A Rug Under the Kitchen Table | Yes, Even With Messy Kids!
If I’ve been asked once, I’ve been asked dozens of times: “Megan, how do you have a rug under the kitchen table with (messy) kids?!?” Yep – despite having a home full of messy boys, I’ve been putting a rug under our kitchen table for almost 10 years now. And no, I am not at all worried about stains, messes, or damage. If you’ve been wanting a rug under your kitchen or dining table too but are just too scared it will get ruined, read on for my tried-and-true “secret.”
Why I Love a Rug Under a Kitchen Table
There are a few reasons you might want a rug under the table: style, noise reduction, protection, and crumb management just to name a few.
Style
Plain and simple, a rug under a kitchen or dining room table usually looks better. It “grounds” the table and chairs within the room (serving as a focal point), and the right rug can provide a color scheme, pattern, or texture in a way no other room element can.
Sound
If your dining space is particularly echo-y (thanks to tile, linoleum, hardwood floors), a rug helps absorb voices, dishes, chairs (and eating!), making meal time a little more enjoyable for everyone.
Protection
Scratches on the floor from chairs moving in/out can be unsightly and bothersome (and can result in charges if you’re a renter!) A rug can eliminate scratches and keep your floors pristine!
Crumb & Dust Management
No matter what…if you eat at it, there will always be crumbs under your kitchen or dining table. But a rug can affect how “bothersome” these crumbs are to you.
I, for one, cannot stand the look and feel of crumbs under my feet, so I find a rug absolutely necessary to keeping the visual mess under control!
Not Any Rug Can Go Under a Table
Quite often, my best solutions are born out of getting something very wrong. And that is very much the case here. I had to go through a lot of bad rug choices in our dining area before I ultimately landed on the right one.
To save you time and trouble, let me first quickly break down some rug types you should not put under a kitchen table.
High-Pile Rugs
High pile rugs can be a tempting choice for under a kitchen table because they are usually sturdy, comfortable, well-priced, and easy to find. For these exact reasons, we opted to put a neutral Stainmaster area rug under one of our first dining tables.
But the high pile is actually what proves so problematic. Crumbs and stains get trapped in the longer fibers (making them much harder to clean), and chair/furniture movement can be difficult. We ultimately trashed this rug due to all the staining left behind.
Natural Flatwoven Rugs
These lightweight, low-pile rugs are inexpensive and often have super stylish patterns, making them another appealing option. I thought for sure that this herringbone flatwoven rug would be a winner under our kitchen table. But the loose weave does not hold up to shoes, chairs, vacuums, or rigorous cleaning at all. Within days of laying it down, this rug had pulls, loops, and snags and was completely, totally unsightly.
Natural Rugs
Since durability was such an issue in our previous attempts, I then tried a natural jute rug (wool, sisal, jute, and other natural fibers are known to be durable materials and great for families).
In the end, it was the texture of these natural fibers that proved problematic. There are way too many cracks and crevices for food and crumbs to get into. And forget about cleaning up liquid spills. Within a week of having this braided rug under our table, we had drink and berry stains that were never coming out.
My #1 Secret To Putting Rugs Under the Kitchen Table
So what rugs do work under kitchen or dining room tables? Outdoor rugs!
Here’s why:
Stain Resistance – Outdoor rugs are typically made of synthetic fibers (e.g., nylon, polypropylene), making them much more stain resistant. We’ve been able to drop red wine, spaghetti sauce, and chocolate cake on our outdoor rugs and clean them up completely. If for some reason a wet sponge or microfiber cloth doesn’t clean up the spill, you can drag these rugs right outside and hose them down!
Extremely Tight Weave and Low Pile – To withstand outdoor elements, outdoor rugs are usually machine woven with a very tight weave and extremely low pile. This ultra-flat, tight design mean crumbs and stains won’t get embedded in, and chairs can pull in/out without any trouble.
Fade Resistance -The primary appeal of outdoor rugs is their ability to maintain color in bright sunlight; and such is true inside too. If your dining room or kitchen gets a lot of light, these rugs will not lose their color or vibrance.
Fun Patterns – Since these rugs are intended for outdoor use, you can easily find a colored or patterned rug to liven up your kitchen or dining space.
This unique combination of durability, food/liquid resistance, style, and flat weave makes outdoor rugs ideal for spill-prone and high-traffic areas…such as under tables!
My Preferred Brand of Outdoor Rugs
Now, when I say “outdoor rug,” I am not referring to plastic-y, lightweight, straw-like mats.
Rather, rug and fiber technology has come a very long way in recent years; and many outdoor rugs are soft, comfortable, and fairly “hefty,” yet still provide the stain resistance and durability you need under a table.
Target’s line of outdoor rugs (the Threshold brand) is my very favorite (I’ve now purchased 5 of them!) They are soft underfoot but have that added durability needed for busy, messy households.
I also love smaller versions of these same rugs for our bathrooms. They can withstand moisture and stains, but are flat enough for under doors.
Shop My Outdoor Rug Picks
1 More Excellent Under Table Option
If using an outdoor rug still makes you nervous, a “vinyl rug” is an excellent alternative. I recently put one in a bathroom, and I was incredibly impressed by its durability and ease of cleaning (it’s vinyl, so you literally just wipe it clean!) However, keep in mind that these vinyl rugs can be hard to find and are also quite expensive in a full (table) size.
How to Keep Your Dining Room Rugs Clean
No matter what kind of rug you put under a dining table, you need to accept that spills are going to happen. After setting yourself up for success with an outdoor rug, are are a few things you should also do to ensure your rug stays perfectly clean!
