Ruggable Rug Review After Two Years (The Good, The Fading, and What I’d Buy Instead)

I finally caved. After years of seeing ads for Ruggable machine washable rugs, I broke down and bought one for our San Francisco apartment dining room area.

That was two years ago. I’ve washed it at least five times since then, rolled a standing desk over it basically every single day, and had plenty of time to form very real opinions about whether this thing is worth the hype. So here’s my honest Ruggable review, updated after two full years of actually living with these washable rugs.

Is it worth the hype and the price tag? Keep reading. My answer has gotten more nuanced.

What Are Ruggable Washable Rugs and How Do They Work

What makes Ruggable different from more affordable options, like Rugs USA, is the whole concept behind it. Ruggable sells machine washable rugs built around a two-piece system: one rug pad you keep forever, and a swappable rug cover that attaches to it using their Cling Effect technology.

The rug cover peels off when you need to wash it, snaps back down when it’s clean, and the whole thing goes straight into your washing machine. Honestly, it’s a pretty clever home decor solution for modern life.

If you love to decorate for Christmas, you could lay down a fun holiday rug cover in December and swap it out in January without buying a whole new rug. If you have pets or kids, you toss the washable rug cover into the washing machine instead of calling a professional cleaner. And if you own an Airbnb like we do, this is a legitimate game changer for your cleaning team.

The rug covers come in two textures. There’s Flatwoven (2mm, low-profile) and Tufted (7mm, thicker and noticeably softer). The rug pad comes in two options too: Standard (better for rolling furniture and high-traffic areas) or Cushioned (better for comfort underfoot). You mix and match based on what your space actually needs, which I appreciate.

Our Pick

Ruggable Faye Natural Pop Rug

4.0

Machine washable rug by Ruggable in a fun retro 1970's pattern. Remove the Rug Cover to wash anytime. I have this in my apartment dining area and it's great for high traffic areas, but not something to have as your cozy living room rug.

Pros:

• Unique patterns
• Easy to wash / move
• Ships fast
• Can swap out top covers

Cons:

• Shows dirt quickly
• Wrinkles / curls up
• Very thin

Buy Now

I bought the Faye Natural Pop Rug in Round with the Tufted Standard rug pad. (Quick note: this style is now discontinued, but I linked a similar option for you.) I was in the middle of a kitchen makeover, I needed something with a retro mid-century modern vibe, and this rug was IT.

I bought it on a Black Friday sale (which was only 5% more than their standard welcome discount, lol) and I could not wait to finally swap out our old gross rug and finish that dining room refresh.

My Honest Ruggable Review After Washing It Five Times

How Ruggable Rugs Look In Person

Pretty true to the photos, which I appreciated. I’ve ordered home decor online that looked wildly different in real life, but when we unpacked the Faye Natural Pop Rug, the colors matched what I saw on screen. No unpleasant surprises there.

What I did NOT expect was how thin it would feel. Ruggable calls it a low-pile rug. I would call it a no-pile rug. It feels like paper underfoot. And two years in? That hasn’t changed.

Setting Up the Rug Cover and Rug Pad

Putting the rug cover down the first time was kind of a pain, not gonna lie. It kept folding over and curling up instead of laying flat, and it took a full week of walking on it to get the shipping wrinkles out. I’ve washed it about five times now, and every single time it comes out of the washing machine I have to walk the wrinkles back out again. It goes a little lumpy for a few days post-wash. Not a dealbreaker, but worth knowing before you buy.

The upside is that when it’s time to clean, one person can handle it alone. Roll the desk out of the way, peel up the rug cover, toss it in the washing machine. That part actually works exactly as advertised.

After Two Years of Real Use: The Honest Update

Here’s where I have to be real with you. The color on our Ruggable rug has faded over time. And I’m gonna own that some of it is my fault. We didn’t wash it for the first seven months (oops), and by the time we got into a regular washing rhythm, the damage was already done.

