We Tried This Washable Rug And It's A Total Life Changer

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Combining a dog or cat (aka drool, hair and muddy paws) with a nice, stylish rug sounds like a recipe for disaster, since most rugs are such a pain in the neck to clean.

Most pet parents dream of a rug that looks good and is easy to keep neat. So when we heard about Ruggable – which makes rugs you can pop right in the laundry — we wondered if they could make a pet parent’s life a whole lot easier.

But is it too good to be true? We had our Dodo pets investigate.

The verdict? Here’s why it earned our Paw of Approval.

Ruggable rugs are designed for easy cleanup, which is a saving grace for pet parents (and parents of actual kids).

The rugs are conveniently machine-washable because they come in two parts: a nonslip rug pad and a waterproof, stain-resistant rug cover.

If your dog or cat makes a mess, all you have to do is peel off the lightweight top layer and throw it in the wash. Just follow the care instructions, using mild detergent in the washer and low heat in the dryer. When the cycle is over, reattach the clean cover to the nonslip pad and you’re good to go.

The best part is that there are a ton of styles to choose from.

They have small area rugs, large area rugs, round rugs, runners, outdoor rugs and even doormats. Ruggable also has selections in a bunch of different textures, like plush, chenille and shed-resistant Re-Jute. And if your home has a particular style — like Moroccan, bohemian, geometric, Persian or floral — there’s something for you, too.

With so many options, you could fill your whole home with Ruggable rugs, if you wanted.

We picked two of our messy Dodo dogs to really put Ruggable rugs to the test.

Even before running it through the laundry, our pet parents found it was super simple to keep the Ruggable rugs tidy.

“I was happy to find that the fabric and design does a great job of concealing messes until you are able to give it a full clean. If I am in a rush, I can give it a quick vacuum or even sweep the rug to pick up a mess.” — Laurel B.

But being able to put the rugs through the wash really took all the hassle out of cleaning.

“We were excited about being able to actually throw a large rug into a laundry machine, since cleaning past rugs has been a nightmare.” — Keren M.

“When it comes time for a deep cleaning, I can easily pick it up and throw it in the washing machine. The rug dried quickly in the dryer and came out completely clean.” — Laurel B.

Traction is tough for our pups when they’re on hard floors. But our dogs loved that Ruggable rugs gave them something for their paws to grip (and saved them from sliding all over the place).

“Storm is a bit scared of wood floors because they can be shiny, so I was relieved to have a large rug to put down in the dining room.” — Keren M.

“Etta has no problem bouncing around the living room — great for her, maybe not so great for us.” — Laurel B.

Our judges also loved lounging and rolling on them, since they’re so comfy.

“Etta regularly chooses to play on the rug. This means she's chewing slobbery bones, tearing apart sticks and rolling around after a trip to the beach. We don't have to get in the way of her fun because we know this rug can take a beating from our puppy.” — Laurel B.

“Storm had no issues walking right over the rug and getting in her position underneath my son's high chair. That's the best spot to get food droppings! If anything, the rug makes it easier for her to feel comfortable in her spot.” — Keren M.

Since cleanup is such a breeze, the Ruggable rugs were a dream come true for our pet parents.

“The Ruggable truly is the perfect rug for any active pet-friendly household.” — Laurel B.

“It's a bonus that it's actually very family- and dog-friendly. It's stylish, soft, catches spills and is easy to clean!” — Keren M.

They were also stoked to decorate their homes with the Rubbable rugs, since they’re so gorgeous.

“The design we chose looks really nice — it’s a subtle and beautiful pattern that would fit a variety of styles of homes.” — Keren M.

“We LOVE the design of this Ruggable — it's modern and makes our space look clean.” — Laurel B.

And you can’t beat a rug that’s actually comfortable to walk on.

“I was happy with the cushion of the rug once the Rug Cover and Classic Ruggable Pad were put together. It feels like any other rug would under our feet (and paws).” — Laurel B.

Thanks to the nonslip rubber pad, our pet parents didn’t need to worry about their rugs sliding all over the place or getting bunched up when their dogs raced around the house.

Instead, they got to enjoy how it looked all smoothed out.

“After a few tries to get the top to nicely lay flat, I was pleased by how good the pad was at keeping the rug cover in place, even with Etta sprinting around!” — Laurel B.

“It took a few minutes to smooth it out and make sure the corners were all even, but then it looked really lovely and smooth.” — Keren M.

Ruggables are also very competitively priced, with small rugs starting at $80 and getting more expensive based on style and size. They’re still an investment item, since rugs usually are, but they’re cheaper than similar high-quality products, with the added benefit of being machine-washable.

If you’re stoked about getting a machine-washable rug from Ruggable, just remember it can be a bit difficult to pull any rug out from under heavy furniture — so consider that when placing it.

“It's a pain to move the table and chairs in order to wash the product. Since rugs are usually under something, I could see that being a con in any room you decide to use it.” — Keren M.

One of our pet parents is also still a little wary about what her rug will look like if she washes it super frequently.

“My only concern is about regularly putting it through the washer and dryer, as the edges are somewhat warped after a first go. All that said, when I asked my partner if he noticed the edges after the rug went through the wash, he just said, ‘It looks great!’” — Laurel B.

But those minor downsides aside, both our human testers loved their new rugs and would recommend Ruggable rugs to other pet parents. 

Cleaning up inevitable messes is just part of being a pet parent, so it’s always a huge deal when you can make that process easier.

And since dogs love rolling on the ground while slobbering all over their toys, and cats tend to track litter through the house during their post-poop zoomies, a machine-washable rug is such a clutch way to keep your home nice and tidy.

Plus, Ruggable rugs are gorgeous, so you don’t have to worry about sacrificing quality for convenience, and you can comfortably let your cat or dog (or human kid) have as much fun as they want.

The Dodo may receive complimentary samples to test in our Paw of Approval program, but all our opinions are 100 percent our own. We only publish endorsements of products we (and our dogs and cats) absolutely love! You can find out more about our testing process here.

If you have a product you love that you want to share with other pet parents, send a tip to dodopaw@thedodo.com.