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.”

Blue Buffalo plaid rug under table and chairs

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.

Black and white striped rug under black dining table and upholstered dining chairs

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.

Beige high-pile rug under a dining room table

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.

Blue and white flat-woven herringbone rug under dining room table

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.

Braided jute rug under kitchen table

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!

Black and white striped rug in a blue and white dining room

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!

See You Soon!
Megan