Ruggable’s two-piece washable rug system retails for $179 to $429 depending on size, with the genius being a thin top rug that velcros onto a separate non-slip pad and tosses into the home washing machine. The catch: the pattern selection is limited, and many homeowners already have a flat-weave rug they like. A DIY Ruggable recreation runs $45 to $80 in materials, takes about 90 minutes, and lets you convert any thin rug you already own into a washable system. The trick is matching the right adhesive hook-and-loop tape with a quality non-slip rug pad that holds position on hardwood, LVP, or tile.
How the Ruggable System Actually Works
The original Ruggable uses a 1/8-inch-thick polyester rug with a thin polymer backing that grips a polyurethane non-slip pad through friction plus strategically placed hook-and-loop strips along the edges and center. The top rug weighs less than 6 pounds in a 5×7 size, light enough for a standard top-load washer at 4.5 cubic feet capacity.
To duplicate it, you need three things: a thin flat-weave rug, a non-slip pad sized just slightly smaller than the rug, and adhesive hook-and-loop strips rated for fabric adhesion.
Materials You Will Need
- Flat-weave rug, 1/4 inch thick or less, machine-washable label preferred
- Non-slip rug pad — Mohawk Home Dual Surface or RugPadUSA Total Grip, 1/8 inch felt with rubber back
- Velcro Brand Industrial Strength Sticky Back tape, 1.5 inch wide, white
- Scissors and a straightedge
- Tape measure
- Heavy book or weights for press-down adhesion
Total cost for a 5×7 setup runs $55 to $75 at Home Depot, Lowe’s, or Amazon. Skip cheap dollar-store velcro because the adhesive fails within two wash cycles.
Choosing the Right Rug
The rug must be thin and flexible enough to fold into a washing machine. Shag, high-pile, and wool rugs do not work because they cannot tolerate machine washing or fail to lay flat over the pad. Best candidates include cotton flat-weaves, polyester chenille flat-weaves, and PET fiber rugs sold for outdoor use.
Check the care label for “machine wash cold” and “tumble dry low.” Ruggable’s own rugs are 100% polyester with a polyurethane backing, but cotton flat-weaves from Target’s Hearth & Hand line or West Elm’s washable cotton collection work fine without the rubber backing.
Selecting the Right Non-Slip Pad
The pad does two jobs: prevents the rug from sliding and provides cushion. For hard floors, a felt-and-rubber combo pad delivers both. Mohawk Home Dual Surface costs $32 to $58 depending on size at Home Depot. RugPadUSA’s Total Grip runs $45 to $90 but lasts longer.
Cut the pad 1 inch smaller than the rug on all sides so it does not show at the edges. Use sharp scissors and a straightedge for a clean cut. Round the corners slightly to prevent curling.
Step-by-Step Assembly
1. Position the Rug Face Down
Spread the rug face down on a clean floor or large table. Run your hand across the back to confirm no wrinkles or folds.
2. Place the Pad on the Back
Center the pad on the rug back with 1 inch of rug border showing on all sides. Mark the pad outline with painter’s tape so you can reposition if needed.
3. Apply Hook-and-Loop Strips
Cut the velcro into 3-inch strips. Adhere the hook side to the pad and the loop side to the corresponding spot on the rug back. Place strips at all four corners, the four edge midpoints, and one in the center — nine total for a 5×7 rug. Press firmly for 30 seconds per strip.
4. Press and Cure
Stack books or weights on each velcro spot for 24 hours to let the adhesive fully bond. The Velcro Brand instructions specify a 24-hour cure for maximum hold on textiles.
5. Test Fit and Flip
After curing, flip the assembled rug right side up, position it in the room, and walk on it for several days to check stability. If the rug shifts, add more velcro strips at high-traffic spots.
Washing Your DIY Ruggable
Separate the top rug from the pad before washing. The pad never goes in the washer because the rubber backing degrades under heat and tumbling. Vacuum or shake the pad outdoors instead.
Wash the rug alone in cold water on the gentle cycle. Use Tide or Persil free-and-clear detergent at half the normal dose to prevent residue buildup. Tumble dry on low or air-dry flat. Avoid bleach, which weakens the velcro adhesive over time.
Cost Comparison vs. Buying Ruggable
- 5×7 Ruggable retail: $249 to $329
- 5×7 DIY version: $55 to $80
- 8×10 Ruggable retail: $429 to $549
- 8×10 DIY version: $95 to $150
Savings run 65% to 75% depending on rug source and pad quality. The DIY system also lets you swap out the top rug seasonally without buying a new pad each time.
Limitations and Caveats
The velcro adhesion holds 8 to 15 wash cycles depending on detergent and water temperature. Plan to re-adhere strips every six to twelve months. For households with kids, large dogs, or heavy spill risk, consider adding a thin waterproof layer between the rug and pad — a $12 vinyl table protector from Walmart works in a pinch. Skip this hack on stairs, which always need a professionally installed runner with proper stair pad for safety.
Sizing Considerations for Larger Rooms
The DIY method scales up but with caveats. An 8×10 rug pushes the limits of most home washing machines. A typical top-load LG or Samsung washer at 4.5 cubic feet handles a 5×7 with room to spare, but an 8×10 in standard residential machines often comes out with detergent residue in the center.
For larger sizes, use a laundromat front-loader with at least 4.5 cubic foot capacity or split the wash across two cycles. Half-fold the rug, wash one section, then refold and wash the other half. The split method takes longer but delivers cleaner results than overstuffing a standard machine.
Choosing Color and Pattern
Pattern hides wear and dirt between washes. Solid colors look striking on day one and reveal every speck of pet hair by day three. Persian-inspired patterns, faded ikat, and busy geometric prints all forgive daily life better than crisp solids.
Cotton flat-weaves from Target’s Hearth & Hand line ($60 to $180), Loloi flat-weaves from Wayfair ($110 to $320), and unbacked rugs from Etsy artisans all convert well into the Ruggable-style two-piece system. Pick a rug you actually like — the DIY savings disappear if you do not enjoy looking at the result.
