printed area rugs, they’ve also branched into washable bath mats, door mats, fluffy shag rugs, and circle-shaped rugs, all with the same pad and topper system. 

The idea is that you can easily remove or swap the showpiece at your discretion. Reminder: The pad doesn’t get washed, just the top layer.

The bottom rug pads themselves come in standard or cushioned. Meanwhile, the toppers come in four different pile options: flatwoven (low), which I would describe as about the thickness of a blanket; tufted (medium pile), which feels more like a traditional area rug; plush (high pile), which is fluffy but not quite as long as the next step up; and finally, shag (extra high pile), which is exactly what it sounds like. All choices are made from a polyester blend, making them durable and easy to clean. However Ruggable rugs may not be as soft as wool or cotton rugs. 

My Ruggable review

When making my Ruggable decision, I had to take into account that I am a city dweller with an extremely lovable boyfriend who spills almost every time he visits, and collectively, we have four dogs who roam the apartment (although only one officially lives there). All that considered, I opted for a 6-foot by 9-foot black and white striped rug in the low pile. 

It was large enough to cover a majority of my living space without creating a crazy wall-to-wall coverage situation. The neutral colors complement my bright aesthetic, but the pattern adds visual interest to my mostly solid-colored surroundings. 

Over the four years it served as the centerpiece for my living room, dirty paw prints and spaghetti stains occurred regularly. I love being able to easily spot-clean and launder it regularly. Both the medium pile and low pile rugs are easy to toss into the machines at my laundromat, and they come out looking as bright and clean as the day I got them. 

I’ve since swapped it for a medium-pile checkered rug of the same size, reusing the cushioned pad from my original purchase. This one feels more plush underfoot, which I now prefer. I didn’t mind the low-pile rug texture, but several reviewers have noted that it has more of a fabric-like feel than a traditional rug.

When I get tired of a certain pattern or color, I appreciate the option to swap the topper for a quick update. Now, I can’t say I’ve got the budget to swap toppers every season or even every year, but the freedom of choice helps alleviate stress about redecorating — a new rug makes a huge difference! Plus, they fold up rather small (compared to traditional rugs), so I can easily store my extra one in a closet when not in use. 

Random observations that type-A folks will appreciate: If I slide furniture around or work out on my rug with heavy dumbells, I don’t end up with wrinkles or weird indents, as I’ve noticed with regular rugs. The setup stays in place despite pushing around my coffee table and desk chair regularly, and the lack of bunching is a huge plus. 

A few things to consider before you buy a Ruggable rug

Some reviewers have noticed lifting or curling along the edges, but that hasn’t been my personal experience. (IMO, that’s probably user error from not placing the top layer onto the pad properly.)

Keep in mind that to reap the benefits of the washability, you’ll have to be able to easily remove the top layer. So my tip is to avoid placing a lot of heavy furniture fully on the rug. I find myself dreading hauling my rug to the laundromat because it means I have to rearrange my entire living space to pull the Ruggable off its pad. 

The convenience of washing the rug can also be negated by the fact that I have to go somewhere and pay to wash it because I can’t toss it in my own machine. Unless you have a large, front-loading machine, or a very small rug, you may need to head to a laundromat like I do to fit my 9-by-6-foot rug.

After washing, I’ve noticed minimal color fading, but this is another complaint I’ve seen on TikTok that I’m keeping an eye on. I’m sure it depends on the style you choose. Because the two Ruggables I have are mainly cream-colored, I haven’t noticed any drastic bleeding or fading.

Drying the rug can also be a challenge. Because line-drying isn’t an option in my tiny apartment, I’ve spent upwards of three hours at the laundromat washing and drying it, and even then, I sometimes come home with a damp rug. 

When I arrive home, this is when I have to emotionally prepare myself for laying it back on the velcro pad. I have a system down for spreading it with minimal wrinkling, but it’s a physical feat in my tiny dwelling: I roll it up off the pad first and then line it up with the edge of the rug pad and unroll it slowly until it’s flat, smoothing any bumps as I go. 

Final tip: If you plan to move, I recommend folding the toppers and rolling the pad instead of rolling both as one piece. The set is heavy and difficult to carry together.

Final thoughts

Those looking for an easy-to-wash rug that can handle whatever you literally throw at it will love the Ruggable system. My whole family is obsessed with the brand — my mom even uses Ruggable outside on a covered porch, and it’s held up beautifully over the past couple of years. My brother uses the bath mats in his primary bathroom, and he said they’re so much easier to regularly clean than the thick cotton rugs they used before. Even my partner is a Ruggable convert and has one in his living room that can handle the endless vacuuming necessary for a four-dog household. Trying to maneuver it under an L-shaped sectional nearly ended our relationship, but that’s a story for another day. 

For my lifestyle, it’s not worth paying hundreds to have a professional carpet cleaner come to my apartment and shampoo the thing, so Ruggable is perfect for me (and my accident-prone boyfriend).

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