High traffic zone plus a long stretch of not cleaning it correctly? Not a great combo. User error absolutely played a role. But I’d also argue that a rug in this price range should be a little more forgiving of imperfect washing habits, so I’m putting that out there too.

The other thing that’s happened over time is the rug rides up when the desk chair wheels catch it. Because it’s so thin and flat, there’s not much grip against the chair movement. Not a safety issue, just a little annoying to smooth back down every couple of days.

Here’s what I’ve learned the hard way: the flatwoven washable rug is not the right product for everyone. It works well under rolling furniture, yes. But if you want something that actually feels like a rug and holds up to daily use in a high-traffic area over time, you want the Tufted version. Flatwoven prices start around $109 for smaller sizes. Tufted starts around $199 and goes up from there. The price jump is real, but so is the difference.

Why I’m Upgrading My Ruggable Rug

I’m actually in the process of ordering a new Ruggable right now, and this time it’s going to be a tufted washable rug. I picked out this round rug that has a similar retro vibe as our first one, but with darker colors to hopefully combat discoloration from heavy daily use a lot better.

The tufted rug covers are 7mm thick. That’s three times the thickness of the flatwoven. They’re softer, hold up better to foot traffic, and reviewers consistently say the texture stays intact even after machine washing. That’s the version I wish I’d bought first.

Tufted Ruggable rugs with the cushioned rug pad start around $339 for smaller sizes and go up depending on dimensions. Yes, it’s pricey. But I’ve seen what happens when you buy cheap rugs for high-traffic kitchen and dining room areas (they get foul fast), and the ability to toss this in a washing machine is a premium worth paying for the right room in your home.

Pro-tip: if you’re putting this under rolling furniture like I am, pair the tufted rug cover with the Standard rug pad, not the Cushioned one. The Standard pad is thinner and plays much nicer with desk chairs and office setups.

Where To Use Ruggable Washable Rugs (And Where To Skip Them)

These are not the rugs you want in a living room or a cozy reading nook. The flatwoven rug cover especially feels like paper, and nobody wants that in a space where softness is the whole point.

Where Ruggable rugs make total sense: dining rooms, kitchens, entryways, home offices, outdoor patios. Basically anywhere you’re going to spill things, track in dirt, or roll furniture over the top. The machine washable rug concept was built for these zones and it genuinely delivers there.

If you own an Airbnb like we do, Ruggable washable rugs are a game changer for your cleaning team. They can manage them without a professional rug service, which keeps things tidy between guests without the added cost.

One thing I’ll say: these rugs show dirt quickly because there’s zero pile to hide anything. Cat fur, shoe dirt, crumbs. All of it is visible. We vacuum ours basically every day to keep it looking decent. The upside is that vacuuming is super easy because there’s no pile to fight with. Our robot vacuum handles it without any issues, which is honestly a huge selling point for a kitchen or dining room rug.

Is Ruggable Worth the Money

Yes. With a real caveat: buy the right rug for the right room.

If you want a plush, cushioned rug for your living room where you walk around barefoot and want it to feel cozy, the flatwoven Ruggable is going to disappoint you. If you want a washable rug for a kitchen, dining room, or entryway where practicality matters more than plushness, this is a really solid choice.

And if you want something that feels actually soft AND is still machine washable? Go straight to the tufted option and shop that version first. That’s what I’d tell anyone starting fresh today.

The Best Ruggable Rug Collabs Worth Adding to Your Home Decor Wishlist

Okay, this is where Ruggable gets really fun, because they have an incredible track record of collaborating with designers and artists to create rugs you cannot find anywhere else. This is part of what makes the price feel worth it to me, and it’s the first place I send people when they’re ready to shop.

They’ve worked with Jonathan Adler (bold, maximalist, kind of perfect), the late Iris Apfel (she has three full collections with Ruggable and her prints are SO good), Goop, Kathy and Nicky Hilton, Disney, Barbie, Star Wars, Bridgerton, and most recently Anthropologie.