Clean Up Spills Immediately
When the plate of spaghetti hits the floor, there’s truly no need to panic. But I do recommend cleaning up any spills and drips as soon as possible.
Usually a really good scrub with wet sponge or microfiber cloth is all I need to pull foods/liquids out of our outdoor rugs. If not, I keep a handy bottle of Shout spray on hand for more stubborn stains.
Protect Under High Chairs
Babies and small kids are notorious for making a pretty good mess at meal time. And while an outdoor rug can probably withstand an onslaight of brightly-colored purees, you might not be up for scrubbing your rug after every meal.
My solution? An ultra-clear rolling chair mat. We used this exact mat through two of our babies, and our buffalo plaid rug remained completely unscathed. Not only does the clear mat perfectly blend in with the rug (it’s only obvious here only because I intentionally shot it at an angle so it would reflect), but it makes wiping down and picking up food super easy.
Vacuum Regularly
Finally, I can’t overemphasize the value of regular vacuuming. When foods and crumbs stick around, they become much harder to get out of the rug fibers. Whether you keep a powerful hand-held vacuum nearby or you set a robot vacuum to run after every meal (that’s what we do!), regularly removing crumbs will ultimately keep your rug in tip top shape!
If you love the look of a rug under a table but just don’t want to see it destroyed by daily life, you’ve got to give my “secret” a try. By employing a combination of an outdoor rug, a clear mat under messy kiddos, and cleaning/vacuuming regularly, we’ve been able to enjoy rugs under our tables (in home after home!) without stressing about spots and stains at every meal!
Megan
14 Comments on “A Rug Under the Kitchen Table | Yes, Even With Messy Kids!”
Love this post… it’s so helpful. I have one of the Threshhold rugs in my living area and love that it cleans up so well. However, I’ve decided that the design is not working for me either. So, I’m on the hunt, and waiting for a sale! 😉
Great post, Megan. Never thought about the clear office mat trick.
It seems that I have even less disposable income than most people, so I came up with an even cheaper solution to the rug dilemma. I bought two of the 6’x8′, indoor/outdoor, recycled poly, made-in-the-USA rugs sold at Home Depot. I waited until they were on sale last year, and with a military discount, they came to less than $18 each. I then bought a large stencil in a pattern I liked, and have stenciled a pattern in my chosen colors over the kitchen rug. Bought a rug-to-carpet rug pad (on sale for $9.99 at Fred Meyer), and the rug stays put. The stenciled pattern hides most stains/spills/crumbs. Total cost for one “perfect” rug, including the stencil and paint: about $35. I will get to the other rug- for the living room- soon. We live in an apartment, so I don’t do most of my redecorating/building/painting projects until late Spring through early Autumn. Yeah, waiting a year for two rugs that work in our space is a long time, but I’m patient!
This is the first time I’ve ever commented, but I enjoy your blog, and have been reading for about two years. You do great work, both on the blog, and on making your homes:)
Thank you so much for such a kind comment! You are a resourceful one indeed, and I LOVE your ideas! Thank you so much for sharing them!!
And thank you for taking the time to chime in – I love hearing from my readers…no matter how silent you like to stay! Knowing you’re out there and loving what I’m doing sure puts a spring in my step!
Have a great week!
Megan
This post was EXACTLY what I needed (and you just gained a subscriber!). We just moved into our forever home and I have literally lost a bit of sleep wondering about what to do for our under-the-table rug. We have a 4-year-old and a 16-month old and holy mess. Thanks so much for your pearls of wisdom on this issue!
I’m coming in late to the game but I think this post just helped me solve my dining table/small child rug conundrum. Thank you!
How well do your chairs slide on the outdoor rug? I have gliders on my current chairs yet it’s sill difficult to slide in and out from under the table on my current rug.
Hi Nancy!
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you!
We have no issues with them gliding. The outdoor rug has virtually NO pile, so sliding the chairs in and out isn’t an issue at all!
Hope that helps a bit!Megan
Megan you are brilliant! Thank you! I have older children (teenaged boys) and my dog recently had a litter of puppies. I had a lovely sisal rug under my table and boy did that NOT work out. The puppies all thought it a wonder spot to pee. I was constantly at it with my rug cleaner. Outside rug never occurred. Thanks again. Perfect solution.
Hi Steph!
I am so glad to hear you found this post helpful! The outdoor gingham rug I show in that post is going on 3 years and it STILL looks great! Hope you find something that works for your space!
~Megan
I love the idea of a mat under the high chair! I clicked on your link, and it’s for a hard chair mat, but the one in your picture looks like it’s thinner and foldable. Is that right?
Hi Katharine,
Thanks for reaching out about this!
Unfortunately, the exact mat I bought years ago is no longer available from Amazon. So I linked an alternative product in this post. The one linked is “crystal clear,” but yes, appears to be completely unbendable.
Our mat was/is bendable, so in taking another look on Amazon, this one might be a viable option for you?
Hope that helps a bit!
Thanks for suggesting the outdoor rug. I had thought about it in the past for the same purpose you have one and then completely forgot about it. I almost bought a braided rug today for our kitchen table but found your blog and I’m so glad I did. I placed an order today and can’t wait for our new outdoor rug to arrive so we can start using it!
Can the material of outdoor rugs be used on hardwood floors?
Hi Karen!
Thanks so much for this question!
Target’s outdoor rugs don’t have a plastic-y feel at all. They are quite soft, and we’ve had them on several different hardwood floors without issue!
Hope that helps!
Megan