The Anthropologie collab dropped in late 2025 and includes seven tufted All-in-One rugs plus three doormats with the most beautiful Scandinavian floral and painterly design prints I’ve seen in this price range.

I personally love the Iris Apfel collection and I’ve been eyeing the zebra doormat for our Whimsy Homes cabin. Her rugs have this maximalist, unapologetically bold energy that feels completely different from anything else on the market. If you want a rug that looks like actual art on your floor, that collection is your answer.

The collab designs are hands down where I send people first when they’re shopping Ruggable. The originals are worth the premium and they’re the kind of home decor find you actually get excited about.

Ruggable Reviews FAQ

How do you wash Ruggable rugs?

Wash the rug cover in cold water on a delicate cycle and either tumble dry on low heat or hang to air dry. Check the specific care instructions for your cover style before the first wash since it can vary slightly by material.

Do NOT put the rug pad in the washing machine. You can spot clean the pad with water only.

One really important note from personal experience: wash your Ruggable rug regularly from the start. I made the mistake of waiting seven months before washing mine for the first time, and the color faded faster than it should have. Get into a washing routine every couple of months from day one and your washable rug will hold up much better over time. I learned this the hard way so you don’t have to.

How much do Ruggable rugs cost?

Flatwoven rug covers start around $109 for smaller sizes. Tufted covers start around $199. Full sets with rug pad and rug cover start around $219 for flatwoven and $339 for tufted, depending on size. Ruggable runs sales fairly regularly and their Black Friday deals are real, though the discount is typically around 20-30% rather than the dramatic cuts you might hope for.

Are Ruggable rugs soft?

The flatwoven rug covers are not soft. Real talk: they feel like paper. If you want softness, you need the tufted cover option, which is 7mm thick and noticeably more comfortable underfoot. Pair it with the cushioned rug pad for maximum comfort in a bedroom or living room.

Do Ruggable rugs work with a robot vacuum?

Yes. Because the flatwoven covers have basically zero pile, a robot vacuum handles them really well. No tangling, no struggle. This is one of my favorite things about having a machine washable rug in a high-traffic kitchen or dining room area.

Do Ruggable rugs curl up?

Yes, they do curl and wrinkle right after washing or when you first lay them down. It takes a few days of walking on the rug to smooth everything back out. For larger rugs, you may need two people to lay the rug cover back down on the rug pad correctly after washing.

What are the main Ruggable complaints?

The biggest complaints I’ve seen and personally experienced: the flatwoven rugs are very thin and feel like paper, the color can fade over time especially in high-traffic zones if you’re not washing regularly from the start, the rug covers wrinkle after every wash, and they show dirt quickly because there’s no pile to hide anything. Worth noting if you’re someone who switches up paint colors or redecorates often: the flatwoven covers can start looking worn before you’re ready to swap them out, which is annoying at this price point. Some customers have also had frustrating experiences with the return process and customer service, though I personally never needed to contact them.

What is Ruggable’s return policy?

Ruggable says each customer is entitled to one free exchange per item within 30 days of purchase. Test your rug as soon as it arrives and read the full return policy on their site so you know exactly what to expect before that window closes.

Is Ruggable worth it?

For the right use case, yes. A machine washable rug for a dining room, kitchen, or entryway is a practical investment and the collab designs are some of the coolest in the washable rugs category right now.

Go tufted if you want it to actually feel like a rug, and get into a regular washing routine from day one. Those two things will make or break your experience with Ruggable over time.

Since we do a lot of DIY projects in our apartment, I feel like something like Ruggable is great as it offers us the chance to alter the decor of the room without a major overhaul. 

Have you tried Ruggable rugs or seen them in other shopping guides? Drop a comment below with your own Ruggable reviews! I’d love to hear which styles you went with and whether you chose flatwoven or tufted.